One day last week, Amber was working in the office and had Brennan with her. Jamie was talking with him when I walked into the room and said, “Well, hi, Brennan, how you doin’?” He turned his head to look toward me. Now, I suppose this might have been a reflexive response to hearing a new sound, but there was something in his face that led me to conclude that he was responding to the sound of his name – at only about two-and-a-half months of age. It was about the same age when Samuel started to respond to his name, too. That’s pretty remarkable, when you think about it – to recognize your names at such an earlier age. What about you? How long have you been responding to your name! What about all of the other names to which you have responded as well – words like “son,” “daughter,” “mom,” “dad,” “grandma,” “grandpa,” “nana,” “papa,” “sweetheart,” “lover,” “snuckums,” “turtle-dove,” whatever? We’ve all come to respond to a certain number of other names or terms of endearment, sometimes only from one or two people. These names speak to the depth and breadth of relationship in our lives – and that’s a very good thing!

Of course, there are other words that have been directed toward us in anything but an endearing fashion; words that most of us would prefer never hearing again. You know what they are! – words of derision or mocking from which we recoil, even while perhaps unconsciously acknowledging that they were, indeed, rooted in some small measure of truth about us. These words reflect relationships, as well – negative relationships.

This led me to wonder: “Were all of the people who shouted “Hosanna” when Jesus entered Jerusalem doing so in an endearing, acclaiming manner? Did some of the people join the shouting with tones of mockery in their voices? We certainly know that the tone changed by the time Jesus got to Gethsemane a few days later!

Think about what we sang this morning at the beginning of worship – words directed toward Jesus: “All glory, laud, and honor, to you redeemer king … thou art the King of Israel, David’s royal Son … the King and blessed one.” Now think of how many other names we use to reference Jesus … and how many ways Jesus was addressed or referenced during the Passion narrative of Matthew’s Gospel. It all may have begun with “Hosanna to the Son of David … the One who comes in the name of the Lord,” but it came to include a long list of other terms, few of which were used in sincere or endearing ways.

As I read these chapters again, what was most surprising to me was that virtually every term had a distinct voice or group of voices using it. The manner in which different people referenced Jesus may indicate a lot about how they felt toward him.

The most common term was simply “Jesus,” a name that was used only by Matthew, the narrator of the passion story. No one else addressed or referred to him as simply “Jesus” – everyone else used some other name or term. Even Jesus, himself, referred to himself with a uniquely distinct term: “the Son of Man.” [Jesus did, once, refer to himself as “the Teacher” when he told the disciples to tell the owner of the “upper room” that he would be needing the room for the Passover, but he did so because he wanted that non-disciple to understand who was needing the room. Otherwise, Jesus referenced himself only as “the Son of Man.”] In referring to himself as “the Son of Man,” Jesus was making a clear reference to chapter seven in the book of Daniel – an apocalyptic vision of the final battle between servants of God and servants of “the beast.” [If that sounds like the book of Revelation, it is not accidental. John of Patmos borrowed heavily from the imagery in that chapter of Daniel.] When Jesus referred to himself as “the Son of Man,” he was not referring to himself as any mere human being but, as the Hebrew equivalent, bar-adam, implies, the one who will restore the intended image and likeness of God in human form. Jesus was coming, as Daniel’s vision asserted, as a super- natural, heavenly being with characteristics of a human being, who looked like adam, but who possessed the exclusive authority of God to rule … and to judge. Matthew wanted us to be clear and unconfused: Jesus absolutely knew who he was and what is role was to be: Jesus was the unique representative of God in human form. Jesus was the full likeness and image of God. Jesus was the real judge, unlike those human authorities who mistakenly believed that they had authority to judge him and others! Therefore, throughout these chapters of the Passion, Jesus referred to himself only as “the Son of Man.”

Everyone else was less certain about Jesus’ identity and authority. Matthew conveyed that by having virtually everyone else refer to Jesus with some partial or incompletely understood title or name. Judas (and only Judas in these chapters) referred to Jesus as “Rabbi,” even as he negotiated to betray him. The priests and high priests could not agree on a reference. They questioned Jesus as to whether or not he was “the Messiah,” “the Son of God,” or “King of Israel.” Their intention, of course, was to have Jesus claim to be something that would make him guilty of fomenting rebellion against Rome. Ironically, the terms they used were accurate – they just didn’t use them with any conviction or sincerity. Finally, they referred to Jesus as “the imposter,” as they asked Pilate to post a guard at his tomb after his death.

