DRUNKEN
AND THE KINGDOM
PEOPLE
9
'ESUS a relentless fanatic, moving from crowd to crowd and It might seem that Jesus was giving his friends a hard time. But he was aware of the need for space and often iried-to get away on little retreats, to be alone in the hills where he could talk with God and take stock of events. lt was lust inevitable that people kept following him, eager to devour what he had to offer. Nor was Jesus a wet blanket. He frequently went to dinner partics with his friends, eating and drinking with prostitutes and other disreputable people, accepting them as his equals. This was also part of the Kingdom. Over and over Jesus described the Kingdom as a joyful thing, a treasure for which it was worth letting go of other things. He saw how often families get in the way, and once snubbed his own when they asked people near the front of the circle to tell Jesus to come back home for his tea. He said 'My mother and brothers ask for me?' Jesus' attitude towards women was different from most people's. His whole mission was dependent on the financial support of a few wealthy widows like Susannah and he often chose the company of prostitutes; so you can imagine the stories that went around about him. Though in his lifetime we hear mostly about the men surrounding.l csus there were also women followcrs. When he was killed it was the women who took care of the Body and were the first to spread the good news of the rcsurrcction. They were initially disbelieved by the men.
CONFRONTING THE POWERS
lsrael remained at the heart of.Jesus'mission, and as time went on he became convinced that he was God's chos.n anointed one, the Way through into the Kingdom. For about a couple of years he had been preaching al.d healing.in the ind anno-ying the local rulers. Undoubtedly the ;;;;;;;;, gathering targe ciowds on him; for, though he appeared to be. against nia an eye haie w6uld hornun, ui;i;;;;, anyone with large crowds and a different messa.ge was-threatening. But ln ;ii.; thit iim., lerrr deciiecl to tackle "the big one", and head.for J.erusalem. his actions he ionfirmed the worst fears of the Jewish elites and the Romans, and made his death as an upstart king inevitable.
