The drama around the death of Jesus is a study in leadership. Here is Jesus, a leader who is a compassionate servant of others. He has the needs of the people at heart. He is completely committed to serving their best interests. He is not interested in fame or acclaim. He simply wants to show people God’s intentions for creation. He brings new life through justice and community and dignity. He has no devious, covert, self-serving agenda. He is not looking to get “re-elected” by pleasing the people and being popular. And what happens to him? He is convicted and given the death sentence. He is killed through the painful, publicly humiliating process of crucifixion. The Empire’s deterrent. Step out of line, and this could be you. Leadership through violence, fear, and intimidation.
Then there is the leadership of Caiaphas, the High Priest, and the council of the Sanhedrin. They only have the power the Romans will give them, and they aren’t about to sacrifice one bit of it. They will not tolerate any threats or challenges to their power and authority. The Romans control them, and they control the Jewish people. And they jealously guard the little power they have. This Jesus? He is undermining their authority with the masses. He is challenging their dictates and regulations and decisions. They want to maintain the illusion that they speak for God when really they are protecting themselves; jealously guarding their authority, serving their own interests, not the interests of their people oppressed by Roman rule. They want to keep their fat cat status and Jesus is calling them out on it. So, the self serving, lustful, arrogant religious leaders work against Jesus. They want him dead and gone. A bad, short-lived memory. What they didn’t foresee was that killing Jesus made his friends even more passionate about the realm of God that he portrayed. In the aftermath of his death, Jesus’ followers had even more zeal for his vision. The religious leaders’ plan to kill Jesus to eliminate a threat backfired. When leaders function out of self interest, the consequences can cause unexpected problems.
Then there is Pilate. He is the Roman leader in this story. He may not see the goodness of Jesus but he certainly does not appear to think Jesus is evil unlike the religious leaders. But then Pilate does not experience Jesus as a direct threat the way the religious leaders do. Pilate also seems aware that the religious leaders are jealous of Jesus. And he exploits that conflict. He knows they see Jesus as a threat. He wants to keep the religious leaders in his pocket. Get them to implement his will, so he has to throw them a bone once in a while. So they want this Jesus. All right. So what? He couldn’t care one way or the other about the life of one more troublesome Jewish peasant. But Pilate is shrewd. He also doesn’t not want to alienate the people many of whom were supposedly enamored with Jesus. PIlate wants to keep the people in line; keep their cooperation with the dictates of Rome. So, he plays it neutral. He’ll do whatever the people and the leaders want. Give them their way, so that ultimately he can get his way. He even washes his hands of the whole thing. [Ironically, some churches today are practicing the ritual of hand washing in place of foot washing.] Pilate appears innocent and neutral but really he is manipulating everyone involved. By looking like he is giving them their way, he is getting his way. He is cunning and devious.
Sadly, we see far too many leaders like the Caiaphas and crew and Pilate in our world today. And our government is rife with such self-interested leaders. They want people to think they are giving them what they want but it is really the politicians getting what the politicians want. And, we the people, play into their hands. We allow ourselves to be manipulated and co-opted.
Jesus’ followers did not succumb to the High Priest or to the Roman governor. After Jesus’ death, they gave their primary allegiance and ultimate loyalty to the commonwealth of God as they experienced it through Jesus. That gave them the power and the strength and the courage to stand up to the principalities and powers and even to face death willingly with prayers for their killers on their lips.
This Good Friday may we asses the status of our loyalty. Where is our ultimate allegiance? Where would we be on Good Friday? Hiding scared? Partying in triumph and relief? Going about our business unconcerned? Risking being present with Jesus in solidarity?
Prayer: We are grateful that the love of God never deserts us. However low we may stoop we cannot separate ourselves from God’s love. Even death, final as it seems, does not separate us from divine love. We so easily give our loyalty and trust to leaders who betray the common good and mask their greed and self interest as altruism. May this the darkest of all days in the church year, inspire our devotion to the God who never betrays us. Amen.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 