Applause Please (Matthew 21)

When I was at Rutgers University, I had a history professor who did a most unusual thing (at least for Rutgers). He taught us the story of Christianity. The professor was Eastern Orthodox and despite some rough edges was a very religious man. So, when the text book largely bypassed the story of Jesus, our professor brought it to the forefront. As he told us about the life of Christ, I remember him asking a question. "Why was Jesus put to death?" Well, I answered the question speaking about the atonement and forgiveness of sin. But I think that was too theological an answer for the teacher. He gave a more straightforward answer for Jesus' death: "The religious leaders were jealous. They crucified Jesus because He was taking all the applause that they wanted."

I think there is a degree of truth to that answer. Today, in Matthew 21, we see the religious leaders hesitating to do what they really want to do: kill Jesus. And why do they at least temporarily put their plans on the back burner? Because they are afraid of the crowds. On the one hand, this means that the religious leaders don't want to start a riot. Crowds gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover had a habit of turning ugly at the slightest provocation. But riots weren't the only fear. The religious leaders also feared for their reputation. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made it clear that the religious leaders of his day did their religious duty to be approved by men. Their lengthy prayers and flowing robes were all meant to be an advertisement of their spirituality. The religious leaders were religious because they liked the praise of the crowds. Killing the prophet might quell the praise. This fear showed that they were being religious for the wrong audience.

I think it is easy to make the Pharisees' mistake again today. I think it is easy to become religious so that people will think well of us or like us. Yes, there are a lot of people in the world who view the religious (especially Christians) as narrow or intolerant. But there are still many people left who will admire signs of spirituality. It is very easy to make religion a performance for other people rather than fulfilling its true purpose, a relationship with God.

The next few chapters will remind us where the religion of public performance leads: it leads to the death of God. Loving the applause of men more than God, the Pharisees actually become brutally irreligious. I need to always take inventory of my own heart and see who I am being spiritual for. I have to make sure that the applause of nail pierced hands is more motivating than the cheers of an earthly audience.