Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends on this Tuesday,
I suppose you’ve heard that both Matthew and Luke give us a report that after the spontaneous Palm Sunday parade, Jesus went into the Temple courts, not to pray but to clean house! Today let’s take a closer look at that historic event which caused quite a stir in Jerusalem, and it raised the bounty on Jesus’ head.
Here’s an important question: Does God get angry? Is it appropriate for God to be angry? How does God behave when He’s angry? Oh YES, my friends, the Bible is filled with accounts of times when God ran out of patience with humanity and God got angry! Do you remember when evil was so wicked and so widespread throughout the world that God declared: “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them.” (Gen. 6:13) And you may recall that God sent a global flood which destroyed all life, human and animal! I wonder if God might be angry with what He sees in our world today. And might He be preparing another cataclysmic devastation?
When Jesus came riding on a donkey, down the slope of the Mount of Olives, a great crowd was celebrating Him and calling for Jesus to be their king. (John 12:13-15) Both Matthew and Luke tell us that Jesus continued on into Jerusalem and up to the great Temple of God. Passover week had begun, and thousands of people had come from all over the Roman empire, for this week-long festival, celebrating God’s deliverance of their Jewish ancestors from Egyptian slavery. (Exodus 12,14)
Because so many people had come from so far there was a very good business to be had by selling sacrificial animals, which had been approved by the religious elite, and also the exchanging of money from whatever currency the travelers used to the temple coin, which was minted especially and only for use at the Temple.
Sadly, as Jesus arrived that festive day, He found two things which made Him angry! First, that these sellers and money exchangers had moved their business booths INTO the Temple courts! That was a gross defilement of what God had intended to be gathering places for His people to pray, bring their sacrifices, read and meditate on God’s Word and discuss together the significance of living God honoring lives, in obedience to God’s Laws.
Matthew was very likely an eyewitness to what happened next, and he writes this record: “Jesus entered the Temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. Jesus shouted, ‘It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’, but you are making it a den of robbers.” (Matt. 21:12,13) Jesus was quoting a very famous and revered promise of God through His prophet Isaiah, made 700 years before which declared that God would receive even the foreigners who came to worship Him in this place of prayer. (Is. 56:7)
If you’ve been around farm animals much, then you know about the noise, the stench and both the need for food/water but also clean up after them. It should not be difficult, therefore, to imagine the sights, sounds and smells, which Jesus encountered that Palm Sunday in the Temple courts which were being defiled in the pursuit of profit. But more, Jesus accused them of being ‘robbers’ because they were price gouging on everything, including the money exchange. Everything holy about these temple courts was being defiled by greed and total disrespect for God.
Look around your world my friends. Have you seen an encroachment of business and athletics and enjoyment of every kind, upon the Sabbath day which God intended for refreshment, rest and spiritual realignment for His people? Do you know many younger families really struggling to make right decisions about the use of Sundays?
The Jewish religious leaders were stunned. They both oversaw and benefited from all that was transpiring in these Temple courts, especially during very busy Passover week. And they saw large numbers of people bringing their sick friends to Jesus; and Jesus was healing them. The contrast of attitudes in Jerusalem could not have been greater. Many were celebrating Jesus, but also some were accusing Him of being a disruption to Passover business as usual. Matthew tells us Jesus walked through the crowd going to Bethany where He stayed the night, probably at the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary.
As we watch Jesus leave the Temple courts with loose animals running everywhere, money changers chasing their coins rolling on the floor and frowning religious leaders stroking their beards, as they contemplated what to do about Jesus, may I ask, might there be some upheaval Jesus is wanting to do in your life and mine? Have we become calloused about greed or dishonesty or defiling our Sabbath? Do we need to invite Jesus to take a close look into our lives and help us see what He sees! Do we need to take action against things defiling our souls, before it consumes us?
The song I’ve chosen for today might have been written by Peter or John as they reflected that day on what they had seen Jesus do in their time with Him. Also, as always, some wonderful ‘lessons learned’ notes are below, and I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: Matt. 21:12-15.
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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