“A clash of
civilisations” is how the standoff between the West and radical Islam has been
described as two mutually exclusive kingdoms face off against each other.
Well
whatever the truth of that characterisation what we have heard this morning is
a true clash of civilizations that came together in Jerusalem about two
thousand years ago. More correctly it was a clash of Kingdoms.
In one
corner you have all the kingdoms of the world represented by their current
champion Rome – characterised by force, coercion, oppression, division, race,
class, corruption, inequality and injustice and vice.
And in the
other corner we have the kingdom of God characterised by love, gentleness
peace, equality, freedom mercy and justice.
Both
representatives of each kingdom have to enter Jerusalem. Pontius Pilate, the
Roman governor, you see, doesn’t live in Jerusalem he lives on the coast in
Caesarea Maritime and he only comes to Jerusalem to keep an eye on things at
times like the big festivals like Passover.
And when
Pilate came to Jerusalem he didn’t come quietly. He came with all the noise,
bombast and spectacle he could muster to show the Jewish people who their real
Boss was.
Pilate would
have entered via the Western gate and it would have been a magnificent and awe
inspiring show – trumpets and standards, war horses, chariots, flashing
polished armour, marching soldiers, perhaps enough to put the fear of God into
you.
Meanwhile on
the East of the city, through the mount of olives, came the representative of
the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ, whole procession looked and felt very
different. The Jesus procession was also planned. Jesus knew exactly where the
colt was to be found and directed two of his disciples there to fetch it.
Jesus came
into the city, not with fanfares and trumpets but with shouts of joy calling
“Hosanna to the son of David” they strew palm leaved and their cloaks on the
ground for him to walk on, the cloaks of the poor and the downtrodden to
provide the welcome carpet.
He came not
on a warhorse but a donkey.
This was the
greatest clash of kingdoms in human history. The kingdoms of the world and our
way of doing things and the kingdom of God and his way of doing things were to
meet to confront each other in what in a week’s time would decide the winner.
And it
wasn’t just the kingdoms of the world that Jesus was going to confront it was
also corrupt religion, that compromised itself and collaborated with the
oppressive kingdoms of this world.
Immediately
after Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem he went to the Temple to symbolically
cleasnse it.
Though if
you read Mark’s original account – you find something very interesting removed
from Matthew and Luke’s account. They write that Jesus went immediately to the
Temple after his triumphal entry and turned over the tables of the money
changers as if it were a spontaneous act.
Very
interesting that in Mark’s gospel, yes he does go to the Temple, but because it
was late so the big crowds weren’t there so he went back to Bethany again and
came back to turn over the tables in the morning when there would be much more
impact, when there would be many more priests and scribes and Pharisees there
to see it. (11:11)
Jesus was
fully aware that there was going to be a grand clash that would pit Rome and
the corrupt temple against the kingdom of God – that God was going to show how
wrong both “church and state” in modern parlance really were.
So our scene
is set for the climax of this confrontation.
Who will win
I wonder?
