2. Mark 14:1-2
It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said, ‘Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.’
Fear. It’s amazing how powerful an emotion it is. We learned yesterday that Jesus was in mortal danger, that his opponents the chief priests and scribes were seeking to take his life. And now we know why. They are afraid. In fact, they are caught up in fear – fear of the crowds who adore Jesus and fear of Jesus himself.
We don’t know quite why they are afraid, but we can guess. Throughout Mark’s gospel Jesus is described as teaching with authority, not like the scribes (see, for instance, Mark 1:22). As a result of his ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing, the crowds flock to Jesus. Here is one who can meet them where they are, heal their deep need, and send them on to new and richer lives. And as a result, the scribes and chief priests and Pharisees come to fear him.
Think for a moment of just how many things cause us fear and how much damage fear can do. Fear of WMDs. Fear of losing our job. Fear of what people think of us. Fear of being alone. These fears – whether realistic or fanciful – color so much of our lives because we live in a world that thrives on fear, just like Jesus’ world.
The only antidote to fear is courage. Not power, or more weapons, or aggression. But courage. And not courage simply in the sense of bravado or boldness – “I fear nothing!” – but rather courage in the sense of its root word: heart. To live with courage is to live with a full heart, a heart filled with God’s love that casts out fear (see 1 John 4:18).
This is why Jesus came: to usher us into God’s love that we may not fear. For ultimately we are not all that different from these chief priests and scribes – we also are induced to do awful things because of our fear. And so Jesus comes, embracing our fear that we might not be dominated by it.
Prayer: Dear God, please fill our hearts with courage and love, that knowing your love we may overcome our fears. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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