Christians around the world just celebrated Palm Sunday, the day that commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the day that began his last week of teaching and ministry before his crucifixion and resurrection. On that day his followers enthusiastically welcomed him as they would a long awaited conquering hero, replete with a parade, prostrations and exuberant shouts of hosanna. Their king had arrived! But, within a week the exclamations of hosanna had been replaced by roars of ‘kill him!’ and ‘give us Barabbas!’ What happened? They assumed, incorrectly, that Jesus had come to overthrow the oppressive and immoral Roman government. They thought he was going to establish a temporal kingdom, a Jewish theocracy that would gain control over all of society: the government, the courts, the educational system, media, business, family life, the arts, and of course, religion, of which only Judaism could dominate. Once they realized that Jesus had not come, in fact, to establish a Jewish nationalistic state, but had come to change hearts as opposed to the government, they utterly rejected him, his way, his mission, and his purpose. They rejected the salvation he offered, preferring instead Barabbas, an insurrectionist and criminal, who represented the promise of earthly power. They simply did not understand Jesus or his kingdom. They wanted change and the Way of Jesus, they determined, was woefully inadequate. Sheer force, coercion, and violence, if necessary, were required. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was far too gentle to meet the moment.
And, today christian nationalists are making the very same mistake, echoing the very same cry, ‘Give us Barabbas!’ They do not understand Jesus or his kingdom either.
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