The Destructive Power of Fear

The account of Jesus’ trial before Pilate makes no logical sense, until you figure in the emotion that was present. Just days before, the crowd had praised Jesus as he entered into Jerusalem, declaring him to be the son of David. The religious leaders should have followed Jesus and rejoiced at his coming, because they knew the Old Testament and that Jesus fulfilled all that the Scriptures had said about their Messiah. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent and not a threat to the Roman government. His wife had even warned him about who Jesus was. Yet Jesus was still crucified and we must ask the question “why”? Actually, it is an example of what happens when fear rules the day. The chief priests were afraid of Jesus’ popularity which could have caused the Romans to take away their position of influence, so they contradicted their own law and plotted to kill Jesus. The people were afraid of the leaders excommunicating them, because they had threatened to put anyone out of the synagogue who followed Jesus. Being excommunicated in that society meant that they would be shunned from society would not be able to function within their own community. Pilate was afraid that the crowd might riot, which would put his position in jeopardy, because he was not able to keep the peace. So in the end the fear of the religious leaders manipulated both Pilate and the crowd into sacrificing Jesus. The irony of Jesus’ death is that everything that each one feared came to pass. Pilate was removed from his position after a few years. Jewish revolutionaries became more powerful and brought the wrath of Rome down on Jerusalem and destroyed the temple and the city. The religious leaders lost their position and the people lost everything.

Anytime fear is driving our decision-making, we make poor decisions based not on reality or truth, but out of our perception of self-preservation. Driven by fear, our leaders make poor decisions, driven to maintain their position of leadership. Finally, because of the poor decisions, the people suffer and the real underlying issue is not addressed. We often conclude that people making decisions we don’t like or agree with are the problem. When leaders, whether we agree with them or not, make decisions based on fear, they are not the fundamental problem, but they do reflect and illustrate the problem. It is the fear that is driving their and our decision-making that needs to be addressed.

Being Attentive

While the chief priest and scribes plotted to kill Jesus after the Passover, Jesus was at the home of Simon the Leper, when a woman, unnamed in Mark, but identified as Mary the sister of Lazarus in John, brought a flask of perfume with which she anointed Jesus’ head. However, there were some there who rebuked her, unnamed again in Mark, but identified as Judas Iscariot in John who rebuked her because the perfume could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. John commented in his account, that Judas had no concern for the poor, but criticized Mary because he was the treasurer and a thief who stole from the money box. Jesus reminded them that she had done a good thing and anointed his body for burial, but they would always have the poor with them whom they could assist. On the other hand they would not always have Jesus present with them to anoint and honor. Then Jesus added that what she had done would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached.

This account reveals some implications, that there are particular seasons in which we can honor Jesus. This was one of them. Jesus was only present on earth for a time; Mary took advantage of that time. She understood and was sensitive to the time in which she lived and took the opportunity to honor Jesus. Because of what she did, she would always be remembered whenever the good news of Jesus is proclaimed. It is interesting that this account took place right after Jesus instructed his disciples to be attentive and watch for his coming. Immediately in Mark 14, Mark gave the account of Mary anointing Jesus. The connection of the two passages indicates that Mary was an illustration of someone who was being attentive, which was to be an example of how Jesus’ disciples were and are to live. We are to be attentive to what is going on around us; what is happening in our generation. As Mary was, we are to be prepared and take advantage of our opportunities to honor Jesus with the time that we have.

Kingdom Values

When Jesus observed individuals making contributions to the temple treasury, he made a surprising observation revealing that Jesus doesn’t necessarily take quantity into account, but sacrifice. While many gave more than the poor widow, she sacrificed more, because she gave all she had to live on. This is what pleases Jesus, what we sacrifice in order to honor him. The world honors quantity and is impressed when someone gives a large amount, even though the amount given will never impact the way that they live. The world gives no notice to an individual who sacrifices much, if the amount given is minuscule. However, Jesus notices that which the world chooses to ignore and recognizes both the amount, in this case 2 small coins, and the sacrifice; it was all she had to live on. Then he declared that she had given more than all that the wealthy had given. Once again Jesus demonstrated that the values of his kingdom are quite different than the values of the world in which we currently live.

This story is an illustration of what Paul meant when he wrote to the Romans that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and not be conformed to the world. When we live according to the values of the world, we are being conformed to it. Jesus’ kingdom exists by different values, that we discover when we begin to think and value differently and in that way transform our actions.

God’s Image Revealed

It intrigues me how Jesus revealed truth in unexpected situations. When some Pharisees and Herodians came to test him about paying taxes to Caesar, they hoped to discredit Jesus before the people or accuse him before the Romans. If Jesus said that they should pay their taxes, he would have been discredited before the people, but if he said they shouldn’t pay their taxes, then they could accuse him before the Romans, who collected the taxes. Jesus perceived their hypocrisy, so he asked for a Roman coin. He asked them whose image and inscription was on the coin; they responded Caesar’s. So Jesus told them to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but he added that we are to give to God what is God’s. However, that raises another question for us.

