Tuesday class on Palm sunday
First Cuts, I may repost with more considerations. (Leading First Pres. Biblical student, Carol G., caught me studying for this before Sunday morning class)

 

Our writer makes much of Palm Sunday being a parody of power. Could be, see Borg and Crossan's book on the last week of the life of Jesus. They are thinking that peasants are thumbing their noses at power, like at the carnival atmosphere of the Feast of Fools in the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I tend to think not. It is one of the few scenes that appears in all four gospels. Toward that end, please consider looking carefully at the different accounts: Mt. 21:1-11, Mk. 11:1-10, Lk. 19:29-40, Jn.12:12-19. For instance, where are the palms for this day? Instead, think of this as an alternative to established power.

 

1) vv 35-36 sound less like parody and more like acclamation. He is being seated on the colt, one unridden (see for instance I Sam. 6:7). That is important as it marks it as one suitable for ritual purposes, including  a crowning as a king. (that makes more sense of the tricky phrase, the Lord needs it).See 2 Kings 9:13-14 for a royal homage worthy of Sir Walter Raleigh that looks like v. 36.

 

2) See Zech. 14:2 for the Mount of Olives and 9:9 for the use of a young animal as a royal vehicle for peace. What is left out in the citation? Ps. 118 was sung at festivals, including Passover, see v.26 .See Is. 62:11 on king.

 

3) The people throwing garments is the same word, in Greek, used for Elisha throwing his mantle over Elisha.

 

4) Luke says multitude of disciples. They are all in on a parody? Notice they sound like the angels at the birth of Jesus.

 

5) At v. 40 Jesus seems quite taken with the cheers. (see Hab.2:11)Think about the fear of the Pharisees in a good way. Why would Rome fall on the head of Jesus and on the people, especially on a festival that spoke, speaks now, of the move from slavery to freedom? (At this very moment, what is going in in Syria and Yemen in the face of protests?

 

6) Can you think of a better way to introduce the tragedy of the cross than to juxtapose it with a scene of triumph just days before?

 

7) Lindvall makes some good points about power. Let's extend this. Relate power and love. When is the power of love superior to the power of coercion? Give some examples of people power toppling formal power. When does informal power trump formal power? think of mass media and the power of images to structure our thoughts and feelings. What is the difference between power with and power over?