Palm/Passion Sunday (A)

Readings:

At the Procession with the Palms:  Matthew 21.1-11 (or the celebrant can choose the story about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem from one of the other Gospels)

At Mass:

1. Isaiah 50.4-7
   Psalm 22.8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 Resp: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
2. Philippians 2.6-11
3. Matthew 26.14-27.66 (longer form); Matthew 27.11-54 (shorter form)

Reflections on the Gospel Reading

This Sunday we listen to the Passion according to Matthew.  We must pay careful attention to Matthew’s characteristic approach and avoid conflating Matthew’s account with those of the other three Evangelists.  We should resist the temptation to create one uniform passion narrative with all the differences smoothed over.  What we have in the four passion narratives are four different “takes” on the meaning and significance of Jesus’ sufferings for people living far from Palestine some thirty to sixty years after the events remembered.

It is also important to note that the various passion narratives are not historical in the way we write history today.  They are not exact chronologies or eyewitness reports.  They are meditations on the deeper truth and meaning of Jesus’ suffering and death using the various literary devices and rhetorical techniques that were common in the Hellenistic world of the first century of our era.

For example, there are clear indications of dramatization.  Perhaps the pinnacle of this technique is found in the conversations between Jesus and Pilate in John’s Gospel.  It is unlikely that after brutal scourging Jesus would have been physically able to carry on such a profound discourse. The various accounts of Jesus before the Judean Authorities also show signs of extensive dramatization.  This is a completely valid way to bring out the deeper meaning of an event, and it continues to be used down to the present day.  In the movie “Monument Men” the efforts of more than 300 military men to rescue artwork stolen by the Nazis are condensed into the story of seven people working together.

Also, the gospel writers tend to condense and simplify.  All four Evangelists condense the events from the Last Supper to the burial into a single day.  It is impossible to know if that reflects what actually happened or if the actual events were spread out over a greater length of time.  Similarly, Matthew and Luke pick up Mark’s arrangement of the events from Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the Resurrection into a single week.  This is much less clear in John’s Gospel, but the arrangement of events into a single Holy Week has great didactic power.

Obviously, there is a historical core.  Jesus was crucified; Pontius Pilate was Procurator/Governor of Judea; Herod Antipas was a tetrarch or petty king; the crucifixion took place near the time of Passover; etc. 

However, there are other things that are difficult if not impossible to reconcile on the strictly historical level.  In John’s Gospel Jesus carries his own cross and there is no mention of Simon of Cyrene.  Contrast Mark and Matthew’s plaintiff: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me.” with Luke’s serene:  “Into your hands I commend my spirit.”  In Mark, Matthew, and Luke the Last Supper is presented as a Passover meal.  Not so in John’s Gospel where Jesus is crucified at the same time the Passover lambs are being slaughtered, that is before the Passover meal.  Each Evangelist treats the traitor Judas in his own way.  Apocalyptic imagery is used to emphasize the reality of God’s saving action.

To understand, then, what Matthew is trying to say we must set aside what we know from other Gospels and concentrate on Matthew’s specific approach.  In my reflections I have chosen to contrast Matthew’s description of the attempts of Jesus’ enemies to show that Jesus died a dishonorable death with Matthew’s conviction that Jesus’ death was honorable in every respect.

The Passion as a Status Degradation Ritual

The passion/resurrection narrative in Matthew’s Gospel is an account of the failed attempt to destroy Jesus’ reputation as the Son of God.  At all the crucial points in his Gospel Matthew presents Jesus as the Son of God:  at his baptism, in the temptation in the desert, at his transfiguration, in Peter’s confession of faith, before the high priest Caiaphas, when he is mocked on the cross, and by the Centurion after his death.

This is not the same as our trinitarian confession of Jesus as God the Son, even though there is a certain continuity between the two titles.  For Matthew there were other Sons of God, notably David, but Jesus was the Son of God par excellence.  He was the one sent by God who was absolutely faithful to the will of his Father/Patron and who acted on God’s behalf, especially by his teaching and by living what he taught.

In Matthew’s passion/resurrection narrative Jesus’ enemies do everything in their power to attack and destroy his honor status as Son of God by a series of degradation rituals.  In fact, the narrative seems to be organized around these deadly challenges to Jesus’ honor and the divine vindication that follows.  (Consult the listening guide at the end for details.)

