Palms or Peace
Good Friday is quickly approaching. Its familiar display of palm branches will soon decorate many Christian chapels.
What a shame!
Around 150 B.C. the Roman emperor, Antiochus IV, decided that the Jews will no longer be allowed to worship Yahweh, nor were they to practice any of their Jewish religious ceremonies to include the great feasts. This was unacceptable to the Jews and led to the Maccabean Revolt.
This revolt resulted in developing two new Jewish sects, the Pharisees and the Zealots. The Zealots were those who believed that they were ordained and commissioned by God to kill non-Jews, to include those they considered heretics or hypocrites, anyone who would prevent them from worshiping their God, or anyone who threatened their role as the leaders of the Promised Land. It is not impossible to understand their crude manner of defense when we know that Antiochus was taking Jewish mothers who circumcised their sons and would kill them with their babies wrapped around the mother’s neck. This was a very volatile time for the Jews.
The Pharisees were those who chose passivism and believed that God would take care of their enemies. This was also Jesus’ approach to the Roman problem.
The Zealots, like many tribes, groups, and countries, had a flag or representative symbol. Their flag was a palm branch. When the Jews waved palm branches it was a symbol of the Zealot’s non-peaceful stance. And wherever the palm branch was waved or used as part of a parade or ritual, the message was that the Jews are to take Rome by force.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem on the donkey, the Zealots were giving the sign of the palm branches to send the message that their Zealot Messiah would help them kill the Romans.
In Luke 19:41-44 Jesus expresses his sadness over their misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the Messiah, who more like the Pharisees than the Zealots believed and taught that killing his enemies was not the answer to bringing peace to Israel. “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace, but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.’”
Jesus was not a fan of violence, but of loving one’s enemies. The palm branches symbolized peace by violence. When we decorate our chapels with the flags of violence, we misinterpret the message of the Prince of Peace.
Forever learning,
Johnny
13 comments:
Johnny,
Thank you for pursuing knowledge, even when it may involve learning things that it would be easier not to know. You are an inspiration!
Thank you for your encouragement, Krista. I realize that this post may be difficult for those of us who have a hard time believing that we have misinterpreted something in the Bible for hundreds of years. But facts are facts. The question is: what do we do about it?
It may help to know that spreading prayer shawls was an ancient Hebrew practice of recognizing someone as king. This can be seen in 2 Kings 9:13.
Forever learning,
Johnny
Walker Sez
Last topic you asked for controversy....
I've mildly raised "Palm-gate" in a few conversations and have had to head for the fall out shelter!
Almost as touchy as suggesting people follow the instruction of Matthew 6:6!
This really is a great teaching. I was reading a while back on In-Groups and Out-Groups. The Jewish tribe being an In-Group. For instance: When the commandments were given to the Israelites they took it very seriously only in their In-Group setting. They loved their neighbor as long as he was Jewish. If you were not part of their tribe then they would overtake your land, impose genocide, infanticide, livestockacide?, and whatever else to eliminate competition. When Jesus overturned those tables and taught about the globality of God, he was destroying the perspective that led to the Court of Gentiles, the Out-Group. He proclaimed solidarity. Great message Johnny, I have used it already!!!!
Walker, what is "Palm Gate"?
Hey Walker,
I'd like for you to give me some info on "Palm-gate."
John,
Thanks for your appreciation and for using Ray Vander Laan's excellent teachings.
By the way, as we speak, I just received all seven of Vander Laan's Faith Lessons DVDs. Gotta go watch.
Grace and peace,
Johnny
Walker Said
Sorry, simply a not particularly apt attempted joke
I'm beginning to think there are two basic types of worshipers: those who 'simply' wish to be fed and those of us who like to chew. (I picture myself as a puppy with a piece of rope, growling and chewing and shaking it around {G})
At my church, the chewers are in the minority.
I've lightly broached this learning about the palms (making it clear that I'm not suggesting a change in our Palm Sunday practice) and the feed-lot folks (sorry, I couldn't resist*) responded, ready to smote me and drive me from the temple (tongue firmly incheek, here.)
-----------
* There are many modes and means of worship, and I regularly remind myself that mine isn't "the best" - it's simply one way among many...
Namaste
"There are many modes and means of worship, and I regularly remind myself that mine isn't "the best" - it's simply one way among many..."
Thank you for saying that Walker. That's a lesson we should all take to heart.
>>That's a lesson we should all take to heart.
And it's one I have to regularly hit myself upside the head with, 'cause my heart wants to sing "my dog's bigger than your dog...."
Namaste
I always allow others to have their opinion. They have the right to be wrong.
Grace,
Johnny
Oh geez
It occurred to me this morning that a lot of Sunday School teachers owe apologies to all of the young lads that they have chastised over the decades for those Palm Sunday "sword" fights!
Walker,
That is true.
Thanks for the laugh.
Post a Comment