Hosanna, Hosanna Thought Experiment

© 2024, Rhett S. Downing

Perspective

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Skip to Translation

---

Picture yourself in a crowd as Jesus Christ proceeds toward his crucifixion ahead of you. The crowd is overwrought with people shouting and pushing to get a view. You notice many of your peers amidst the chaos. The majority of the people all around you, including your peers, condemn and abuse Jesus as he crawls past. They kick, spit on, and mock him. Jesus’ blood trails the ground behind him, and you see him maimed, moving forward only a few feet at a time as he carries his cross.

Who would you be?

Option 1: Enforcer - Someone who uses a scourge or harmful object to push Jesus forward.

---

Option 2: Participant - Someone who joins in on the condemnation, abuse, and mockery.

---

Option 3: Supporter - Someone who encourages the condemnation, abuse, and mockery but does not participate.

---

Option 4: Bystander - Someone who watches the condemners, abusers, mockers, and the whole crowd while in it, but does not participate.

---

Option 5: Avoidant - Someone who runs away from the crowd and the whole ordeal.

---

Option 6: Pleader/Gambler - Someone who stands up against the crowd and his/her peers, pleading for everyone to stop.

Translation: Temet nosce - Know thyself.

---

Iconography Credit

1. Christ carrying Cross by Felipe Alvarado from <a href="https://thenounproject.com/browse/icons/term/christ-carrying-cross/" target="_blank" title="Christ carrying Cross Icons">Noun Project</a> (CC BY 3.0)

2. whip by Alexander Skowalsky from <a href="https://thenounproject.com/browse/icons/term/whip/" target="_blank" title="whip Icons">Noun Project</a> (CC BY 3.0)

3. Protest by Claire Jones from <a href="https://thenounproject.com/browse/icons/term/protest/" target="_blank" title="Protest Icons">Noun Project</a> (CC BY 3.0)

4. riot chat by corpus delicti from <a href="https://thenounproject.com/browse/icons/term/riot-chat/" target="_blank" title="riot chat Icons">Noun Project</a> (CC BY 3.0)

5. Eye by Alice Design from <a href="https://thenounproject.com/browse/icons/term/eye/" target="_blank" title="Eye Icons">Noun Project</a> (CC BY 3.0)

6. Exit by Bohdan Burmich from <a href="https://thenounproject.com/browse/icons/term/exit/" target="_blank" title="Exit Icons">Noun Project</a> (CC BY 3.0)

7. Protest by Dicky Prayudawanto from <a href="https://thenounproject.com/browse/icons/term/protest/" target="_blank" title="Protest Icons">Noun Project</a> (CC BY 3.0)