A Note From Rob ...
Week of February 28, 2010
Jesus is warned by the Pharisees that Herod wants to kill him. This is believable. Herod has already killed John
the Baptist and his reputation for brutality is well known. It seems to run in the family, since it was his father by the
same name who killed the innocent children at Jesus’ birth. Junior was a chip off of the old block.
However, another interesting twist is who is coming to warn Jesus: the Pharisees. Now before we rush into
some kind of guilt by association, let’s give them some room for grace. And if we should choose to assume that the
Pharisees were part of Jesus’ problem with Herod, then let’s look at why that was probably true.
Both Herod and the Pharisees would have had a problem with Jesus. Jesus was a popular figure in Herod’s
world. Popular figures had a loyal following and history would have taught Herod that sometimes civil unrest may lead
to revolution. Revolution would have been bad for Herod. His position and power would be at risk. The solution would
be simple for Herod, get rid of Jesus.
The Pharisees would be in a similar position. In some ways they were like Herod; unrest with the people led to
problems with Herod and if Herod had problems, they had problems.
Rome was really in charge and Herod was nothing more than a puppet King but he did have some power over
the Pharisees. Jesus also presented more significant problems because he began to question the very foundation of their
belief system. In short, Jesus was presenting a new way of looking at one’s relationship with God and one another.
Rules were giving way to relationship. Jesus’ life and teaching were seen as heretical. The challenge to the
institution and the status quo was the real threat. We know how it played out for Jesus and how it has played out in
history when the status quo is challenged.
The season of Lent asks each of us and all of us to challenge the status quo in our personal and institutional
lives. It is so easy to fall into a routine of rules, ritual and regulation and lose sight of the relationship that Jesus offers
us with Him and subsequently with one another.
I look forward to meeting Jesus with you this Lent.
RETURN
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