Holy Week: Tuesday

Good morning! It's day two of Holy Week and we're spending it with Jesus' last day in the temple.

As I reflect back on what I've touched on the most throughout this study, I remember I spend a lot of time talking about 2020 as a whole. For some, 2020 was a place where they became in touch with their inner self once again. For others, it was a time of deep grief and sorrow for what they could have become. For me, it was a time of deep and intentional evaluation of the communities I found myself to be apart of. I spent months reading and listening and learning from many different voices from all ages and backgrounds concerning their reflection on where life would lead them in a post-pandemic world, and where the Church was going in a post-pandemic world. In today's story, we focus on how Jesus handled conflict and debate in the temple in what would end up being His last sermon there. 
The passage that reflects today's story in the recount of Holy Week tells of Jesus' last teaching in the temple. I'm using Mark 11:27-12 for reference. Throughout this story, Jesus and the Pharisees and Sadducees find themselves going back and forth on the basis of authority of Jesus and the role they play in His story.  There's a common theme of the religious leaders trying to catch Jesus in His words. They came ready to watch him slip up in any way that they can use for their gain. They begin by questioning His authority in chapter 11. In chapter 12, they ask him about the legitimacy of paying their taxes, marriage after resurrection, and what the greatest commandment should be. This constant debate going back and forth only created more tension between Jesus and the religious leaders during what would be a trivial week in His life (which He's completely aware of). 
The reason this story is so significant in the Pharisees/Sadducees case is because they cared deeply about public opinion. They didn't argue because they necessarily believed that Jesus was wrong. Maybe they believed Jesus' words. They argued mainly because they knew that if other people saw Him saying the wrong things then that would be enough. They wanted Him to die before they even needed to kill Him. 
However, their plan to sway public opinion in this fashion would fail them. Why? Jesus' character was completely evident to the people He served. He consistently called out and lifted up the lowly and the poor. He praised women. He condemned inappropriate judgement and he questioned authority in what we would consider an inappropriate place to mess with religious authority. He took risks in challenging authority where other people would be criticized and condemned and yet His words and His actions were holy, God-filled, and respected. The chief priests saw how people were amazed by Him, and they were even amazed themselves. Jesus' words spoke volume and His actions never denied or contradicted His own teachings: something the chief priests and religious leaders couldn't do themselves. 
Sometimes, we as Christians begin to act like the Pharisees: questioning the authority of God in our lives when it challenges our beliefs and our deep-rooted biases. We begin to look in scripture for the right words to defend our beliefs and to use as a plaster for our reasonings and ideologies, but where is Jesus in that? This passage reminds me, oddly, to take the character of Christ seriously. This means not just choosing a verse to defend my actions, but owning up to the character that I represent on a daily basis. I am constantly reminded to listen and share my opinions knowing that I carry Christ in my heart as much as I carry my own biases. And when my biases begin to cloud my judgement on what God is truly saying to me: I take it to the Lord in prayer. Because in my inner conflict and external conflict, God will hear me.