The plot thickens

“…lest there be an uproar…” Mk. 14:1-2

Back to our story. Jesus has been openly teaching in Jerusalem in the temple every day. He freely moves about the temple grounds, interacting with the people gathered there. He is not stirring up the crowds, urging some sort of revolt or demonstration against the Romans. He is only teaching and instructing people the ways of God.

Then again, he did make a ruckus with the money changers. And he restored the sight of a blind man down in Jericho. And he did arrive riding a donkey while the crowd went wild, shouting hosannas and declaring “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” The kind of things the would-be messiahs say they would do, but can never quite pull off.

Yet, in the evenings, Jesus and the disciples leave the city and return to Bethany. This could be seen as a security measure. Jerusalem is not friendly territory and moving outside its walls at night reduces risk. Those of us who have looked ahead in the book know that the night Jesus spends in Jerusalem will be his last.

The chief priests and scribes are aware of Jesus’ movements. They see the crowds hanging on his every word. The people have become distracted away from the feasts and festivals they have traveled here to observe. In reality, they are seeing what these celebrations have been pointing to all these centuries: the coming of the Lord. They are beginning to realize that the rites they have been diligently following all their lives are but the shadow cast by this Man Jesus.

You would think that the Jewish leaders would be overjoyed. The main point of all their teaching, preaching and celebration is now standing on their doorstep, saying marvelous things and performing miracles. See, they would say, we have been right about this all the time! But instead, they are holding secret meetings and figuring out how Jesus can be arrested quietly and quickly put to death. They are planning the equivalent of a predawn raid by the FBI, under the cover of darkness and before any opposition is even out of bed. Except the FBI is nicer. They only throw their culprit into a jail cell and destroy his reputation and substance in the courts for months to come. These leaders simply want Jesus dead.

But the moment is not right yet. Too many people would object to such an extreme move. Sure, if they were stealthy enough and kept the killing out of the news and spread rumors about Jesus chickening out or some such rubbish, they might get away with it. The important thing was keeping the Romans pacified. If the crowds found out suddenly – maybe even witnessed the killing themselves – there would be a huge uproar that the armed legions would forcefully put to an end. And possibly the Jewish leadership with it.

Copyright 2023 David J. Cooley