Why Jerusalem? This one city would tie together the days of Jesus’ Galilean ministry to the final days, which concluded, in the Passion. But why here, why now? Was it the drive of divine intuition? Or was there a more earthly purpose?
Some scholars suggest that it was the simple calling of the Passover, when in the religious calendar, the Jews of the Diaspora communities would journey to Jerusalem in order to make paschal sacrifices as was called for by the Law. Others still, quote the Book of Matthew, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death.” (Matthew 20:18). While the historian would suggest that Jesus may have started questioning his own ministry. At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus was returning to his native land and passed through towns and villages where the fact had to be faced that very little had changed. Even through his teachings and healings, his audience had not grown and the movement to create a Galilean society ready to become the Kingdom of God was no more present than when he began his mission. The divide between the rich and poor was still dramatically growing; the hungry were dying in the streets and the orphans surviving through beggary and theft.
Jesus’ outburst, which appears in both the Book Matthew and Luke, shows that the towns where his concentration had not reached showed more of his teaching than those where his focus had been. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the powerful deeds performed among you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed their ways long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes!” A prophet calling out the faithlessness in their followers is nothing new, but maybe this could help us discover why the move to Jerusalem was taken.
A similar exclamation was made by Jeremiah which could also be an answer to our question of Jerusalem. Some consider it hypothetical, others prove it through scripture. Jeremiah was sent the aid of God, “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word…if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place…then I will dwell with you in this place in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever.” (Jeremiah 20:7). With this in mind it is considered that Jeremiah’s appeal to God would inspire Jesus’ journey to the Temple where he would there quote Jeremiah’s Great Temple Sermon.
Taking these steps and actively making these decisions clearly had an effect on the Apostles. This would be the busiest time of the year, a time when many Roman soldiers would be called upon to help guard the masses and enforce Roman law.
The Apostles knew there would be an immense risk, “They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and those who followed were afraid.” (Mark 10:32).
Jerusalem was not a usual city. It had a history of governing factions fighting for their rights and their laws.
