THE BEFORE EASTER STORIES

       I am convinced that most of the after-Easter stories about the appearances of Jesus were created many years after the supposed events were said to have occurred. All in all they add up to a faith that Jesus' life had vitality beyond his death.
       I began thinking about the before-Easter stories the church loves to tell. What do I think about them? Let's look at some of the stories that will be told in the churches during this season.
1. The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
       In this story Jesus sends his friends to find a young donkey—we try not to say "ass" as the King James Version says it.  They sort of stole it. They led it to Jesus, who got on. Then a lot of people spread their clothes on the ground while others cut branches. A parade started with people saying "Praise God! Bless Him who comes in the name of the Lord."
       I always liked Palm Sunday. It's the only time Jesus was ever cheered publicly that I can think of. It is disappointing to think that it never happened. It should have, which is why the gospel writers wrote the story.
       The Jesus Seminar was somewhat divided on this story.  At best they think this story preserves a tradition about Jesus entering Jerusalem. Most of the story is fiction.
2. The Cleansing of the Temple
       In this story Jesus came to the temple in Jerusalem and began driving out the money-changers and others selling things on the temple doorstep. He made a little speech about "my house being a house of prayer for all peoples." This made the priests and others angry at him, wanting to get rid of him.
       The scholars believe that Jesus participated in some kind of anti-temple act and spoke some critical word of the temple. To think that one person could drive out all those who would be doing business in that large area is surely fiction.
3. The Conspiracy to Kill Jesus
       Mark 14 says that the ranking priests and scholars were looking for some way to arrest and kill Jesus. This seems to be Mark's creation. It reflects a post-Easter idea of blaming the Jews for the death of Jesus. This unfortunate idea has led to 2,000 years of anti-Semitism.
4. The Passover meal and plot
       In this story Jesus arranges the da Vinci scene of the Last Supper. While at the table he announces that someone at the table is going to betray him. (Hiss!) Everyone wonders which of them will do the evil deed. "Is it I, Master?"
       Then Jesus establishes the "Last Supper." This Christian ceremony, called "Eucharist," "Mass," or "Communion," is central to Christian worship. Meals were important places of contact for Jesus. Scholars do not doubt that there were meals and that Jesus may have spoken symbolic words at those meals. But the structure involved in this story and the inclusion of the betrayal are clearly contrived and fictional.
5. Prayer in the Garden of Gesthemane
       Here Jesus goes with his friends for a period of prayer. He asks them to pray with him, or at least stay awake. He repeats the request three times, but they continue falling asleep. This scene has been in the windows of two of my three churches. I've visited the alleged site of the Garden outside Jerusalem. I hate to say it, but it is part of the larger story created by Mark to lead up to the death of Jesus.
6. The Arrest of Jesus
       There is little doubt that Jesus lived and died, probably by crucifixion. If crucified, there is no doubt that he had to have been arrested. Mark's story takes care of that.
       In the story, Jesus is with his friends in the Garden when Judas shows up with the soldiers. There is that line in which Judas will show which one is Jesus by kissing him. Interesting. So he is arrested and all his friends run away.
       The scholars think it likely that Jesus' friends did run away during the execution process. 
7. The Trial(s)
       Whether Jesus had a trial or not is unknown. Jesus is reported to have been brought before the Council to answer to charges. Mark is trying to show that Jesus was falsely accused and an innocent victim.
       After the Council was done with him, Jesus is sent over to Pilate. Pilate heard the accusations and wondered what was so wrong with Jesus. Eventually Pilate has Jesus flogged and turned over to be put to death.
       It's likely all fictional up to the flogging and crucifixion. Those events probably occurred.
8. The Mocking
       You remember where they took away his garments and cloaked him in purple and mockingly called him "King of the Jews," after which they whipped and spit on him before leading him off to be crucified.
       Once again, a creation of Mark.
9. The Crucifixion
       Who knows what was said on the cross, if anything? Who knows about the thief on either side? Who knows Jesus' last words? Even the Gospels couldn't agree.
       I always felt a bit deceitful doing Good Friday services knowing that the 7 last words of Jesus had no basis in fact. Not that he couldn't have said some of them, or that some of the events might have happened, but that there is no evidence of any kind to go on.
10. The Burial
       It is somewhat comforting to think that there was a Joseph of Arimathea to take the body of Jesus down from the cross and give it a tender burial. It is hard to think that his lot was to have his body cast out with those of 100's of other victims of Roman crucifixion to be fought over by dogs and have remnants buried in unknown graves.
       Why am I spoiling your journey to Easter by de-bunking these stories? Partly, I think it is important to understand what we are really doing here. We are not, as the churches seem to imply, walking through an old historical time with Jesus.
       What we do in pre-Easter time is focus our attention on a spirit person whose life on earth has meaning after his death. All these stories, mostly created out of stories found in the Old Testament, imagine Jesus going to the cross already a victor. He is Lord of life even before Easter. That is the faith.
       In the stories there are many profound spiritual insights. There are likely some facts, such as the loyalty of some of the women to Jesus, and the scattering of the men. There are some terrible fictions, such as the blaming of Jesus' death on the Jews.
        I don't suggest that you hear the stories or note the various celebrations before Easter with the response, "What a bunch of bull." Rather, that you would hear the stories and say, what great love these writers had for this man Jesus. Can I love him too?
- Art Morgan