Mark 14: The Direct Rule of Yahweh

Mark 14: The Direct Rule of Yahweh

61   But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62   “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

The actions of Jesus led people to speak of him as Yahweh's representative, the Messiah. This heightened the sense of crisis among the established authorities. A new power was entering the realm of Judaism. They killed Jesus, accusing him of blasphemy, to protect their privileges. Though blood was shed, their power remained intact.

The Jewish leaders rejected the direct rule of Yahweh. While they prayed for and praised Yahweh's governance and manifestation, they blocked His direct emergence. Yahweh was to rule only indirectly through them, as this was more appropriate for maintaining their power. Whether in Judaism or Christianity, the essence of the Yahweh religion is His direct rule. However, Yahweh had to exist behind a veil, and the visible domain had to belong to His special representatives for the overall structure to remain stable. Jesus, who had not reacted to the piercing words of the witnesses, finally responded without delay to a question from a special representative of Yahweh. Jesus did not wish to live for himself. He took the initiative and used his own life to bring about the direct rule of Yahweh. Jesus brought Yahweh into a Judaism that was left with only power struggles and preservation. At the death of Jesus on the cross, the curtain of the temple was naturally torn. Here the direction is crucial. It's not about us entering the space that was Yahweh's presence beyond the temple curtain, but about Yahweh Himself coming out directly into the place we had defined as off-limits for Him.