Narrative Lectionary for Palm or Passion Sunday, 13 April 2014

Narrative Lectionary for Palm or Passion Sunday, 13 April 2014

Lectionary Scriptures:

John 12: 12 On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet him, and cried out, “Hosanna![a] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,[b] the King of Israel!”

14 Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written, 15 “Don’t be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”[c] 16 His disciples didn’t understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about him, and that they had done these things to him. 17 The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, was testifying about it. 18 For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”

20 Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast. 21 These, therefore, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

27 “Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But for this cause I came to this time.

Footnotes:

John 12:13 “Hosanna” means “save us” or “help us, we pray”.

a. John 12:13 Psalm 118:25-26

b. John 12:15 Zechariah 9:9

19:16 So then he delivered him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away. 17 He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called “The Place of a Skull”, which is called in Hebrew, “Golgotha”, 18 where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Therefore many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘he said, I am King of the Jews.’”

22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

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Commentary on John 12:12-27; 19:16b-22 by Craig A. Satterlee

The crowds have been trying to make Jesus their king for a long while now.

The crowds by the side of the lake started it all. When that crowd saw the sign that Jesus had done -- feeding five thousand people with five barley loaves and two fish -- they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”

This word spread as the crowd’s enthusiasm for Jesus grew. They decided to coronate him on the spot, and Jesus knew it. “When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself” (John 6:14-15). The crowd wanted to make Jesus their kind of king, and Jesus wanted no part of it.

In our reading, the crowd up from the country to purify themselves for the Passover festival has the same idea. They want to make Jesus their kind of king. The crowd hears that Jesus is coming into Jerusalem. And they are sporting for a fight. “The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him” (11:55-57).

We know that the chief priests and Pharisees have already decided to kill Jesus, because Jesus is drawing crowds. They’ve decided to kill Lazarus too, because they need to eliminate the living evidence of the sign that Jesus performed by raising Lazarus from the dead. So the word is out that the religious authorities are looking for Jesus. For Jesus to show up would be a direct, in-your-face challenge to their authority. And the buzz on the street is that Jesus is coming.

So the crowd arms themselves with palm branches and goes out to meet Jesus, singing his praises with an adaptation of Psalm 118:25-26: “Save us, we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD.” Once again, the crowd wants to make Jesus their kind of king -- their expected, national, political messiah. And once again, Jesus will have no part of it.

But before we move on to what Jesus does, we do well to pause and reflect on how we seek to make Jesus our kind of king. If we take this narrative seriously, that’s what we are doing when we wave palms on this Sunday. No one waving branches in the crowd wanted or expected Jesus to go willingly to the cross. If they had come up from the lake or over from Bethany, they were looking for a miracle-worker. If they were waiting for Jesus’ showdown with the authorities, they wanted and expected a revolutionary to overthrow the status quo.

This crowd is not the only one to lay their expectations on Jesus. We are happy to wave palms and sing his praises as long as Jesus is our kind of king. So, what expectations do we lay on Jesus? Perhaps that he will -- or won’t -- be political. Perhaps that faith will lead to earthly success.

As a bishop, one of the expectations of Jesus that I hear most often is that, though Jesus may not save every ELCA congregation, Jesus will certainly save ours. What are your expectations of Jesus? We need to be clear that, as we wave the palms and sing hosanna, we are joining the crowd in celebrating our expectations. The least we can do is to know them and to name them.

Long pause.

And Jesus will have no part of meeting our expectations. Jesus will have no part of being our kind of king, because Jesus is committed to being God’s kind of king. And that’s the good news. Jesus is committed to being God’s kind of king.

No, Jesus doesn’t withdraw to the mountain. He knows that his hour has come to die. He said so in Bethany, after Mary anointed him. Jesus said, “She bought [the costly perfume made of pure nard] so that she might keep it for the day of my burial” (John 12:7). Jesus does not flee from the crowd’s acclamations. He enters the city.

