Monday of the Third Week of Advent

Lectionary: 187

They discussed this among themselves and said,

"If we say 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say to us,

'Then why did you not believe him?'

But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we fear the crowd,

for they all regard John as a prophet."

So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know."

In today's gospel the chief priests and elders of the people challenged Jesus's authority to preach. With his response he exposed their authority, which was based in the politics of the moment, rather than an ancient religious tradition. He aligned himself with John the Baptist, who was widely recognized as a prophet. Since the Baptist was dead, his opponents could hypocritically lionize the martyred prophet without surrendering, or even acknowledging, their former opposition to him. It is the mark of crooked politicians that they cannot recall past statements, decisions, or policies. They live for the moment.

But Jesus is a living prophet and he claims a religious authority like John's, with the long memory of a religious tradition. In so doing, he exposes the politics of his opponents. 

Withdrawing for a moment to consider their response, they weigh their options. If they say "this" the crowd will react thus; but if they say "that" the crowd will react differently. In any case, their response to Jesus must be acceptable to the mob. They do not consider an honest answer which might reflect the truth.

When they finally reply, "We do not know." they admit that the religion of Abraham, Moses, and David -- the religion that celebrates Jerusalem as God's Holy City -- means nothing to them. Their interest is politics and power; they do not care about justice, mercy, or righteousness.

The chief priests and elders deal in "real politics," not the "idealism" of religion. Their only truth is survival. We must prevail; we must live to fight another day. They cannot deal with a man who has a mission. They cannot understand a man who knows that he will die, and thinks and acts with that fearless freedom.

Because their "real politics" cannot conceive of death, Jesus has nothing to say to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things."

I believe it was the philosopher Heidegger who remarked that no one imagines their own death. I can see myself  burying friends and family, I can't imagine their life without me. If the future is hard to predict, predictions of a world without me make no sense at all.

The chief priests and elders struggled valiantly to save Jerusalem from destruction. They feared what might happen if they failed to squelch Jesus and his prophetic freedom. We know that they did fail, that the Romans leveled the city in 70 AD. We also know what Jesus knew, that the Word of the Lord endures forever,

Our Christian faith reminds us daily of the reality of death. As we sign ourselves with the cross, we put on Jesus Christ crucified. We can no more imagine the world without us than the chief priests and elders but we can operate with the freedom of the Risen Lord. Speaking the truth, rather than what is politic; giving generously, rather than discarding our excess goods to the needy; and acting courageously, rather than safely: we follow in the footsteps of Jesus.