Lent Post 5: Palm Sunday and Emperor Jesus

Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed:
Blessed is he who comes,
the king in God’s name!
All’s well in heaven!
Glory in the high places!
-Luke 19:37-38

Many White American Christians read the texts from Palm Sunday and point out how Jesus’ procession was subversive and stood in stark contrast to the imperial procession. Of course, they are correct to point out the differences between the Roman imperial procession and Jesus.’ The problem is that once Palm Sunday and Holy Week is over with, too many white Christians go back to worshiping the God of Empire. During Palm Sunday, sure, Jesus stands in contrast to the gods and leaders of empire but during the rest of the year (except maybe for Advent), Jesus becomes one with American empire and violence.

We see this during celebrations of the American military which invoke Christian and religious imaginary. As if Jesus would be the one standing with an M4/M4A1 or calling for an airstrike. Let’s be honest, the Jesus of the gospels would be on the receiving end of such an awesome display of violence and power.

We see this commingling of Jesus and empire when Jesus is depicted as being on the side of law enforcement, blessing the “peace makers” (though in reality, US law enforcement, at best functions as peace keepers meant to ensure the oppressive status quo remains in place). In reality, the Jesus of the gospels would be on the ground, unarmed, dying from bullet wounds to the back.

We see this melding of Jesus and empire when politicians have the audacity to create and endorse legislation that directly target communities of color and criminalize certain forms of criticism of law enforcement or make voting harder and then head to church on Sunday and praise Jesus.

Now before I get chewed out, let me clear, I am NOT saying that God doesn’t love politicians (even those I may personally despise), or those serving in the military or in law enforcement. God does. But what I am saying is God is a God that sides with the oppressed and marginalized. The Jesus of the gospels is one that found himself on the receiving end of state violence and injustice not propagating it. I am saying that the conflation of Jesus and God with American state violence is antithetical to the gospel. It is also a function of white supremacy.

The Jesus that many white American Christians worship, regardless of where they fall on the political and theological spectrum is one that upholds white supremacy and violence. This Jesus, is not only depicted as white, but this Jesus upholds white values of respectability and not making any waves.

This Jesus praises the “sacrifices” of those charged with enacting violence on behalf of the state while also blaming Black and brown people for finding themselves on the receiving end of state violence. This Jesus stares at the broken bodies of victims of American Empire and says, “Well, they shouldn’t have been supporting terrorists.” “Or if they had just followed the officer’s instructions, none of this would have happened…”

Interestingly enough, many white Christians will hear (or give) sermons on Palm Sunday about the ways in which the crowd greeting Jesus had it all wrong. Even though Jesus’ procession was nothing like the imperial procession, Jesus’ disciples and the people crying “Hosanna,” were still expecting a kingly savior that would vanquish their enemies and violently overthrow the very systems that were oppressing them. But those people greeting Jesus on his entry to Jerusalem were wrong. They misunderstood who Jesus was.

And yet, as soon as Easter is over (or maybe before), many of those hearing (or giving) said sermons will go right back to worshiping white, Emperor Jesus, without giving a second thought to how they are currently getting Jesus so very wrong.

This Palm Sunday, let’s not give Emperor, white supremacist, Jesus a temporary time out. Let’s get rid of him. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was not the action of a reluctant emperor who wanted to be seen as approachable and buddy buddy before picking up his sword after his death and resurrection. It was a clear indication that the Kingdom that Jesus is ushering in, is radically different from the one established by political and military authorities.

Jesus challenged the Roman Empire and paid for it with his life. And Jesus calls us to challenge our own empire.