"Don't screw this up!" - Jesus

It is sometimes said that the crowd did not understand Jesus and this is why they became angry and shouted "crucify!" It is said that people thought he was a specific type of leader or king or messiah and when it turned out he was not, the crowd became angry.

​Perhaps the crowd shouted for Jesus to die not because they misunderstood Jesus, but because Jesus understood the crowd.

It is the case that tension in the world needs to be resolved and ​one of the most universally accepted ways to resolve tension is to locate, isolate and destroy a scapegoat. Jesus knows this and Jesus also knows this cycle of tension, blame and death is a cycle that no one has been able to break. But Jesus thinks he might have a way to break the cycle, as long as the disciples don't screw it up.

Here is part of the story from Luke:

He said to them, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “No, not a thing.” He said to them, “But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless’; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.” They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” He replied, “It is enough.”

Why would Jesus ask for a sword? ​Jesus needs the Powers That Be to count him as an insurrectionist and a rebel leading an armed revolt, so he asks for a sword. Jesus does not plan to use it all he needs is a prop to ensure that the crowd thinks he is dangerous. This points out the fact that while Jesus never intends to use the sword nor has he been violent at all, people will make "evidence" even when there is not any to be had. Jesus works to ensure that people will make evidence, because he is without fault.

But why does Jesus want the Power That Be to find fault with him? So that Jesus becomes a scapegoat. Jesus knows that in order to break the scapegoat cycle, he must enter into the cycle in the place of the scapegoat. ​

What Jesus does not need is for the Disciples to screw this up. There have been other times when people were able to kill Jesus but it was not "his time". The full force of the scapegoat cycle had not reached a breaking point. But now it has. Jesus cannot have the Disciples screw up all this work and time. Jesus cannot have the Disciples screwing it up by becoming the scapegoat instead of Jesus. So Jesus asks his disciples to pray that they will not come into the time of trial.​

He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed,“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”

​Now that the disciples have failed again in their work, Jesus is nervous that they might screw this thing up again. How will they act when the crowd comes? If they piss off the crowd then they will become the scapegoat and they will just become like one of the million of other past scapegoats unable to break the cycle. Jesus knows what to do and how to do it, but he cannot have the Disciples screw this up.

And they almost do.​

While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!”

​When the ear is cut off there is a potential that the crowd would take the Disciple and kill him as a scapegoat to the tension. Jesus has to redirect the crowd away from the Disciple and back to himself. So he heals the high priest and then shouts to the crowd, "Hey! you never came to get me in the open, now you come at night! You all are cowards and jerks! I am Jesus. I am the one you want." 

​And so the wrath of the crowd turns back to Jesus, the last and Ultimate scapegoat. 

And Jesus did not screw it up. ​

Some days I don't want to be a Christ follower

Most days I love being a christ follower

But some days I don't want to follow Christ. Some days I am sure that I am not up to the task. Some days I feel I am doing more harm than good and do not want to disappoint Christ or my neighbors. Some days I just do not want to deal with my own fear and doubts and anxiety and only want to run away. Some days I am convinced I am doing it all wrong and I am just not cut out for this whole thing. Some days I feel like there cannot be much good news to share. Some days I resonate with Peter who denied Jesus three times because some days I think that is just a smart thing to do to "keep the peace."

Manudy Thursday and Good Friday are usually some of those days.

Today I do not want to be a Christ follower because of the demands and expectations Jesus gives with his new commandment to love. I do not think I can do it very often and some days I want to just stay in the boat cut off from the call of Jesus.

Some days I do not want to follow Christ because I know where he calls me, and dying is not something I tend to want to do.

Some days I pray the day will be like most days. And some days turn to most days, but some days do not.

I wonder what today will become?

Why I am not a "The Bible" fan

I have now see all the Bible shows thus far and I gotta say, I am not a fan. ​

​It is not because the production looks cheesy. Or that I prefer the "Heston" version of Exodus. Nor am I really put off by the number of just literal inaccuracies. It does not bother me the nuanced is sacrificed for a broad story telling. Not even because of the stories they choose to tell and those they choose the leave out. And while it deeply offends me that the devil looks like President Obama and Jesus is a white guy, even this is not the most offensive bit to me.

The offensive aspect off all this is it is designed to be entertaining. ​

FoxNews/MSNBC, Dancing with the starts, Days of our Lives, Jeopardy, Duck Dynasty are all entertainment.​

They all tell ​stories that are literally inaccurate, broad and lacking nuance, and they leave out a lot of other stories for the sake of keeping the viewer entertained.  

The medium of a 'mini-series' on television carries with it a number of implicit messages that go unspoken but deeply realized. Namely, once you put something on television, those who watch is instantly become passive observers who judge the show on how entertaining it is.

The same is true for televangelists.​ When you are getting your faith formation from the same device that you are watching Wheel of Fortune, we will tend to treat all the shows the same: something to watch to entertain us. 

You see, as we move more and more of the Biblical witness to the idea that it is entertainment, then it moves us into a place that I am not sure I want to go. The Bible, while at times has entertaining stories, is not entertainment. The Bible is a collection of stories that shaped millions of people over the course of time. It is a document that ​forms us not entertains us. 

Please do not cheapen the faith of millions of people (Christians, Muslims and Jews)​ in order to generate a buck. If you are interested in the Bible, might I suggest the actual Bible.