Yeshua Will Find Diverse Church in Jerusalem

Reading many of the articles in anticipation of the Pope's visit to America I notice much the same journalistic boilerplate that was used in the Pope's visit to South America. The divided flock template along with the supposed tension of a doctrinal defender being pastoral. Like the phony Church versus science divide they also see it as impossible to both believe in dogma and to take in pastoral concerns. After reading one of the better profile pieces posted at Creative Minority Report I wondered how the modern journalist would have written a piece on Jesus two thousands years ago. The following contains boilerplate that I lifted from a couple articles and massaged accordingly.

JERUSALEM (Roto Reuters) In Yeshua's visit this Sunday to Jerusalem he will find a flock wrestling with what the coming of the Messiah means.

The younger generation considers the Messiah important, but many such as the zealots want a larger role in the coming kingdom. Many others want a greater say in how the Temple and the Synagogues operate.

Many Rabbis trying to balance their Jewish identity with the influx of Greek and Roman culture into the land end up catching grief from both the Sadducees and the Pharisees.

Despite these divisions, Jews from across the Diaspora and spectrum of belief are excited by Yeshua's visit. Though many have a difficult time trying to get a handle on this so-called Messiah and he appears to be a mass of contradictions. Yeshua has been heard enforcing adherence to traditional Jewish doctrines and has even taken them a radical step farther by condemning divorce and even saying that to sin in your thoughts is the same as actually breaking a commandment given to us by Moses. He even said that divorce was given by Moses because of "hardness of heart" and that it was not so from the beginning. While at the same time taking the hard line on various doctrines and sending out his disciples to do the same, he has also been known to take a more pastoral approach by eating with sinners and has even taking a tax collector among his disciples and even gone so far as calling us to "love our enemies" - Samaritans included.

"I think he's going to come in and try to inspire. As Messiah, he's really taken the positive track on a lot of issues. I don't think there's any reason he wouldn't continue to do so now," said a ruler who knows him and was instructed by him but does not want to be identified.

Residents of Israel don't know much about Yeshua. But surveys conducted ahead of his visit found three-quarters of Jews view him favorably. They are clamoring to see him and many plan to greet him with Palm branches. Some though dispute the various surveys conducted and think that the people are quite fickle on this subject and might change their opinion even within a weeks time. One survey conducted asking who they thought Yeshua was showed that "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

There has also been much concern over a speech that is rumored to be made in front of the Temple and many predict a "stern message" and a "rebuke" to members of this priestly group. Some feel that the Sadducees have become too secular and have betrayed their Jewish faith by not adhering to traditional Jewish teaching. More and more parents are concerned about sending their children to the Temple for instruction since this priestly group denies life after death. The Sadducees using form criticism and other modern tools only hold to the Torah and deny the prophetic books usually included in scripture by others.

But young adult Jews are fed up with the fight, according to Jonah bar Joseph, a sociologist of religion who studies Jerusalem Jews.

"They've become very impatient, and probably rightly so, with older generations, who see everything in terms of Pharisee-Sadducee, Sadducee-Pharisee, who they see as sometimes enjoying the ideological battle, even if it doesn't get them anywhere," Jonah bar Joseph said. "Problems aren't being solved, but people are yelling at one another."

One visit by this so-called Messiah Yeshua won't solve the problems of Jerusalem But by coming here., he can show Jews— even briefly — what it might be like to be truly united by faith.