In consideration of our scripture selection, the title as listed above appears to be unreasonably over-stated. In our mind’s eye, we conceive Jesus and the disciples striding directly into a well-laid trap. The priests are hunkering low in waistdeep trenches, the scribes located strategically in reinforced bunkers, their religious peers dug in somewhere behind barbed wire barricades ... "entrenched evil." But no, it was not to be that obvious. Evil entrenches itself in many ways. We will mention here some of the more glaring entrenchments encountered by Jesus and the twelve as they entered the holy city.

1. Corruption. Dishonesty, misrepresentation, and crookedness are always evil because they are the manifestation of a lie. Corruption had carried over onto the temple steps. The money-changers were short-changing alien Jews who had come to purchase sacrificial animals for the Passover. Those who sold pigeons were receiving top dollar while peddling inferior merchandise. The temple area had been transformed into a carnival atmosphere. Not surprisingly, Jesus "began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons" (11:15).

2. Prejudice. The institutional luminaries, the priests and religious authorities, would have none of the revolutionary carpenter’s blasphemies occur in their jurisdiction if they could prevent it. Immediately, they took up their favorite ploy of setting the people against him. Moreover, in self-righteous arrogance, they accosted him with loaded questions (11:27-33). Prejudice is entrenched evil, no matter of its object.

3. Fear. The scriptures say the chief priests and scribes "feared" him. Fear causes one to imagine things and dig in at the heels, creates paranoia, and circles the wagons around defenses. Fear entrenches. Jesus encountered corruption, prejudice, and fear upon entering the holy city.

4. Brokenness. Brokenness is evil because it disintegrates and prevents wholeness. Jesus came to heal physical, spiritual, mental, and social brokenness. This had been his ministry for three turbulent years, but he had not eliminated it; Jerusalem was evidence of that.

Jesus indeed confronted "entrenched evil." As Christians, we are called apart to continue the confrontation.