Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
For most of us, no matter where you live in the world, this Monday will probably be a fairly normal Monday, even though yesterday was Palm Sunday. But not so 2000 years ago on the Monday after that famous Palm Sunday when Jesus had come through the crowd riding on a donkey colt, down that hillside called the Mount of Olives. Oh yes, Jerusalem was still buzzing about the spontaneous parade yesterday, but there was something else.
Jesus had done something shocking as He entered Jerusalem and went up to the great Temple. Do you know what it was that even today, 2000 years later, people still talk about in amazement?
Come with me, let’s be eyewitnesses to this shocking moment. Matthew the tax collector, turned disciple of Jesus, was there and he gives us quite a detailed description in Matthew 21:12-17. Jesus obviously got off the donkey colt at some point, and one of the disciples returned the colt to its master as promised. (Matt. 21:1-3) Jesus and His disciples, with many of the crowd following them, went through the Jerusalem gate, into the city, and up the long stairway toward the great Temple.
As we ascend the steps with them, let’s gain a fresh perspective today. Perhaps you remember a few weeks ago we spent some time looking closely at the magnificence of the great Temple built here by King Solomon in about 965bc? That was about 1000 years before Jesus walked up these Temple steps, that day after the Palm Sunday victory parade! Think about that!
Solomon’s magnificent Temple, and most of Jerusalem, were destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army almost 400 years after the Temple’s construction in 586bc. The majority of the population of Jerusalem which had survived the slaughter of that invasion had been hauled off as prisoners of war, walking nearly 800 miles to Babylon. But miraculously, 48 years later, King Cyrus of the Persians, who had conquered the Babylonians, issued a decree that those captive Jews could return and rebuild Jerusalem and their Temple. (Ezra 1:1-5) That second Temple was finally completed in a rebuilt Jerusalem, and dedicated in 515bc, (Ezra 6:14-16) almost exactly 70 after King Solomon’s Temple had been demolished, in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy. (Jeremiah 25:12-14; 29:10-14)
King Herod, yes the very same King Herod who had sent the soldiers to Bethlehem to kill the infant boys, (Matt. 2:16) 30 years before this famous Palm Sunday, had led a 20 year massive construction project in Jerusalem, refurbishing this 500 year old Temple and expanding the huge temple mount area. King Herod had completed this project just before Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
Now why would I give you that history? Because Jesus, God the Son incarnate, walking up the stairs toward that Jerusalem Temple on Palm Sunday, could remember all those historical events which took place here… He had watched them from the throne room of God in heaven! Think about that my friends!!
Matthew’s record tells us: “Jesus entered the Temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” (Matt. 21:12) Is this the Jesus you know? He’s not quietly speaking to women and children, He’s not calming a grieving widow, Jesus has turned violent and He’s tearing things up! WHY?
The great area on the temple mount around the Temple, much like the temple mount in Jerusalem today, was an area intended for people to bring their worship, their prayer, their sacrifices to God. But merchants had moved in and made it a place of business and worse, they were dishonest merchants cheating the worshipers in many different ways. It was a mockery of everything holy and honest. Jesus drove them out and then shouted: “It is written, My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!”
Every Jewish person that day who could hear Jesus shouting, was instantly reminded of the great words of their prophet Isaiah, written about 600 years before, as God was describing how God wanted this sacred Temple to be a place of gathering people from around the world to worship and pray. God had said through Isaiah: “And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD…to love the Name of the LORD, and to be His servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to My covenant – these I will bring to My holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for MY house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56:6,7)
Oh my, what a remarkable, all inclusive statement from God, inviting people from every nation to come to Jerusalem, to the Temple Mount, for prayer and worship of Holy, Almighty God! But both then and through 2000 years since, even now, people with no interest in God desecrate that sacred place.
Jesus got angry that day at the hard hearted mockery of God and God’s loving invitation to all humanity. Even more, Jesus was deeply, personally hurt that day, for He knew that in only five days Jesus would be hanging on a cross, paying with His excruciating death, for the sins of these who disrespected the Temple, and every person of the human race through all time who have lived in bondage to sin.
Matthew tells us that after things quieted down in the Temple area people needing God’s help were brought to Jesus there. Blind people, crippled people and Jesus, in His great compassion, healed them. But the Temple area was crowded of course, this was Passover time! Hundreds of religious priests and religious leaders were there, many going through their rituals, but all of whom should have been helping the people in knowing God, but instead, Matthew writes “The chief priests saw the wonderful things Jesus did and the children shouting ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’ and they were indignant! They asked Jesus, ‘Do you hear what these children are saying?’ Jesus replied, ‘Yes, have you never read: ‘from the lips of children and infants You, LORD, have called forth Your praise?” (Matt. 21:15,16) Jesus was rebuking them by quoting one of the most cherished Jewish Psalms recited in the Temple area so often, Psalm 8!
After walking around the Temple area and undoubtedly speaking with many people, pouring out God’s love upon them, Matthew simply writes: “And Jesus left them and He went out of Jerusalem to Bethany, where He spent the night.” (Matt. 21:17) I presume Jesus returned to the welcome He would receive at the home of His dear friends Martha, Mary and Lazarus. I presume the disciples, of course, accompanied Him. It should not be difficult for us to imagine what that evening was like as they reflected on a remarkable day, Palm Sunday!
What a contrast between the tumultuous, victorious, spontaneous parade celebrating Jesus as King, and the clearing out of selfish, disrespectful, hypocritical people in the sacred Temple area, God’s place of prayer and worship.
May I urge us to spend some time reflecting, along with Jesus and His friends? Which scene is more reflective of our hearts today… a celebration of Jesus or the need to clean out the junk that is corrupting the relationship God wants with you and me?
Here’s a new song I found, “His life for mine”. It helps us prayerfully reflect on what God invites us to, through all Jesus accomplished for us:
Today’s Scripture: Matthew 21:12-17.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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