Imagine the scene. The temple is buzzing with the crowds gathered for the annual Passover celebration. Thousands of people have come from all over to be a part of these high holy days that gather God’s people together to remember their story and to honor God in the outpouring of prayer and gratitude.
But on this day there is tension. The chief priests and elders are still reeling from what happened the previous day when Jesus, in his outrage, had caused a scene when he went through the temple tossing tables and sending the money changers running. Now, they are in no mood to put up with more of the same. Jesus knew that these are the same religious leaders who are already plotting to kill him, and we might think that Jesus is playing right in their hands. After all, who does he think he is, coming around and challenging the authority of the establishment? Who is he to be roaming around the Galilean countryside undermining the teachings of the religious leaders with his new-age teaching of love and forgiveness as the path to wholeness and salvation? Who does he think he is to gather such a groundswell of support?
What we see here is two very different forms and realities of authority. On the one hand we have the imperial authority of the religious leaders that was top down – domineering and concerned with power and control. On the other hand, there is the authentic authority of Jesus – authentic because it comes from the grassroots and is about love of God and neighbor. It is real authority that comes from truly being of the people and for the people.
In contrast to the religious leaders of his time, Jesus was upside down. What do you mean the last shall be first and the least is the greatest? Jesus was out of the box. Jesus’ real power was in that he gave it away. He sought to empower the powerless. He seemed most at home on the margins, and he shunned traditional forms of power and therefore had authentic authority with the people. This must have been perplexing to those around him who were constantly jockeying for position and all twisted-up in social, political, and religious power-tripping. The power that others coveted Jesus gave away. Now that – like the tables in the temple – is turning things upside down.
If we are to claim our identity as Christians, it means that when Jesus looks government or religion or society squarely in the eye and says, “Something is wrong,” we too can never accept the status quo if others are injured or treated unjustly or marginalized because of national, societal or religious interests.
Luke tells us of another time when Jesus spoke with authentic authority in the synagogue in Nazareth. According to Luke, He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’
Luke goes on to tell us how they almost threw Jesus off a cliff that day. That’s what sometimes happens when you speak with real authority. It’s not always easy to hear the truth and it’s not always easy to speak it. But Jesus never promised us that it would be easy, only that it would be worth it.
Where do you have authentic authority in your life? Where is it that you are truly connected to the realities of the conditions of your brothers and sisters in the world around you? Where can you genuinely empower people who may feel powerless? Where can you be the voice for people who have no voice?
In the Episcopal Baptismal Covenant we are called to “proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ; seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves; strive for justice and peace among all people; and respect the dignity of every human being. When we say, all persons, all people, and every human being that means everybody – no exceptions. This covenant with God is a social justice manifesto that says no matter who we are, where we have been, or what we have done or had done to us, no one is beyond God’s grace and love.
How will you fulfill these words within the hearing of those around today? It may get you nearly thrown off a cliff. That’s what sometimes happens when you speak truth to power. But just remember – you’re in good company.
Brother Dennis
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