in the temple

We are in the second day of our series of Holy Week devotionals. Yesterday we talked about Palm Sunday.

The Holy Week happening that we’re taking a look at today may have happened on Sunday after the Triumphal Entry or on that next day. Matthew and Luke give the impression that this happened right after Triumphal Entry. Mark states that they went back to Bethany for the night first, and John has this account or another very similar one near beginning of his book in chapter 2. Let’s take a look at the account in Mark 11:15-18:

Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. And He began to teach and say to them, ‘Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.’ The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

Sometimes when we read this we might be tempted to think that this is an extreme reaction and find ourselves wondering why Jesus would do this. If we take time to understand what was really going on here, it might make a little more sense to us.

Again, because they were getting ready for Passover the temple and surrounding areas were very busy places. God had instituted the Passover and temple sacrifices while the Israelites were still wandering in the desert. During Passover this great influx of people would all be looking to make their sacrifices. Over hundreds of years the Israelites had become more dispersed throughout Israel and neighboring areas and many had to travel for great distances to be in Jerusalem for the Passover.

Possibly to help make it easier for travelers, the religious leaders had begun allowing people to sell animals for sacrifice in the temple. That also meant that people might have different currencies that would need to be exchanged so they set up areas for that as well.

Sounds helpful and convenient right? First, should sacrifice be convenient? Second, even if this practice started as an idea to help, it certainly wasn’t at that point. As Jesus quoted from Isaiah 56:7, the temple was to be a house of prayer. Can you imagine being a Gentile who wanted to worship God during the Passover, and the only place you’re allowed to do that in the temple is also crowded with people buying and selling animals and trading money? That doesn’t sound like a very good atmosphere for prayer and focusing on God.

On top of all that, this “helpful convenience” had become a big business. Someone could buy an animal for sacrifice at the temple, but obviously they’d need to pay the person for the animal. That sounds fair enough as long as the seller wasn’t taking advantage of the fact that the buyer didn’t really have any other options in order to make the sacrifice that was the purpose for their trip. Of course, the seller would have to have permission to be in the Temple selling the animals in the first place. The religious leaders would gladly give that permission for a large portion of the proceeds. Then there were the Romans. They were the rulers of the area. They had conquered by force and could set the laws including what religious practices were in place. They could say no Passover at all, but they graciously allowed it to happen as long as they also received a large portion of the proceeds from these sales. Sounds real helpful right?

Not only was all of this buying and selling and money changing disrupting worship and violating the purpose of the temple, but it was taking advantage of people. It directly violated the heart of God, and it was being not just condoned but conducted by the religious leaders. Jesus turning over tables and driving them out doesn’t seem so extreme when we look at it that way does it?

There’s a possibility that all of this was started by an idea to help people. We really don’t know, but if it started there it quickly moved from helping people to worship to taking advantage of people. We’ve all seen and maybe even experienced examples of how an idea or desire to help ultimately ended up leading down a path of damage and destruction. It’s an all too easy path for any of us to find ourselves headed down.

As we prepare our hearts for worship, let’s take time to evaluate our hearts, our thoughts, our attitudes and actions. Are the things we do and say each day making it easier for us and for others to worship God or are we justifying things that are hurting or taking advantage of others?