The Gospel according to Mark has been described as a Passion narrative with an extended introduction. It always points towards Jesus’ crucifixion. For those “with eyes to see” there are clues early on. Quite aside from the time Mark dedicates to telling the story of Jesus’ betrayal and crucifixion, Mark’s narration is filled with foreshadows of the suffering Jesus is going to endure. Jesus is rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. Peter’s revelation that Jesus is the Son of God seems a moment of celebration, but the life gets immediately sucked out of the party when Jesus tells them all he is going to be rejected and die. From the very beginning Mark takes us at a lightening pace following Jesus on his mission of healing and preaching the Kingdom of God. It is easy along the way to marvel at the miraculous; at the stilling of the storm or the feeding of the 5000. But Mark’s story of Jesus is always driving us towards Jerusalem where the Jesus the Messiah would be handed over to death.
Palm Sunday is the moment in the story where Mark takes us to the point of no return. The truth about Jesus that was up until that time only shared with his inner circle of disciples is now out in the open, put on public display in Jerusalem – Jesus is long awaited, chosen King of God, the Messiah. This means Jesus and those opposed to him among Israel’s leaders are forced into a confrontation. The disciples look on with fearful amazement at Jesus who now seems to be at the heart of the perfect storm. Like two opposing weather fronts God’s ancient promise of a true king has rolled in and collided with the unyielding power and dominance of Jerusalem’s ruling class. The air crackles with energy and thunder. Any attentive person reading all that takes place between Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday through to the celebration of Passover will find it hard not feel a rising sense of trepidation and dread. A foreboding sense destiny permeates all that Jesus says and does during this time. The leaders who think of themselves as so in control at times seem little more than pieces on a cosmic chess board. While Jesus, with all his apparent powerlessness, knows more than anyone else what is going on. God’s Kingdom will soon be revealed in all its breath stopping glory.
It does us very little good to ask questions like, “What does all this have to do with life in our world today?” if we are not willing to enter into story of Scripture and walk Mark’s Gospel road with Jesus from the gates of Jerusalem to the cross at Golgotha. Back in the 1970s world renowned science fiction writer Frank Herbert had the central character of his novel taken back through eons of time and space to stand on the hillside outside of Jerusalem and witness Jesus dying on a cross. There he is given insight into the turning point of history (the cross), and the ongoing conflict between those who strive for dominance over our world and powerful yet tender, compassionate, and often unfathomable, movements of God. We may be separated by two thousand years of human history from the events that took place in Jerusalem from Palm Sunday to Good Friday, but Jesus still stands at the centre of the storm, attracting our attention, disarming our sin, and compelling our allegiance, with his passion filled movements of grace.
