By Albert Thyrniang
This article is ahead by one week. However, before Christians begin the Holy Week with Palm Sunday this weekend this reflection may be most appropriate. On Palm Sunday, the commemoration is on Jesus’ solemn entry into Jerusalem amidst cheers ‘Hail King of the Jews” but He had to face the crowd four days later shouting “Crucify him” leading Pilate, the fifth Roman governor of the Judean province to sentence Him to death on Good Friday. Good Friday is proceeded by Maundy Thursday, also called Commandment Day, for Jesus’ law, “A new command I give you: Love one another” (John 13:34).
Jesus’ death is the most celebrated and studied death in history. Why did Jesus die? Why was He condemned to the cross? Was His sentence legal? Were the reasons sufficient? Were the charges against Jesus false? Was He innocent? Was blasphemy the effective cause of His death? Then why was He not stoned to death as the Jewish law prescribed? Why was He crucified? Was treason the real reason? But Jesus and his followers were armless. There was no evidence of any uprising. Then why was Jesus killed?
The Bible says Jesus was arrested at the behest of the Jewish leaders on false evidence. He was first brought to the council called Sanhedrin headed by the high priest, Caiaphas, for trial. On Caiaphas demand, “Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God” Jesus answered him, “So you say… you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of the Almighty and coming on the clouds of heaven!” Caiaphas deemed the answer a blasphemy. The Sanhedrin ruled so. The religious offence deserved death by stoning. The 70 member highest ruling council, consisting mostly of Sadducees, Pharisees and priests had limited power. They could judge a person guilty but only the Romans could execute death sentence.
So Jesus was taken to Pilate. But the Jewish leaders changed the charge knowing fully well that a theological reason would not stand in the Roman court. So they invented a political charge saying he was a revolutionary rebel against Roman rule. The Roman governor found innocent. He overturned the ruling of Jewish court but the religious leaders were adamant in seeing Jesus dead. Fearing a riot Pilate had an escape route invoking the Jewish custom of setting a prisoner free on Passover festival. Barabbas was the beneficiary. The crowd demanded that the hard core criminal be liberated and Jesus killed instead. To temper anger of the Jewish leaders Pilate agreed washing his hands saying, “I have no part in this man’s blood.”
This presentation is not to provide the illusive answer as to why Jesus was put to death. The objective is different. Jesus could be blamed for his own death. The preacher foresaw his demise. Not necessarily because he was God. It was common sense. In his ministry he had constantly called the Pharisees and the Scribes ‘hypocrites’. Literally meaning ‘separated ones’ the Pharisees considered themselves holy and the rest, especially those under Greco-Roman influence, outcastes. The experts, the Scribes parsed the law of the Ten Commandments into bits so much so, it became an agonising burden on ordinary people. They themselves were far from being religious from the inside. Jesus called them ‘whitewashed tombs’.
Jesus broke the Sabbath observance by performing miracles on the ‘Holy’ day. Though work was completely forbidden he challenged the Pharisee saying the ‘Yahweh’s Day’ was meant to do good. Jesus’ friendship with the ‘unclean’, sinners, prostitutes and tax collectors also drew the ire of his opponents.
Jesus knew that if He were to continue to call out the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Scribes He would be in serious trouble. He anticipated that the leaders would plot against him if He carried on healing the sick on Sabbath. He could have avoided conflicts by ignoring the misdeeds of the religious leaders of his time. He could have escaped the wrath of his adversaries by adhering to the narrow interpretation of Sabbath rules. Had he compromised on his conviction he would have prolonged his works for much longer. He did not. He paid the price.
Jesus’ teachings were hard. He said, “I am the Bread of Life. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me.” No one could accept this statement. All those who had gathered to listen to Him abandoned Him. The Apostles were about to follow suit. But Jesus did not change His stand. He did not call the crowd back and say, “I made a mistake. You need not follow my teaching.” Had He done so he would have had many more friends and followers! His popularity would have risen sharply. Jesus did not look for popularity ratings. He did not care about public approval scores.
Jesus asserted He was God’s son and the Saviour. The Jewish leaders could not accept it. For them it was blasphemy. Hence they schemed, plotted and conspired against Him. But Jesus did not alter his position. To escape death he could have denied his claims. He could have denied his ‘true nature.’ He could have pretended not to be one. He could have compromised on his true identity. He could have confessed the contrary to Caiaphas before the Sanhedrin. He would have been acquitted. But He made no bargain. He faced the consequence. Jesus died for the truth. It was his own fault!
Today we see truth being sacrificed on the altar of convenience and self-interests. We know the truth is not told. When USA said Saddam Hussein had chemical weapons we knew it was a lie. Fake documents were even created to justify the war. When America says it wants world peace, it is not telling the truth. America has waged wars all over the world. The present Russian-Ukraine war is pressed on by the super power for political and financial gains. The European Union is guilty of the same. When we appreciate and promote Kashmir Files we know that the same people will not tolerate a ‘Gujarat Files’ or ‘Ayodhya Files’ or ‘Muzaffarnagar Files’. If such movies are made vandalism will probably take place.
In our state, we know it is a lie when the state government asserts that there is no illegal mining. One year before the Assembly elections, we see the circus of individuals quitting one party and joining another. They praise their new party and fire salvos at the party they have been part of in the past. Their tall claim is to serve the people. But the public knows they do so merely to secure a ticket in the up-coming election since their former party does not assure them one. They don’t blink an eye for broadcasting lies.
We mourned the death of Fr. Stan Swamy in July last year. The 84 year old priest was a Jesus-like figure. The activist of the Jesuit order was arrested on false charges. He testified that fabricated evidences were planted on his computer. He knew beforehand that if he carried on working for the tribals the mining mafias would collude to target him. He knew if he kept speaking out against the government of the day he would face persecution. Other intellectuals, activists, journalists, poets and others too have faced legal actions on framed charges for not toeing the line of the present dispensation.
The Church admires these noble souls but has little guts to speak the truth. Last December, during Christmas, when harassment against Christians surfaced in the media, the Church offered no protest. The Christian and political leaders of the predominantly Christian states of North East too gave the slip. In Meghalaya the Church has absolutely no word on illegal mining and transportation, on the various scams and other issues concerning the society. If Jesus was present were present here and now would He be silent? We liturgically celebrate His life, death and resurrection throughout the year but are His values kept?
These days this author is asked to ‘tone’ down his criticism of the Church. The response is simple: Why don’t these complainants write the toned down version of the Church. Why direct others to do so? Secondly, what has been in black and white is not all. One can’t say it is the tip of the iceberg but certainly much more dirt is there. A real mess! The other day someone called from Jaintia Hills and endorses, “What else can be said when from 2011 to 2016, and until today we don’t have a bishop. There is nothing to guess about the state of affairs. In the logo of the Synod 2023 a bishop is shown walking with the faithful. We don’t have a bishop. With whom do we walk together?” Anyone has an answer? Where is the identity of the Church? If Jesus was back physically he will certainly come down hard on the concerned leaders. He won’t just glorify the Church? He might found another Church. The challenge is to persevere in the truth and be ready to face the consequences.