The Crowds

 

“Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road…The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’…And the crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus’…” Matthew 21:8 – 11 passim.

 

“But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.” Matthew 27:20.

 

We shout for Him on Sunday and on Monday at work we crucify Jesus…we don’t even wait until Friday like the crowd during that first Holy Week. We sing to Him on Sunday and on Monday in our centers of political and economic power we cry out for Barabbas. We are easily persuaded by our chief priests and elders – those who control our purse strings, our entertainment, our political levers, our access to the good things.

 

Why are we so impressed with crowds, when crowds are fickle…less like sheep and more like wild boars. Crowds enjoy singing “Hosanna,” but they like blood better – simply look at our sports and entertainment…ponder what passes for politics.

 

We may be deceived, but Jesus is not deceived. “But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.” John 2:24 – 25.

 

To be among the crowds on Psalm Sunday ought to frighten us, for we ought to wonder what Monday will look like, what Good Friday will look like. We know where the crowds will be, but do we know where we will be? Do I know where I will be? Do you know where you will be?

 

If we, those who profess Jesus Christ, were not crucifying Him on Monday then our communities would look different, our lives would look different, the marketplace would look different, our schools and colleges would look different, our sports would look different, our politics would look different. But we dare not offend the cultural priests and scribes and elders, we dare not offend Pilate.

 

We need to beware of the crowds.

 

We need to beware of ourselves.