But Jesus enters the city with a twist. Jesus enters the city seated on a young donkey (12:14). Jesus corrects the crowd’s expectations -- and ours -- using a prophecy from Zechariah (9:9). “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” (John 12:15). Jesus comes seated on a donkey, not riding or mounted on a war chariot. Jesus comes humbly, not dolling out miracles.

His gesture makes clear that Jesus is a king, but not the king we expect. And the disciples only understand this after Jesus is glorified on the cross (John 12:16). Speaking only for myself, understanding this is a lifetime’s work.

I wonder. As Jesus passed by, seated on a donkey, did the palm waving stop and the crowd go silent as they breathed in the sight? Or did the crowd wave even more furiously and cheer even louder in an attempt to convince -- even will -- Jesus to be their kind of king?

And what of us? As we wave our palms as the cross passes by, might we dare cease our waving and allow our palms to fall to the ground, as a way of releasing our expectations of the kind of king Jesus should be?

When we do, we are free to enter with joy upon those mighty acts by which God has given us abundant, eternal life. Perhaps the best thing we can give up for Holy Week is our expectations.

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

God of honor and celebration,

Together we cry, “Hosanna!” to your son, who rode willingly and bravely into Jerusalem. Hear us as we celebrate our king. Amen.

HYMNS:

“My song is love unknown”   ELW 343, H82 458, NCH 222

1.  My song is love unknown,
  My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
  That they might lovely be.
    O who am I,
    That for my sake
    My Lord should take
    Frail flesh, and die?

2. He came from His blest throne
  Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
  The longed-for Christ would know:
    But oh, my Friend,
    My Friend indeed,
    Who at my need
    His life did spend.

3. Sometimes they strew His way,
  And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
  Hosannas to their King:
    Then “Crucify!“
    Is all their breath,
    And for His death
    They thirst and cry.

4. They rise and needs will have
  My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they save,
  The Prince of life they slay.
    Yet cheerful He
    To suffering goes,
    That He His foes
    From thence might free.

5. In life, no house, no home
  My Lord on earth might have;
In death, no friendly tomb,
  But what a stranger gave.
    What may I say?
    Heav’n was His home;
    But mine the tomb
    Wherein He lay.

6.  Here might I stay and sing,
  No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King,
  Never was grief like Thine.
    This is my Friend,
    In whose sweet praise
    I all my days
    Could gladly spend.

“All glory, laud, and honor”   ELW 344, H82 154, 155, UMH 280, NCH 216, 217

1. All glory, laud, and honor

to you, Redeemer, King,

to whom the lips of children

made sweet hosannas ring.

You are the King of Israel

and David's royal Son,

now in the Lord's name coming,

the King and Blessed One.

2. The company of angels

is praising you on high;

and we with all creation

in chorus make reply.

The people of the Hebrews

with palms before you went;

our praise and prayer and anthems

before you we present.

3. To you before your passion

they sang their hymns of praise;

to you, now high exalted,

our melody we raise.

As you received their praises,

accept the prayers we bring,

for you delight in goodness,

O good and gracious King!

“At the name of Jesus”   ELW 416, H82 435, UMH 168

1. Take the Name of Jesus with you,

Child of sorrow and of woe,

It will joy and comfort give you;

Take it then, where’er you go.

Refrain:

Precious Name, oh, how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n;

Precious Name, oh, how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.

2. Take the Name of Jesus ever,

As a shield from every snare;

If temptations round you gather,

Breathe that holy Name in prayer.

Refrain:

Precious Name, oh, how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n;

Precious Name, oh, how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.

3. Oh, the precious Name of Jesus!

How it thrills our souls with joy,

When His loving arms receive us,

And His songs our tongues employ!

Refrain:

Precious Name, oh, how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n;

Precious Name, oh, how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.

4. At the Name of Jesus bowing,

Falling prostrate at His feet,

King of kings in heav’n we’ll crown Him,

When our journey is complete.

Refrain:

Precious Name, oh, how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n;

Precious Name, oh, how sweet!

Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.

