“When it comes to politics, are any of us really thinking for ourselves?” That’s the question from Neil Gross, a professor of sociology at Colby College in Maine. It’s a timely question. On Palm Sunday the crowds shouted hosannas but by Friday calls for crucifixion. It’s common to criticize the crowds for being fickle, but that’s not accurate.
Jerusalem was a city of about 25,000 people, but that number swelled for the big three festivals, Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, Passover being the biggest. Visitors came from all over the Mediterranean world (more Jews lived outside of Israel than in Israel), but the biggest number came from close by, many from Galilee. Galilee was a hot spot for anti-Roman feelings. Since most of Jesus’ ministry was in Galilee – raising the dead, healing the sick, casting out demons, saying things that sounded revolutionary – no wonder they turned out in big numbers to celebrate His coming. “Our candidate is going to make Israel great again.”
Professor Gross’ editorial was not about religion. He says Americans’ political views are largely shaped by where you live, how much education you have, income, race, gender, and the like. That was true in Israel too. If the rabble tended to be in Galilee, the elite were in Jerusalem. Political elite, religious elite, business elite, tech elite… don’t they make you mad? But they insist, “Vote for us. We’ll save democracy.” Or in the case of Israel: “This is a very sensitive political issue. Let us take care of Jesus. We elite know more about this than you do.” Most of the thousands who had sung hosannas were not in the crowd shouting “Crucify Him.” Those mad crowds were orchestrated by what we call “operatives,” political and religious operatives.
Professor Gross: “None of us want to admit that our most cherished political opinions may be largely a function of our position in society and the associated social pressures, not the end result of intellectual, more or spiritual inquiry” (NYTimes, March 24, Opinion, 5). No better time than Holy Week than to set aside our opinions and ponder Jesus. He’s not a Democrat, a Republican, an evangelical, Catholic, or Protestant. His mission is not to save democracy or America. He is Lord of all. Without submitting to His Lordship, we too will be part of the manipulated crowds.
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