Malina and Rohrbaugh describe a status degradation ritual as “a process of publicly recasting, relabeling, humiliating, and thus recategorizing a person as a social deviant.” (1992, 159)  The intent is to destroy the person’s past as well as the person’s future.  It is not enough that the person is physically maimed, psychologically scarred, or murdered.  It is essential that other people, especially companions and followers, remember the person as a criminal, a fool, and a failure. 

Thus, in Matthew’s account Jesus’ passion is very public.  Peter witnesses Jesus’ degradation before Caiaphas from the courtyard nearby; the women witness Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and burial; and the crowds witness the proceeding before Pilate and the public crucifixion of Jesus.  The intent was to blot out any memory, public or private, of Jesus as an esteemed teacher and to replace it with the memory of a person dying alone in disgrace and horrible agony, abandoned by friends and followers and even by God.

Lying is another way of destroying one’s past.  False testimony is a way of revising the official record.  Torture is also essential.  Brutal physical pain robs a person of any semblance of dignity and takes away hope.  Even those who survive torture bear the scars for the rest of their lives.  Taunting and mocking complete the picture of public humiliation.

With regard to those who mocked Jesus on the cross, Malina and Rohrbaugh comment:  “This is the high point of the revenge and satisfaction sought by Jesus’ Jerusalem enemies, who plotted it all from the outset (26.4).  There really can be no greater satisfaction for dishonor than what is described here:  Jesus is nailed naked to a cross to be seen by one and all, the ultimate in public degradation and humiliation.” (1992, 164-165)

Matthew’s Portrayal of Jesus’ Suffering and Death as Honorable and Noble

Writing for an audience that is familiar with the history, customs, and sacred writings of Second Temple Judaism, Matthew uses a number of very recognizable literary and rhetorical conventions to show that, in spite of the terrible suffering he endured, Jesus maintained his nobility, dignity and honor as God’s Son.

1. Trust in God

Matthew presents Jesus as a true Israelite who trusts in the God of the Covenant, no matter what.  In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prays for deliverance from such a trial but submits himself to his Father’s inscrutable will.  Matthew places Psalm 22 in Jesus’ mouth on the cross.  The Psalm begins with the complaint of a righteous sufferer but ends in a hymn of praise and confidence in God.

When Israelites prayed to God for mercy (Hebrew: chesed) they were displaying their misery and need and reminding God of God’s covenant promise to save.  To ask for mercy was at the same time a deep act of trust in God’s saving power.

This familiar and intimate vocal approach to God by complaint and demonstration of dire need coupled with absolute confidence and trust was a sign of great nobility and honor in a Hebrew context.  It was quite different in the Hellenistic or Greek culture of the first century.  The Homeric and later Stoic idea was to face suffering and death with studied indifference (Greek:  apatheia). 

Candida Moss has shown how Homer’s heroes distained any kind of groveling or begging for mercy in the face of death as contrary to their notions of honor.  When your turn comes to die in battle, take it like a man!  Moss speculates that if he had read Matthew’s account of Jesus’ passion and death, Achilles would have sneered. (Moss 2013)

Perhaps this is why Luke writing for a Hellenistic audience presents the suffering and dying Jesus in a much different light from that of Matthew.  Luke’s Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem, forgives his murderers, and dies saying: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

The point is that in spite of great differences between ancient Hellenists and modern Americans, Matthew uses the well-known cues of Hebrew culture to present the trusting Jesus as dying an honorable death.

2. Prophecy

Matthew presents Jesus as a suffering prophet after the pattern of Isaiah and Jeremiah.  The fulfillment of his prophecies of his own death, of Judas’ betrayal, and of Peter’s denial, lends credence to his prophecy before the Council about the coming of the Son of Man in power. (Mt 26.64)

3. Silence

Jesus silence before his accusers reinforces his honor status and dignity.  In the Acts of the Apostles Luke (Lk 8.32) calls upon a passage from Isaiah 53.7 to explain Jesus’ silence:  “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer . . . .” Ancient Israelites considered the lamb to be a noble beast because it did not bleat when it was sheared.  Similarly, it was considered noble for a man not to cry out during suffering.

However, there is probably a better explanation of Jesus’ silence.  Note that Jesus’ silence is precisely in response to accusations both before the Council (Mt 26.63) and before Pilate (Mt 27.12-13).  Since there were no witnesses friendly to Jesus, he would have had to sanction his rejoinder with an oath, in essence calling upon God to be his witness.  It is well known that Jesus forbade all oaths as contrary to the commandment:  You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.  Jesus’ honor stands forth in the fact that not even to save his life would he violate one of the Commandments.

