Easter 2022

Some good news to counteract the constant stream of negativity

Notwithstanding the vast technological differences, we have a good deal in common with the people of Judea around the time of Jesus. We the moderns as well as those ancients are living in turbulent times, subject to the misdeeds of appallingly awful leadership. Both groups share a common desire for economic stability, good health, and personal security.

In some ways, we have it even worse. The Judeans needed only to worry about what Pontius Pilate might do to them, since absent mass communications too many Roman federal mandates would be cumbersome to enforce. Likewise, Pilate—whether he wanted to or not—had to maintain good relations with the locals, and that opened the door for them to curry favor with him.

While this led to some corruption on the part of the Judean religious leadership, there were no quick getaways to Brazil or the Caymans. And, if things got too far out of hand, the Sanhedrin would mete out instant justice. Thus, in its own way, order was kept.

Compare this to a paradigm such as we have these days where political wrongdoing seems to continue unabated, as the Deep State protects its own.

Still, there was surely some discontent back in Judea, as the common man watched the religious establishment do quite well amid the Roman conquerors. Indeed, that was part of the Roman strategy. They generally DID foster reasonable relations with those conquered. To do otherwise would be far too expensive and bloody.

Yet, one group of Judean rabble-trousers, led by a charismatic young rabbi, promoted a quiet revolution. The people were to “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and render unto God what is God’s.” There would be no perfect life here on Earth, but even so, we were to love one another. Salvation would be in the afterlife—and the mere existence of such an afterlife was not universally accepted by all the Jews.

This rabbi Yeshua may have spoken often about money, but that was usually to make some other larger point. For sure, most of his teachings covered God and his kingdom. In short, the people of Judea in those times—as well as all people in all times—must try their best to live a good life, but the here and now is not the endgame.

Perhaps his most notable teachings are contained within the famous “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). Every single precept in that homily is applicable to this very day, and some of them are as difficult to fulfill now as they were back then.

Of course, upsetting the establishment is always dangerous, and Yeshua went through his Passion, to rise again on the first Easter. Soon, he would be referred to by the Greek version of his name, Jesus, and a powerful movement that eventually conquered Rome itself, would spread around the world.

We could amuse ourselves assigning the roles in the Gospel stories to present-day and historical figures, but the role of Jesus remains unchanged. Thus, the Pilates, the Herods, and the Caesars might be with us in one form or another forever on this mortal plane.

But Jesus—enduring always—remains as our source of hope, strength, and faith.