The demons of war; Jesus turns his face toward Jerusalem
3rd Sunday after Pentecost, 2025
The demons of war:
Last Sunday’s gospel spoke poignantly to the moment, Trump having joined the bombing of Iran the day before. In Luke’s story of Gerasa, Jesus names and “banishes” the many demons of imperial militarism that were possessing the man of Gerasa and occupying his land. These demons lie at the root of so many of our diseases of body and body politics! I’ve lost count of how many wars have seared my soul and directed my engagements over my 70 years. Lord have mercy.
If you want to learn more about this ancient story—which gives us language to speak about and resist the militarized horrors currently plaguing our world and hearts: Iran, Gaza; ICE raids—a recording of my presentation on this text with friends at Sabeel last Thursday is available here (11:50-41:15).
Jesus turns his face toward Jerusalem:
The gospel lection for this coming Sunday (3rd Pentecost) is Luke 9:51-62, and verse 51 represents a major turning point in the plot of the Third Gospel. Scholars agree that from a narrative point of view, Jesus “setting his face toward Jerusalem” begins Luke’s “special section.” (Some feel this section concludes at 18:14, but I agree with those who, considering the geographical subplot of the overall narrative, argue that it ends at 19:28: the point at which Jesus prepares to enter Jerusalem.)
This section contains the majority of Luke’s unique material, very few synoptic parallels, and leads us into the heart of HARP’s focus on Affluenza and Plutocracy: the six Jesus’ “rich man” stories I exposit all take place in these ten chapters. And most of Year C’s Ordinary Time gospel lections are drawn from the special section—which is why this is a good moment to start a series on Luke and Sabbath Economics in your church or small group! (Map at right from https://johntsquires.com/2022/03/08/setting-his-face-to-go-to-jerusalem-luke-951-1333-1711-1911-lent-2c/.)
The introduction of this plot turn is foreboding: “When the days drew near for him to be received up.” This marks the second portent (the first occurring just 20 verses earlier in 9:31) regarding the ultimate goal of Jesus’ mission: to face the Powers in the capital city and suffer the consequences. But from here on we are reminded frequently of this “march to the Holy City” (9:53; 13:22, 33; 17:11; 18:31; 19:11, 28).
The rest of the episode involves Jesus’ journey through the land of Samaria. Their rejection of his traveling group (9:52-53) provokes retributive wrath from his disciples, which Jesus summarily rebukes (54-55). This sets up the gospel readings for next two weeks:
- this lack of hospitality is precisely the circumstance addressed in Jesus’ “missionary instructions,” and his counsel to “just move on” (10:1-20, 4th Sunday after Pentecost);
- the 5th Sunday portrays a Samaritan positively (the famous “Good Samaritan” parable of 10:25-37), as does the 18th Sunday (the grateful leper in 17:11-19).
The latter two stories continue a pattern throughout Luke whereby Jesus uses exemplary behavior of “social enemies” as object lessons that challenge the class and ethnocentric prejudices of his own people.
So begins Jesus’ fateful journey that will end up on a cross, but continue on a backroad to Emmaus. I hope you will find ways to engage Luke’s special section this summer and fall—and in so doing, discover how the scripture can do heavy lifting in calling the church to action in a world locked down and exploited by militarism, racism and autocratic plutocracy!
HARP Zoom Forum Details:
The twice-monthly zoom forum from July-Oct begins on Wed July 2, from 4:30-6 pm PDT. If you indicated interest but haven’t applied, click here to fill out the questionnaire and registration. Deadline is June 30th (see last week’s blog for details).
Two more resources:
- A recorded version of Ched’s reflections on Lk 5:1-11 to Faith & Money Network in April is now available here (presentation is from 4:00-53:45).
- I sat down this month with podcaster and friend Bert Newton of Pasadena Mennonite Church for a wide-ranging talk about HARP. A link to the audio (1.5 hours) is here.
And remember that the HARP 20% off discount code SOJO20 at my page on Bookshop.org expires at the end of July!
-Ched
