As 224,000,000 Christians in the United States enter Holy Week, a question echoes through the streets of ancient Jerusalem and Main Street U.S.A. Pontius Pilate posed the question after religious leaders accused him of showing empathy and compassion towards Jesus.
The religious leaders feigning fidelity to law and order told Pilate, “We have a law, and according to that law, (Jesus) ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God” (John 19:7). With this, the religious leaders vocalized their support for Caesar.
After Julius Caesar died in 44 BCE, the Roman Senate declared him a deity, and all those following him the sons of a deity. Thus, when the religious leaders made their claim, they accused Jesus of treason.
Pilate feared the politics of the situation, wanting to ensure that the Roman mantra of Pax Romana (“Peace of Rome”) remained intact. If rebellion broke out, Caesar—the “real” son of God—might replace Pilate. If Jesus caused a rebellion—even a small one—Pilate’s job and life would be on the line.
Pilate tried to pivot and converse with Jesus. The conversation convinced Pilate to release Jesus.
However, the religious leaders would not accept his decision. They declared, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against Caesar” (19:12).
Pilate’s political pothole grew deeper.
He let the situation play out publicly, presenting Jesus to the crowd and proclaiming, “Here is your king…shall I crucify him?”
The question forced the crowd to choose: “For whom did they worship? Their God or the Emperor?”
The decision did not take long. The chief priest spoke for everyone: “We have no king but Caesar” (19:15).
As Holy Week descends, American Christians must answer a similar question: “Whom do you worship, your God or your king?” For MAGA Christians, the answer is easy: “We have no king but Trump!”
The outcomes remain the same in ancient Jerusalem and Main Street U.S.A.: “Then Jesus was handed over to be crucified” (19:16).
Millions of American Christians have made their choice over the last decade. They would rather listen to a morally-deprived wannabe king rather than the revolutionary rabbi from Nazareth. They want Donald Trump in power, solidifying the false idea of Pax Americana rather than following the disruptive teachings of Jesus.
Be damned, Jesus’s teachings on empathy, compassion, inclusion and justice.
Be damned, the cultural and spiritual significance of welcoming the stranger.
Be damned, ensuring the sick are cared for, the poor lifted up, and the marginalized embraced.
Be damned, prisoners, for they deserve no human rights.
Be damned, LGBTQ+ community, for you are a perversion of nature.
Be damned, other faiths, for the Imperial Cult now rules.
Be damned, democracy, for imperial Christians want their king.
Be damned, Jesus, there is no longer a place for you in America.
Away with you, Jesus, to be crucified again.
In a world with imperial Christians declaring their fidelity to King Trump and other Christians hiding in the shadows like the disciples, I encourage my fellow spiritual sojourners to act more like the women of Holy Week.
The women were at the cross. The women secured his body and prepared it for burial.
The women came to the grave on Sunday morning. The women were the first to announce the liberation of resurrection.
While the world saw women as secondary characters in this cosmic drama, Jesus acknowledged their bravery, applauded their tenacity and rewarded their contribution. Jesus made women apostles to the apostles (20:18).
During this upcoming Holy Week, what voices will you seek out? What voices will bounce through the chaos of the world? What voices will echo through the noise, finding a resting place in our hearts?
Like the women of Holy Week, I encourage us to listen to the marginalized and the outcasts, for their voices harmonize with Jesus’ message.
I will listen to migrant voices.
I will listen to sick voices.
I will listen to imprisoned voices.
I will listen to homeless voices.
I will listen to queer voices.
I will listen to transgender voices.
I will listen to Palestinian voices.
I will listen to Ukrainian voices.
I will listen to African voices.
I will listen to Latin voices.
I will listen to Asian voices.
I will listen to marginalized and oppressed voices.
For when listening to these voices, I hear the voice of God.
Holy Week has arrived. The palms are waving. The colt is ready.
The tables await turning. The supper is almost complete.
The garden awaits its guests. The thorns are woven.
The whip hangs. The spear is sharpened.
The cross is constructed. The grave lies empty, ready for its visitor.
The only thing left for this Holy Week is our choice.
Holy Week demands we make a choice. Whom will we serve, Caesar or God?
In the spirit of Joshua, let us declare, “Choose this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). The time to reject Caesar is now. The time to recommit to Jesus has arrived.
It’s Holy Week. Whom will you serve?
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