The Raising of Lazarus by Sebastiano del Piombo (c.1517-1519)
Much has been written in all the gospels about the last couple weeks of Jesus’ earthly ministry, so the timeline of our reading has slowed once again. This week we read about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in Bethany, just two miles from Jerusalem, so the religious leaders have become totally determined to eliminate him. This week’s reading also included his anointing with perfume in preparation for his burial, and he has even ridden into Jerusalem on a donkey to great fanfare, a clear and obvious fulfillment of the centuries-old Messiah prophesy.
As we come into Holy Week the timeline will slow even further, and it will be two more weeks before we finally read about the resurrection. Here are some highlights of the next two weeks of reading:
When Jesus called the twelve, he already knew they would be martyred for speaking the truth about him. When he was baptized by John the Baptist, who prepared the way for his arrival, Jesus already knew what would become of John. Even as Jesus entered Jerusalem on that donkey, he wept because he knew that in just a few short years (70 A.D.) the entire city would be wiped out by the Romans. Still, even as Jesus rode to his death, but the burden on the heart of the was always for us, to prevent our sin and destruction. As we fully consider this, the parable of the day laborers comes into clearer focus. Those he meets early get the same inheritance in the presence of God as those who met him later, and it has nothing to do with them at all. It is simply his desire that all will inherit eternal life, no matter how or when we came to trust and follow him. All we can hope to do in this life is to spread this wonderful news, and love all people in order to represent him well.
Next week’s accompanying art will be DaVinci’s Last Supper, in case you were wondering!