What did Jesus mean, by saying give to God what is God’s? Jesus is not implying that we should give our money to God, although that is a good thing to do, rather Jesus is revealing to us something about images. In the creation account in Genesis chapter 1 we read “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Jesus used a question designed to entrap him regarding the paying of taxes and a Roman coin bearing Caesar’s image to remind us who we are. Since the coin bore Caesar’s image we are to give that to him, but since we, men and women, bear God’s own image, then we are to give our entire being to him. It is only in entrusting our very selves to God our Father that we can discover our true purpose and our true identity. At a later time, Jesus pointed out what Isaiah had declared, that the people honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from him, concluding that the people worship God in vain. What does this mean? God wants the affections of our hearts and the actions that flow from that relationship.

Avoiding People Pleasing

When the religious leaders demanded Jesus to tell them on whose authority he accomplished miracles and taught the people, Jesus responded with a question of his own to them. His question revealed the perils of living as people-pleasers. Jesus responded to the leaders’ demand by asking them about John the Baptist, whether they believed that he was from heaven or from men. He put them in a dilemma with this question, because they had rejected John and had not followed him. So they couldn’t say that he was from heaven, but because they also were people-pleasers, they hesitated to say that he was from men, because the people considered John to have been a prophet. Therefore, they lied and hid behind faux ignorance. They had an opinion, which they had revealed by their previous rejection of John and current rejection of Jesus, but they refused to reveal their opinion out of fear of the people’s reaction to them.

Their response to Jesus reveals the danger of living to please other people rather than living according to what you believe is true. When you live in that manner, you actually relinquish the power of living a life of conviction to the changing opinions of other people. The prophet Micah gave to us a superior manner to live by. In Micah 6:8, he declared that God wants us to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with God. This type of life was in contrast to how the religious leaders lived; they were neither just, kind or humble. Rather, they were doing whatever it took for them to preserve their positions of power and affluence. When we do justice, love kindness and walking humbly with God, we will encounter those who disagree and criticize, but we will also live in community with those who admire our courage to live in an authentic manner. We can also live free of worry of loss of position or affluence, because those things were never the focus of our lives. Instead of relinquishing our power to the most vocal crowd, we increase in power and influence ourselves.

Living and Following Truth

The story of the rich ruler, in Mark 10 identified as a man who ran up to Jesus, reveals the cost of entering the Kingdom of God. His decision to keep his wealth and not follow Jesus, reminds me of what martyred missionary Jim Elliot had said that one is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to acquire what he cannot lose. Jesus pointed the man to eternal life, but he refused it in order to keep his earthly possessions for a season. The man’s decision reflects the human tendency to value that which we have acquired in order to stay comfortable and established on earth, but fail to reckon what it truly costs us to live in that manner.

Jesus explained to his disciples that it is hard for those who have wealth to enter into the Kingdom of God. Jesus used a metaphor, obviously known to the disciples, to describe how difficult it was for the wealthy to enter into the kingdom. Jesus spoke of a camel going through the eye of a needle being easier than it was for a rich man to enter into the kingdom. Hearing Jesus’ words, the disciples concluded that it was impossible for anyone to enter the kingdom, but Jesus clarified that what was impossible for man was possible with God. When Peter declared that they, his disciples, had left everything to follow Jesus, Jesus responded that those who give up earthly pursuits and possessions, receive much more in return through their association with the kingdom.

Jesus’ teaching here reminds us of how the values of the Kingdom of God are contrary to the values of the world. Living according to Kingdom of God values is not difficult or complicated. It can be summed up in what the prophet Micah declared: “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you, But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). We will we never be satisfied with the acquisition of wealth, fame or power, rather we will be satisfied when we live in relationship with Jesus, practicing justice, love and kindness and then receive everything we need as gifts through our association with God’s Kingdom. This is why Jesus called men to himself by inviting them to take his yoke upon them because it is easy and light. Implied in Jesus’ words is the truth that trying to live according to the world’s values wears us out, but by relinquishing that yoke for Jesus’ yoke we find true freedom. Unfortunately, the rich ruler did not grasp what Jesus offered him, so he left Jesus grieving. Hopefully, we will make a different decision.

The Mystery of Following Jesus

On the way to Caeseria Philippi, Jesus posed two questions to his disciples. First, who did men say that he was? They responded that people thought he was either John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets. It is curious that no one out of the people considered him the Messiah. Jesus did not fit their mold of the Messiah. On the other hand, when Jesus posed the same question to the disciples, they responded immediately that he was the Messiah. The people and the disciples had all received the same teaching from Jesus, followed the same Scriptures, observed the same miracles, yet they came to very different conclusions about Jesus. This had always been the disciples’ view of Jesus from the first time they met him. Philip testified to Nathanial that they had found the Messiah; Andrew gave the same testimony to Peter. In Matthew, Jesus had indicated to Peter that flesh and blood had not revealed this to him, but his Father in heaven. Curiously, Jesus commanded the disciples not to reveal his identity to the people.

