Lectionary: 256...some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do?"
Today's gospel is unusual in that Jesus does not appear in the story. The discussion in the Sanhedrin is all about him, of course. He is certainly present, but only in the sense that his enemies cannot ignore him. They must decide what to do about him, and their decision will be irreversible.
Anyone remotely familiar with the scriptures must recognize the similarities with the Exodus accounts of Moses and the Pharaoh. The Egyptians, who regarded their king as a powerful god, watched helplessly as The LORD delivered his people from slavery. The powerful could make whatever choice they wanted but they could not change God's plan or frustrate his purpose. They attempted to bind the Hebrews more tightly to their chores, and then permitted them a few days vacation. They urged them to go away and offered gifts to speed their departure; and then changed their minds and sent an army to bring them back. It didn't matter, God would free his people! Everything the Egyptians did only made God's victory more spectacular.
In today's gospel, the Sanhedrin decides what to do, thinking they can alter the course of events. But their creative solution fits God's plan precisely. They could not imagine then -- nor can the most powerful today -- that the Almighty God would consider his supreme status not worth grasping, that he would empty himself and suffer death, even death on a cross -- for the sake of the unrighteous. The powerful still believe in their guns, ballistic missiles, and nuclear weapons. They rely on money, credit, and stock portfolios.
The Sanhedrin, ancient and modern, will sleep through Easter Sunday morning and never know that their strength was sapped by the man who bled to death on a cross.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.