4. Vindication

After Jesus’ passion Matthew multiplies instances of his vindication:  Jesus’ cry of victory (Mt 27.50); the outbreak of eschatological signs (Mt 27.45, 51-53); the testimony of the Roman Centurion and his companions (Mt 27:54); burial in a rich man’s tomb (Mt 27.65); and, of course, the resurrection itself.

The depth of Jesus’ degradation underscores the magnitude of his spectacular vindication.  Unless we grasp the depth of his passion we cannot fully understand the wonder of his resurrection. In one stroke Jesus’ honor was more than reinstated.  Far from being ashamed of his memory, Jesus’ followers would acclaim him as risen Lord.

Possible Application to Our Time

As we ponder the passion of Jesus we must remember the thousands of victims of torture throughout the world.  It is a scandal that many of the perpetrators of torture profess to be Christians.  Immediately before the passion/resurrection narrative in Matthew’s Gospel we are told that the way we treat the least of people is the way we treat Jesus.  (Matthew 25.40, 45)  By a bizarre reversal, we who mourn the torture and humiliation of Jesus continue to inflict that same suffering on him when we torture others or countenance that torture.

Torture often goes by the euphemism of “interrogation” or “extracting intelligence.”  The real purpose of torture is not to gain information.  It is a terrorist technique and an instrument of social control.  By maiming and humiliating the torture subject, the torturers send a message to would-be sympathizers and followers.

Consider the detainees in Guantanamo Bay since 2001.  Many of the Afghan detainees had never known anything except warfare.  For many years they were considered “freedom fighters” as the United States supported them in their struggle against the once “Evil Empire” of the Soviet Union.  Then, without any hearing or trial, that memory was obliterated, and these same people were re-labeled as vicious terrorists who did not deserve even the procedural protection of international conventions. 

Detainees from Afghanistan and Iraq as well as those kidnapped from other lands have been subjected to disorienting sensory deprivation, sleep-preventing exposure to constant laud noise, and prolonged confinement in painful positions both on their airplane trip from where they were captured and in their animal cages at Guantanamo Bay.  They have been isolated from each other, from their families, from legal counsel, and even from the Red Cross.  They have been terrorized by the prospect of being executed after condemnation by a secret military tribunal.  Early photos showed them returning from their “interrogation” sessions hooded, stumbling, and with their heads bent forward at a rakish angle.  The revelations from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and reports from international human rights agencies suggest that American captors have inflicted even worse kinds of torture such as waterboarding in order to extract “operable intelligence” from the detainees.¹

Some leaders who call upon the Christian God for aid in the war against terrorism support this kind of treatment of prisoners as better than what they deserve.  From the opinion polls it appears that most Americans agree with them and approve torture “when necessary for security.” 

As we listen to the retelling of the crucifixion on Passion Sunday and Good Friday, and as we mourn the torture and humiliation inflicted upon Jesus, how can we fail to come to the aid of our fellow human beings who are suffering as he did?

---

In preparing these reflections, in addition to the biblical texts, I consulted the following works:

Brown 1994 – Raymond E. Brown, S.S., The Death of the Messiah, 2 Volumes, The Anchor Bible Reference Library (New York:  Doubleday, 1994), Vol. 1, pp. 24-35.

Brown 1997 – Raymond E. Brown, S.S., An Introduction to the New Testament. The Anchor Bible Reference Library (New York:  Doubleday, 1997), pp. 199-203.

Fuller 1984 – Reginald H. Fuller, Preaching the Lectionary.  The Word of God for the Church Today  (Collegeville, MN:  The Liturgical Press, 1984), pp. 55-57.

Hames 2002 – Susan Hames, CSJ, Commentary on Palm/Passion Sunday in Sunday by Sunday , Vol. 11, No. 26 (March 24, 2002), pp. 1-4.

Malina & Rohrbaugh 1992 – Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. Rohrbaugh, Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), pp. 152-169.

Moss 2013 – Candida Moss, The Myth of Persecution:  How Early Christians Invented A Story of Martyrdom (New York:  Harper One, 2013)

Neyrey 1998 – Jerome H. Neyrey, Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew  (Louisville, KY:  John Knox Press, 1998), pp. 139-162.

