Reading: Matthew 21:1-17
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If you’re into soap operas, then this year’s lead-up to the presidential election has brought you plenty of entertainment. There’s back-stabbing, dirt digging, polarized commercials, lofty promises, and shady reputations. Watching these candidates brand and market themselves is like watching a McDonald’s commercial. They want us to see the delicious-looking food and forget about the calories and the malnutrition. So instead of portraying their entire personality, they’ll hide back the anger and frustration, so that we can see their cool, calm, collective personality even under attack and pressure.
Jesus did not come to earth to win votes. He came to earth to do His Father’s will. In today’s reading, we encounter a particularly busy day for the Messiah. Notice all of the junxtaposing events. First, in probably the high-point of Jesus’ pre-resurrection ministry, He humbly enters Jerusalem riding a colt to cheers of “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” He immediately heads up to the Temple mount where He finds people buying, selling, and taking advantage of others. They had turned the outer courts of the Temple into a marketplace. His appearance as a humble man quickly turns, as He fashions a whip of cords, drives out the men, and flips over the money tables. Then while some people are probably avoiding eye contact with what appears to be a raging lunatic, others approached Him. As was typical earlier on in Jesus’ ministry, the physically disabled asked for healing. And like He always did, Jesus heals them. In turn, they join the day’s early chorus, crying, “Hosanna!”
Is Jesus schizophrenic? If we were to watch this day’s events unfold, might we mistake Him as being bipolar? One thing’s clear; He’s certainly not going to win an election acting so erratically. Humility one moment, anger the next, followed by healing? It’s enough to make your head spin.
As human beings, we have a distinct personality and disposition that comes into play in every circumstance. Perhaps someone ridden with pride might have entered into Jerusalem riding a mustang, thinking, “Finally a little deserving praise.” That person might go up to the Temple and say, “I’m better than you. Get out!” And then thinking how much better He was than everyone else, He would, in pity, heal the diseased.
Someone who was meek and mild might look right at place riding on a donkey. But when they were faced with confrontation, they might elect to back down or handle the situation more diplomatically or sheepishly and give up if the people didn’t comply.
In Jesus, we see completeness. We are presented with a range of personalities, even conflicting personalities, yet He’s always appropriate for the situation. To the Church at Laodicea, Jesus introduces Himself as the Amen, the faithful and true witness. What is He a witness of? He is a witness of the holy perfection and completeness of God.
Notice what John describes in Revelation 1. “And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.”
What might we say Jesus looks like? Some might immediately identify with Jesus’ hair and say, “He looks old and wise.” Some might immediately notice His eyes of fire and the double-edged sword coming from His mouth and say, “He is a judge.” Some might see the lampstands and say, “He is our High Priest.” Others might point to the robe and golden sash and call Him a King. Some might see the stars in His hand and say, “He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth.”
They would all be correct. Jesus is all of these things. We typically identify with a few of Jesus’ qualities more than others. We meditate on Jesus’ humility as He enters triumphantly, but we might downplay His holy wrath. But Jesus reminds us in Revelation 1-3 that He is complete. And like John, our response should be to fall on our faces before Him in profound worship. He truly is worthy of our praise.