April 9, 2017 (Palm Sunday/Sunday of the Passion) – Matthew 26:14-27:66
Matthew 26:14-27:66
His Blood Be On Us All
Palm Sunday/Sunday of the Passion – April 9, 2017
First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB
In Matthew’s telling, the Jewish crowd takes responsibility for Jesus’ crucifixion.
“His blood be on us and their children,” they cry.
Whether Matthew intended to blame the Jewish people as a whole for
Jesus’ death is an open question;
But certainly this verse has been used for almost 2000 years to justify prejudice against and
hatred of our Jewish brothers and sisters.
And that is a sad thing to know.
But let’s face it: no one had a very good day that Good Friday – no one was at their best.
Yes: the crowds in Matthew’s Gospel that welcome Jesus one week earlier with excitement and
shouts of “Hosanna!” or “Save us!” fall silent for the rest of the week –
until, that is, we hear them shout, “Crucify him.”
But you can’t pin the blame for Jesus’ crucifixion on them.
What about the religious leaders? They were the ones stirring up trouble in the first place.
And what about the Roman soldiers? They actually carried out the orders to crucify Jesus.
And what about the political leaders, Pilot and Herod?
they were the only ones who could give such an order.
And what about the disciples? Those whose full allegiance was owed to Jesus?
The inner circle of Peter, James and John all repeatedly fall asleep while Jesus asks them to
wait up with him in the garden of Gethsemane.
One of them blatantly disobeys a command of Jesus against violence by
cutting off the ear of the slave of the high priest.
The rest of them eventually all scatter and run away.
Peter, perhaps Jesus’ closest friend and the unnamed leader of the group,
denies three times even knowing Jesus.
Judas is not alone in betraying Jesus in this story,
even though he is the “one,” we say, who betrayed him.
Pretty much everyone in the story does, everyone in the story is culpable, not just the crowds.
His blood is, indeed, on everyone, in Matthew’s account.
But just here remember something Jesus said about his blood not long before.
At the last supper, he says that the wine is his blood, poured out for many for forgiveness.
For forgiveness.
Yah: everyone is culpable in Matthew’s eyes.
But also in Matthew’s eyes: Jesus forgives everyone.
Everyone is offered the free gift of God’s grace.
God is for everyone.
And God’s mercy is for everyone.
God’s mercy is for Judas and God’s mercy is for Peter and the disciples.
God’s mercy is for the Roman soldiers and God’s mercy is for the religious leaders.
God’s mercy is for Herod and God’s mercy is for Pilate.
And God’s mercy is for the Jewish crowds.
As Jesus says in John’s Gospel, “Let one who is without sin cast the first stone.”
It is really Jesus’ forgiveness that is on everyone in this story.
God’s mercy, in Matthew’s eyes, is for everyone.
God’s mercy is for you, and God’s mercy is for the person sitting next to you.
The invitation to us on this Palm Sunday is to tread a little more lightly with one another,
to extend grace and mercy where sometimes we would rather not,
to forgive, as we have already been forgiven.
We cry, “Save us” on this Palm Sunday – and this is how Jesus does.
So together, let us say, “Amen.”
Pastor Michael Kurtz
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