Consider, as well, the two people who encountered Peter in the high priest’s garden. They knew little about Jesus – as reflected by their two references: “Jesus, the Galilean,” and “Jesus of Nazareth.” They only knew Jesus as a resident of Nazareth in Galilee. They lumped him with all other Galileans, like Peter. Their terms were accurate, but woefully limited!

Pilate demonstrated somewhat more knowledge of Jesus. As he interrogated Jesus, he asked if, indeed, he were “King of the Jews,” and, therefore, a potential political threat to Caesar. He also asked if he were “Jesus called Messiah.” Like so many others, Pilate knew something about Jesus – but he didn’t believe any of it . His knowledge was only second-hand, not through personal experience of Jesus. (Ironically, once he did come to know Jesus a bit more personally, he concluded “what evil has he done?” His wife, who never actually met Jesus, declared him innocent based on a dream.) It was Pilate, alone, who insisted that the title “Jesus, King of the Jews” be posted above him on the cross!

From the time Jesus was condemned by Pilate until his death, everyone referred to Jesus by accurate terminology, but with derisive or mocking tone. The soldiers hailed him as “King of the Jews;” people in the crowds that lined the path to Golgotha derided him as “Son of God;” and the chief priests taunted him as “King of Israel.” Every one spoke words of truth … but with absolutely no sense of conviction or faith.

What about you? By what name or names do you know Jesus? With what degree of conviction do you proclaim him as “Lord,” “Savior,” “Redeemer,” or “Son of God”? When you speak of Jesus, what terms do you use? What tone of voice do you use? What measure of certainty do you muster?

The crowds who ushered Jesus into Jerusalem proclaimed him “Son of David,” “the One who comes in the name of the Lord.” Then, only a few short days later, they added their voices to the cries of “crucify him, crucify him.” How quickly they switched sides – because their conviction was so shallow!

Judas recognized Jesus as “Rabbi,” the one who taught him and led him and interpreted God’s Word to him … and still betrayed him.

Peter proclaimed Jesus as “Messiah, Son of the Living God,” an identity Jesus declared to have been revealed by God alone … and, yet, Peter denied him three times when confronted by servants of the high priest.

The other disciples knew Jesus by any number of names, terms, or through witnessing the power of God at work in his words and deeds … and, yet, fled like frightened school children when the mob came to arrest him under the cover of darkness.

All of the disciples seemed to move from some measure of honoring and respecting Jesus toward confusion, uncertainty, lack of conviction, even open hostility. There was only one, alone, it seems, in these long chapters of Matthew’s Passion narrative, who moved in the opposite direction: the Centurion. Only the Centurion, it seems, moved from derisively taunting Jesus as “King of the Jews,” to the singular, strong acclamation, “truly this was God’s Son.”

Where are you on this journey of faith? Where were you at the beginning of this Lenten journey – firm in your conviction of faith, hesitantly uncertainty, or somewhere in between? Where are you today? Are you more, or less, certain that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God? Are you more – or less – committed to following him anywhere?

We have answers to those questions. We know the answers that come as readily to our lips as the words of acclamation came to the lips of those who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem two thousand years ago. We know what we believe … we just don’t always act on our convictions … any more than Peter did when he denied Jesus, or the others did when they abandoned him. The miracle of God’s love is that God’s mercy is always available … for Peter … for James, John, Andrew, and the others … and for you and me. That is the promise of Palm Sunday. That is the promise of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. That is the promise of Easter. That is the promise of God!

When I walked into the office last week and called Brennan by his name, he recognized his name and turned toward the voice that spoke it. Today, this week, this Holy Week, God will speak your name – and my name. God will speak our names and call us to lives of faithfulness. Will we turn toward God with all of our hearts, with all of our minds, with all of our strength … or will we hesitate?

Listen for God to speak your name. Use this week to consider your response – and to shore up your faith – you won’t regret it!

Amen

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