Mustard Seed Messiah

Matthew 27 is the latter half of the passion narrative. Verses 39-44 tells the story of the way Jesus was derided by many who watched him die. They were Jews of course, who had very specific expectations for a person they would call "Messiah". Jesus didn't meet any of them, and his death by crucifixion verified all of their doubts (don't miss the irony: the crucifixion that they thought was their vindication turned out to be Jesus' vindication, his installment as Messiah).

For a messianic figure, crucifixion was always the end of the road. That's where they always ended up...Jesus wasn't the only one. He was one of many such figures who all ended the same way. In other words, Jesus' humiliating death and the hands of the Pagan oppressors was the indication that Israel would have to wait a little longer for their Messiah.

Of course, that's because their expectations were wrong. When you're looking for a mouse, you're going to ignore every elephant that walks by, no matter how interesting they may be. They expected all of Israel to endure ho peirasmos, "the time of trial", not just one man. They expected all of Israel to experience anastasis, "the resurrection", not just one man. Those were two of the the signs of the return of YHWH to liberate and exalt his faithful people. Israel had no framework for a crucified and resurrected Son of God who would inaugurate a Kingdom that is both now and not yet.

As Jesus warned by way of parable, the Kingdom came in a way that they didn't expect, like a mustard seed or a pinch of yeast. The Kingdom comes in small packages with tremendous potential...in us, to say it another way.

Or maybe in a little church with 60 people in it, in a small suburb in Coastal Georgia...