Jesus Smoked 'Em

What Did Jesus Do?  

“…from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:64

 From the time of the last of the Old Testament Prophets (Malachi, around 430 B.C.) right up to the days of the New Testaments premiere prophet (John, aka-“the Baptist”), the home “team” from Jerusalem had pretty much reigned unchallenged (Spiritually, for politically a host of powers had followed one after another in Palestine. Admittedly, their line up was loaded with talent; the roster made up of Pharisees, priests, Sadducees and scribes. Yep, Jerusalem was definitely the big leagues. No one would have been likely to give a kid from down on the “farm” (Galilee was about as bush league as you could get in those days) much of a chance in any head to head series with the heavy hitters from David’s City. Yet, from the moment the crowd began shouting its “Hosannas” it was clear that the barnstorming rabbi from Nazareth, what was his name, oh yes, Jesus, might just be something special. Funny though, the kind of parade which brought Jesus to Jerusalem, and right up to the Temple itself, was usually held after the victory, not before the contest.

Wasting no time, Jesus (over)turned the tables on the home-standers (Matthew 21:12-13), and set them down with an inside curve that broke right down the middle and caught the chief priests and scribes looking (Matthew 21:16; c.f. Psalm 8:2). Win #1 for Jesus, and the series stood at 1-0 in favor of the Nazarene.

The next day Jesus was up early and headed back from Bethany to Jerusalem to resume the contest (Matthew 21:18-22). Clearly, Jesus was again in command of his “stuff.” The chief priests and elders tried to get the series called off on account of Jesus being nothing more than a pretender, but Jesus punched them out with a curve ball about the baptism of John (Matthew 21:25-27). Jesus then proceeded to employ a crafty combination of breaking balls (parables; Matthew 21:28-22:14), and some real heat (seven woes to the scribes and Pharisees; Matthew 23:1-36) to shut out the Jerusalem squad a second time. It was now 2-0 in favor of Jesus.

Jesus had smoked ‘em two days in a row. So now the Jerusalemites turned to their manager (aka the High Priest, Caiaphas), and determined that from then on they were not going to play by the rules (Matthew 26:3-5). As it turned out, one of Jesus’ own was quite willing to throw the series for a price (30 pieces of silver to be exact; Matthew 26:14-16). I don’t know if Judas wore socks, but I would be willing to bet they would have been black if he did (If you catch my meaning, i.e. “Black Sox”). Strangely, Jesus knew all about what Judas was doing, yet he did not lift a finger to stop him.

And so it was that, even though Jesus had broken out on top 2-0, and showed every sign of pulling off a sweep, the series turned around dramatically and, seemingly, tragically. The Sanhedrin hammered Jesus (Actually, they had him beaten and scourged; Matthew 26:57-27:31), before finally “nailing” him (to a cross; Matthew 27:32-50) for good, or so they thought. After such a promising start to the week and the series, Jesus was buried. There would have been some real celebrating going on that Passover among those Pharisees, priests, Sadducees, and scribes! Jerusalem had turned back the threat from Galilee.

But, even as they no doubt continued to congratulate themselves on having successfully eliminating the pesky challenger, and thoroughly intimidating and silencing his disciples, word began to circulate on the first day of the week of a—Resurrection? Talk about come back, this was one truly for the ages (and beyond to all eternity)! For though they had seen Jesus dead and buried, the tomb was quite empty. Jesus was not only back, he so thoroughly inspired and empowered his disciples that they continued the contest in his name, eventually winning in Jerusalem and all Judea, in Samaria, and going on to victories to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). And, as for Jerusalem’s “champions,” well, Jesus had told them that the next time they see him, he will really “smoke” them (Matthew 26:64).

With a tip of the hat to Ernest Thayer:  

            Oh throughout all this favored land the Son is shining bright; 
           Choirs in heaven are singing, and people’s hearts are light, 
           Everywhere men are laughing, and everywhere children play; 
          There will be everlasting joy in Jerusalem—mighty Jesus has won the day!  

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4