Reading the Gospels Together The Jerusalem Controversy – Part 1 In the aftermath of the Triumphal Entry and the Cleansing of the Temple the synoptic writers tell of a series of debates between Jesus and the religious leaders in Jerusalem – we might call it The Jerusalem Controversy. We have also seen how John moves from the Triumphal Entry to the announcement by Jesus that his “hour” has now arrived, an hour which brings much distress to Jesus who yet welcomes its coming and moves steadily to his “lifting up” through which he will draw all people to himself, and then on to the Last Supper. In effect, the public ministry of Jesus comes to a close with the Triumphal Entry in John’s gospel. John does not tell the story of the Jerusalem Controversy – at least not at this point in his gospel. But as we read John’s gospel we discover a surprising thing – much of the same controversy which is found in the synoptic gospels in this Jerusalem Controversy section is spread out earlier in John’s gospel. Jesus does enter into debate with the religious leaders of Jerusalem in John’s gospel! That debate; however, is stretched out over a much longer period of time – about five months! Could there be a connection between these very different ways of telling the story of the Jerusalem Controversy? I think there is. In this section we will need to consider Mark 11:27-12:44; Matthew 21:23-23:36; Luke 20:1-21:4; and John 3:1-21, 31-36; John 5:1, 19-47; John 7:10-10:42. Mark, Matthew, and Luke tell essentially the same story with only a few differences so we can discuss them as one. There are seven episodes that these gospel writers include in the Jerusalem Controversy. In the first episode the religious leaders question Jesus regarding his authority – presumably his authority to cleanse the Temple. Jesus avoids a direct answer by asking a question of his own regarding John the Baptist and the first conflict scene ends in a draw. The second episode is a parable that Jesus tells which clearly identifies the religious leaders as those who kill the son of the vineyard owner – as clear a reference to the killing of Jesus as can be made. Everyone gets the point of the parable. The religious leaders want to arrest Jesus but cannot because of the crowds. The third episode is really a clever attempt on the part of the religious leaders to trap Jesus with a question regarding the paying of taxes. They do not succeed as Jesus again skillfully avoids the issue – a second draw. The fourth episode brings the Sadducees into the conflict. They are the conservative aristocratic rulers of Jerusalem and one of the few members of Jewish society at that time who did not believe in the bodily resurrection of God’s people. They attempt to ridicule Jesus with a ridiculous story of a woman who married seven brothers and now would be confronted with the dilemma of who would be her true husband at the time of the resurrection. They are not successful. The fifth episode is really not much of a controversy but is rather Mark’s skillful way of placing Jesus at the very center of the Jewish faith as Jesus claim for himself allegiance to the great commandment to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and also the second great commandment to love one’s neighbor as one’s self. Luke has made one change at this point having moved the episode of the great commandment earlier in his gospel when he told the parable of the Good Samaritan. The sixth episode is initiated by Jesus where once again the question of authority is at the fore. Only if Jesus is the Messiah and at the same time the Son of God can the words of David in Psalm 110 be true. The Jerusalem Controversy concludes in the synoptic gospels with Jesus denouncing the religious leaders in condemning and harsh language. Mark’s version is really quite short and to the point – the religious leaders devour widow’s houses for the sake of appearance. Matthew expands Mark’s story at great length providing a series of woes regarding these religious leaders. His words are harsh and condemning. Luke follows Mark very faithfully, although he has placed most of the words Matthew includes here earlier in his gospel. Likely Luke and Matthew share these words from their common source unknown to Mark. Following immediately on the denouncing of the religious leaders Mark provides the contrast of a widow who gives everything she has to God – one of the very widows whom the religious leaders devour becomes for Mark the prime example of a follower of Jesus. Luke joins Mark in ending the Jerusalem Controversy with the story of this woman – Matthew leaves out the story of the widow. It is better for him to end on a harsh note of condemnation. The point of looking at all of these stories here is to point out that a fierce debate took place between Jesus and the religious leaders in Jerusalem in which harsh words of condemnation are declared by Jesus against them. At the heart of the debate is the authority of Jesus and the religious leaders’ rejection of it. Mark, Matthew, and Luke have placed this debate at the very end of Jesus’ life and condensed it to one day or at most two, although Luke mentions many days. By placing this debate in this place Mark has made it another of the climatic events leading to the death of the Messiah. The battle is fierce. The language is harsh. The outcome is deadly. And for the most part Matthew and Luke have followed Mark’s lead. Matthew has added a couple of parables but essentially his narrative is like Mark’s.