CHORAL

“Hosanna to the Son of David” Luc Jakobs

Verse:

You are the King of glory

You are the Prince of peace

You are the Lord of heaven and earth

You’re the Son of righteousness

Angels bow down before You

Worship and adore

For You have the words of eternal life

You are Jesus Christ the Lord

Chorus:

Hosanna to the Son of David

Hosanna to the King of kings

Glory in the highest heaven

For Jesus the Messiah reigns

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John Wesley’s Notes-Commentary for:

John 12:12-27

Verse 12

[12] On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

The next day — On Sunday.

Who were come to the feast — So that this multitude consisted chiefly of Galileans, not men of Jerusalem. Matthew 21:8.

Verse 13

[13] Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Psalms 118:26; Mark 11:8; Luke 19:36.

Verse 15

[15] Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

Fear not — For his meekness forbids fear, as well as the end of his coming. Zechariah 9:9.

Verse 16

[16] These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

These things his disciples understood not at first — The design of God's providential dispensations is seldom understood at first. We ought therefore to believe, though we understand not, and to give ourselves up to the Divine disposal. The great work of faith is, to embrace those things which we knew not now, but shall know hereafter.

When he had been glorified — At his ascension.

Verse 17

[17] The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

When he called Lazarus out of the tomb — How admirably does the apostle express, as well the greatness of the miracle, as the facility with which it was wrought! The easiness of the Scripture style on the most grand occurrences, is more sublime than all the pomp of orators.

Verse 18

[18] For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.

The multitude went to meet him, because they heard — From those who had seen the miracle. So in a little time both joined together, to go before and to follow him.

Verse 20

[20] And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

Certain Greeks — A prelude of the Gentile Church. That these were circumcised does not appear. But they came up on purpose to worship the God of Israel.

Verse 21

[21] The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

These came to Philip of Bethsaida in Galilee — Perhaps they used to lodge there, in their journey to Jerusalem. Or they might believe, a Galilean would be more ready to serve them herein, than a Jew.

Sir — They spake to him, as to one they were little acquainted with.

We would see Jesus — A modest request. They could scarce expect that he would now have time to talk with them.

Verse 23

[23] And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified — With the Father and in the sight of every creature. But he must suffer first.

Verse 24

[24] Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Unless a grain of wheat die — The late resurrection of Lazarus gave our Lord a natural occasion of speaking on this subject. And agreeable to his infinite knowledge, he singles out, from among so many thousands of seeds, almost the only one that dies in the earth: and which therefore was an exceeding proper similitude, peculiarly adapted to the purpose for which he uses it. The like is not to be found in any other grain, except millet, and the large bean.

Verse 25

[25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

He that loveth his life — More than the will of God; shall lose it eternally: and he that hateth his life - In comparison of the will of God, shall preserve it. Matthew 10:39.

Verse 26

[26] If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Let him follow me — By hating his life: and where I am - In heaven.

If any man serve me — Thus, him will the Father honour.

Verse 27

[27] Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Now is my soul troubled — He had various foretastes of his passion.

And what shall I say? — Not what shall I choose? For his heart was fixed in choosing the will of his Father: but he laboured for utterance. The two following clauses, Save me from this hour - For this cause I came - Into the world; for the sake of this hour (of suffering) seem to have glanced through his mind in one moment. But human language could not so express it.

John 19:16b-22

Verse 17

[17] And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

Bearing his cross — Not the whole cross, (for that was too large and heavy,) but the transverse beam of it, to which his hands were afterward fastened. This they used to make the person to be executed carry. Matthew 27:31; Mark 15:20; Luke 23:26.

Verse 19

[19] And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews — Undoubtedly these were the very words, although the other evangelists do not express them at large.

Verse 20

[20] This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

It was written in Latin — For the majesty of the Roman empire; in Hebrew - Because it was the language of the nation; and in Greek - For the information of the Hellenists, who spoke that language, and came in great numbers to the feast.

Verse 22

[22] Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

What I have written, I have written — That shall stand.

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