As faithful Christians take a collective sign of relief after all the events and celebrations over the past several days, it has put me in a bit of a reflective mode. I have noticed how the Gospel of Jesus, written by Luke, contains some interesting episodes that have an interesting similarity. They are memorable events that often times get overlooked because they occur on a day when the seemingly bigger story of that is something else. Let me illustrate.
Consider what we typically refer to as Palm Sunday. This, of course, is when Jesus rides on a colt to the shouts of the people. His triumphant entrance into the city of Jerusalem really marks the beginning of the Holy Week and this part of that day captures pretty much all the attention of people observing the week in the modern Church. But in Luke’s account of the events, this episode actually provides the stimulus for the reaction of the Pharisees who criticized Him and His disciples for saying the things they were about Jesus in celebration. Jesus quickly responds and pivots from a celebratory mode to one of intense emotion as He weeps for the city of Jerusalem. What must Jesus’ disciples have thought by this 180 degree turnaround, not only of emotion, but shift in His role from King in the triumphal entry to that of Prophet?
Did this event, the weeping over Jerusalem, happen on that Palm Sunday as Luke seems to indicate or did it occur later in the week as Matthew would suggest? All I know is that it is a prominent dimension to the whole story of Jesus ministry, particularly His preparation for death, burial, and resurrection. My reflection has led me to question why so much attention is given to the triumphal entry and so little to His weeping over Jerusalem. I don’t have an answer, only to say that it is interesting and indicates our need for a fuller richer study of God’s Word. Who knows what other “nuggets” might be perhaps not undiscovered but certainly undeveloped in our minds and our beliefs about Jesus? Well…let me mention another.
Luke again helps us discover an episode that he reports took place the same day that Jesus rose from the dead. Luke 24 records the story of the Road to Emmaus. We don’t know exactly all that Jesus did the day He resurrected but it obviously was a full day. By day’s end, Luke records a stunning conversation with 2 gentlemen who were perplexed by all the occurrences experienced in Jerusalem. I must admit that I really didn’t give it the prominence in my study as I should have. I seemed fascinated by the resurrection: the angel, the stone, the women, the disciples, the mystery of it all. Today, this section of Luke is probably my favorite of all the Gospels. The more I think about each phrase and detail, the more topics for thinking occur: Why didn’t they recognize Jesus, How I wish I could hear Jesus’ explanation of Himself, What is the significance of the Bread, How does Jesus just disappear like that.
I love the fact that Easter is a day not only of Resurrection and all that His resurrection means to me, but also the explanations and ministry provided by Jesus as He immediately shifts focus from One offering His life as a ransom to One who is patiently explaining it all to those who can’t seem to quite figure it all out.
As the calendar slowly takes us away from the day we specifically celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, let me encourage you to resist moving away from His meeting that same day with those men. May His words wash over you in encouraging ways and may your curiosity about resurrection, both His and ours, only grow in intensity.
Leave a Reply