The life and death of Jesus of Nazareth
TODAY, Palm Sunday, recalls the triumphant entry of Jesus of Nazareth into Jerusalem on a donkey. For Jesus and His disciples, visiting the city to celebrate Passover was normal. But others regarded it as a joyous arrival of the Messiah who would restore the kingdom of David and deliver the Jews from their oppressors. But Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah. He told His disciples not to call Him that, but other people did.
That day kicked off an incredible week of personal and political drama that changed the world and brought the great challenge posed by Jesus to all people. He has challenged people every day to accept or reject Him and the great spiritual and human values He taught. He inspired faith in people.
That faith involved believing that goodness and justice will overcome evil and teaching believers to do good and oppose evil. Many people may remain indifferent, but they cannot ignore the influence of this man on the history of humankind. The challenge Jesus posed to the world was for each person to participate in a spiritual revolution and change the world from bad to good. His disciples did not understand His mission at the time.
Jesus never claimed any title at all. His being called the Messiah began after the feeding of five thousand people in the desert (John 6:14–15), where He inspired the people to share their food with those who had none. This event showed His powerful influence over people.
The more politicized followers of Jesus saw that event as a chance to take advantage of Him and make Him part of their agenda to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah and king. He couldn’t stop them from using His popularity for their own ends, which He did not agree with.
We can read what happened in the verse above: “Seeing this miracle that Jesus had performed, the people there said: “Surely this is the Prophet who was to come into the world. Jesus knew that they could come and seize Him by force in order to make Him king, so He went off again to the hills by Himself.”
Jesus arrived in Jerusalem resisting these efforts to make Him king, but political forces were at work to try and make this happen. Radicals, like the Zealots, had hoped He would lead a revolution and overthrow the Roman government then. (It did happen 66 years later.)
For others, the Messiah was a spiritual leader who would replace the authority of the High Priest Caiaphas and his supporters, who colluded with the oppressive Romans in ruling Palestine and restoring the kingdom of David, of whom Jesus was a descendant.
Some of Jesus’ disciples believed He would be given power and glory to rule in Jerusalem. Two of them, James and John, asked to be appointed ministers and placed on each of His hands (Mark 10:35–45) in His kingdom. They completely misunderstood Jesus and His mission. They thought
Jesus would establish a physical kingdom, but He was actually starting a spiritual revolution, one of the heart and mind, in which all would serve the poor and each other.
This misunderstanding had serious repercussions. Word was likely passed around the city that Jesus would be installed as king. Judas probably spread the rumor to the advisers of the High Priest. Caiaphas, the elders, the Sanhedrin and Pharisees became bitter enemies of Jesus after He challenged their hypocrisy and disturbed their corrupt practice of using the Temple courtyard for their money-making business. As the rumor spread, they decided He had to be eliminated.
They judged and condemned Him as a subversive seeking power. They used their judgment to accuse Jesus before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. He asked Jesus: “Are you [the] King of the Jews?” Jesus answered him: “Does this question come from you, or have others told you about me?” In the end, that was the charge that led to His Passion and death.
As a result, the disciples’ dreams fell apart. All felt great guilt afterward. Judas committed suicide. Later, they finally understood that what Jesus aroused in their hearts and minds was an ideal, a conviction that they could bring people to the side of goodness and truth and persuade them to embrace a spiritual kingdom based on faith and action, a society where respect for everyone’s dignity is present. A kingdom built on rights, equality, justice and love of neighbor.
Jesus was an extraordinary human being. If we want to know God, we should get to know Jesus of Nazareth. He may be known during His life on Earth as the son of a carpenter, but he was highly intelligent. He can even be considered a genius. His life had been threatened since the day He was born. His loving parents protected Him. They became refugees in Egypt after escaping the slaughter of young innocents, not unlike what is happening in Gaza today.
Jesus grew to be a man of deep insight, understanding and honesty. His integrity was unassailable. He was self-confident, empowered, independent and selfassured. He had deep solidarity with the poor and the exploited, the hungry, and the unemployed. He gave children the highest place in His kingdom and gave women the highest respect and dignity. He imposed severe penance on child abusers and forgave sinners.
He challenged authority, was fearless, and sought no honor or prestige. He was a humble servant. He washed His disciples’ feet, cooked their food, and served it at the table. He called them friends, not servants, and taught them all He knew with love and wisdom.
In the end, they never understood Him. One even betrayed Him and the rest ran away when he was arrested. He made friends with outcasts and sex workers. He challenged the rich to repent their sins and share their wealth. Above all, He was a man of great empathy. He was falsely accused, condemned to death and cruelly executed despite His innocence.