The realization that Jesus is the Messiah, the Holy Son of God, cannot be ascertained through study or any human means, it must be revealed by the Spirit to an individual. Even though all the prophetic evidence confirms that Jesus is the Messiah people disregard it all and prefer to put Jesus in a different category of great teacher or great prophet, just like the people of Jesus’ day. Coming to know Jesus, is a matter of spiritual revelation, not a matter of human persuasion through reason, historical or biblical evidence. While the disciples were commanded not to declare Jesus’ identity at that time, later they were commissioned to reveal Jesus through proclamation. This they did as is recorded in the book of Acts and Jesus’ followers have done the same since that time. It is now through the proclamation of Jesus that the Holy Spirit reveals to individuals who Jesus is, while some who hear the same proclamation conclude Jesus was a great prophet and teacher.

Attending to the Important

Ironically, we tend to concern ourselves with what we shouldn’t, and overlook what we should concern ourselves with. After feeding the four thousand, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat to travel to Bethsaida. After embarking the disciples realized that they had only brought one loaf of bread. As they sailed, Jesus instructed them to be on guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. Because they had forgotten additional bread, the disciples assumed that Jesus was referring to their lack of bread. Knowing what they were discussing among themselves, Jesus addressed their misunderstanding by reminding them that on both the occasion of feeding the five thousand and later the four thousand, they ended up with more bread left over than they had to begin with. Jesus then asked if they had understood. In Matthew’s gospel, we read that they had grasped that Jesus warned them about the teaching of the Pharisees and of Herod.

The disciples reflect our tendency to be more concerned about our immediate physical needs, or needs we think we have, rather than the more important issues of what impacts our hearts, thoughts and values. The Pharisees and Herod were more concerned about externals: the opinions of men, maintaining power and giving a good impression. They were not concerned about promoting truth and helping others. When we become so fixated upon what we think we need, we can miss the more important issues of our life. Jesus directed his disciples and ultimately us as well to pay attention to the bigger issues of life, because our physical needs will be taken care of as we focus on what is most important.

Jesus’ Timetable

Once again on the boundary of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus received a deaf and mute man. Jesus healed him by placing his fingers in his ears and placing spit on his tongue. Then he declared his ears to be opened so that he could hear and the bonds on his tongue were loosed. Mark’s description of this man’s difficulties is curious. It was as if his tongue had been imprisoned. However even though Jesus had restored the man’s speech, he didn’t want them to go about telling others what had happened; why was that? It seems that Jesus often kept to himself so that he would not become increasingly popular and precipitate the time of his death. In fact, it was Jesus’ popularity when he entered Jerusalem one last time, that motivated the religious leaders to implement their plans to arrest and kill Jesus. It was not that Jesus didn’t care for the people, because he knew that in time his disciples would go out and proclaim the good news and heal the sick. Rather he had come to do what his disciples could not do. He had come to prepare his followers and to give his life as a ransom for many; so he was on a timetable. He had to have sufficient time with those he had appointed as apostles, that is those he would send out to proclaim the kingdom.

Jesus’ actions reveal a different perspective than what we often have. He was patient and stayed focused on his purpose, rather than being distracted by the urgent. At one time he told his brothers that anytime was opportune for them, but not for him (John 7). Jesus knew that his popularity could provoke the people to attempt to proclaim him king, which was not his purpose. He declared as much to Pilate, when Pilate asked him if he was a king. Jesus replied “yes”, but that his kingdom was not of this world. Man always tries to transform this world into God’s kingdom, but God’s kingdom is about transforming the hearts and minds of men.

True Religion

When the Pharisees pointed out the failure of Jesus’ disciples to follow the traditions of the elders, Jesus addressed their hypocrisy that had been previously addressed by Isaiah the prophet, through whom God declared that the people honor him with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. The Pharisees were those who lived outwardly exemplary lives, but inwardly they were filled with anger, jealousy and greed that distanced them from God.

This is the age old problem of humanity and religion. Man tends to create external behaviors to reveal that they are religious and honor God, but their hearts can remain distant from God. Man tells himself that God wants them to live with certain behaviors and practices, but Jesus identified many of those behaviors with the commandments of men, which men substitute for having their hearts transformed by God’s spirit. Jesus taught that true worshipers of God worship in spirit and truth. What does that mean? True followers of Jesus worship him from the inside out. Their hearts are changed because of a transformation of their thinking and their values, which then is seen on the outside in their behavior, through their speech and their relationships with those around them. Jesus taught on a number of occasions that his followers’ loving relationships with one another and even with their enemies would reveal that they belonged to him. At one point Paul declared to the Ephesian church that they should be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving one another, just as in Jesus God had forgiven them. Since we’ve been forgiven so much, our love for Jesus is revealed through the forgiving and compassionate relationships that we have.