Pilch 1995 – John J. Pilch, The Cultural World of Jesus, Sunday by Sunday, Cycle  A.  A Liturgical Press Book (Collegeville, MN:  The Liturgical Press, 1995), pp. 64-66.

---

A Listening Guide to the Passion According to Matthew

1. Predictions and Forewarnings (Mt 26.1 – 26.35)
   1. 1. Preview (Mt 26.1-5)
         1. Jesus: “the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
         2. The chief priests and elders: “they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.”
      2. The anointing at Bethany (Mt 26.6-13): “she has prepared me for burial.”
         
         
         beginning of the longer form at Mass
      3. Judas’ disloyalty (Mt 26.14-16): “and from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.”
      4. The last supper (Mt 26.17-29)
         1. “one of you will betray me.”
         2. “this is my body . . . this is my blood of the covenant.”
            (“The separation of self [body] from blood, the locus of life, indicates death. In effect this prophetic symbolic action proclaims the meaning of Jesus’ forthcoming death.” [Malina & Rohrbaugh 1992, 155])
      5. The prediction of Peter’s disloyalty (Mt 26.30-35) “this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”
      6. Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26.36-46)
         1. “if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.”
         2. “See, my betrayer is at hand.”
            
            
2. Attempts to Destroy Jesus’ Honor as Son of God (Mt 26.47-27.50)
   1. Jesus is betrayed by Judas and abandoned by all the rest of his disciples. (Mt 26.47-56)
   2. Jesus before Caiphas – First Status Degradation Ritual (Mt 26.57-68)
      1. false testimony
      2. The high priest tears his clothes.
      3. verdict of death
      4. abuse: “Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him . .”
      5. mockery: “Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?”
   3. Two interludes (Mt 26.69-27.10)
      1. Peter’s disloyalty (Mt 26.69-75) “I do not know the man.”
         [Transition to a proceeding before Pilate. (Mt 27.1-2)]
      2. Judas’ remorse and suicide (Mt 27.3-10) “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.”
         
         
         beginning of the shorter form at Mass
   4. Jesus before Pilate – Second Status Degradation Ritual (Mt 27.11-31)
      1. [False] accusations by chief priests and elders (Mt 27.11-14)
      2. Release of Barabbas (=Son of the Father) in place of Jesus (Mt 27.15-26a)
      3. Torture of Jesus (Mt 27.26b-31)
         1. abuse: flogging, stripping of clothes, crown of thorns, spitting, striking on the head
         2. mocking: scarlet cloak, reed as a fake scepter, “Hail, King of the Judeans!”
   5. Jesus is crucified – The Ultimate Status Degradation Ritual (Mt 27.32-50)
      1. Abuse: parade through the streets, crucifixion, nakedness, and death
      2. Mockery:
         1. [False] charge: “This is Jesus, the King of the Judeans.” i.e. a revolutionary
         2. Passers-by: “Save yourself, if you are the Son of God”
         3. Chief priests, scribes, and elders: “he said I am the Son of God.”
         4. The bandits who were crucified with Jesus mock him too.
3. The Vindication of Jesus’ Honor as Son of God (Mt 27.50-28.20)
   1. Events immediately following the crucifixion (Mt 27.50-66)
      1. Shout of victory (Mt 27.50): “But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice . . .”
      2. Signs indicating that the last days are breaking in (Mt 27.45, 51-53): darkness over the whole land, tearing of the Temple curtain, earthquake, tombs opened
      3. The testimony of the centurion and his companions (Mt 27.54): “Truly this was the Son of God.”
         
         
         end of the shorter form at Mass
   2. Burial of Jesus in a rich man’s tomb (Mt 27.65)
      1. Women who were witnesses of Jesus’ death and burial (Mt 27.55-56, 61)
      2. Burial of Jesus (Mt 27.57-60)
      3. Setting of the guard and sealing of the stone (Mt 27.61-66)
         
         
         • end of the longer form at Mass
         beginning of the Gospel at the Easter Vigil
   3. The Resurrection of Jesus (Mt 28.1-20)
      1. The two Marys visit the tomb and see an angel and Jesus. (Mt 28.1-10)
         
         
         end of the Gospel at the Easter Vigil
      2. Interlude: The guards are bribed to say that Jesus’ disciples stole his body
         while they were asleep. (Mt 28.11-15)
      3. Jesus appears on the mountain in Galilee and sends his disciples out to make disciples of all nations. (Mt 28.16-20)