John 2: 13-14
“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.”
Jesus is not a stranger to the temple in Jerusalem when he goes there. He had been to the temple for Passover before. Luke 2:41 says that “Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.” Something was different this year. Jesus is no longer primarily responsible for his earthly family. His “hour” has come to devote himself fully to his father’s will.
Q: What do you suppose was going through his mind as Jesus look out over the large courtyards of the temple and saw people engaged in buying and selling everywhere?
He’s possibly thinking…this is not what Temple is for. You’re not coming to meet with your God.
And happy national doughnut day to all 🍩
Of course you realize that when you eat a doughnut, you consume the doughnut ‘hole’ as well. So be careful not to be more “hole-eater” than thou!!
“Some of you are not going to like this, but I will not pour new wine into old wineskin.”
The temple of the Lord would be cleansed before Christ would present God’s holy message.
It has gotten worse every year since I started coming here,..looks like it’s time to clean house,..it stinks and these people have no regard for my Fathers Name,..this is going to be fun,..I know I am going to piss a lot of people off but hey that is the point of persecution and so I begin,..
Great question and great background Jeff. According to the verses immediately following this passage, Jesus was clearly overcome with a passion for God’s house that was to be a house of prayer. As parallel passages tell us, He was upset that they made the house of prayer a robber’s den by charging inflated prices to people coming from long distances to offer sacrifices. I do not know exactly what He was thinking, but He was not happy with this abuse of true worship. I just wonder how often we do the same thing with our worship today.
And I did not know it was national doughnut day Robster. That gives me an idea…
As we read hear words today we don’t necessarily see the action a movie with omnipresent voice speak to us- the audience.
Something had already happened deep within Jesus heart and spirit.
Having been to the temple before (Jeff’s point) but today nothing had changed in the temple, but within him.
(Voice) Jesus, along with his deciples enter the open area of temple. The sounds of marketing wares etc. fill the air. Jesus’ inner silence and peace is shattered.
What was to have been sacred and holy had gradually lost it’s glory and presence of the almighty God.
I can only see the camera span the crowd then the sellers and then the dramatic out burst from Jesus.
As I prayed over this passage I formulated this thought: what if you walked into a hospital and saw so many people selling bandages/health insurance that the sick couldn’t get to the counter to sign in for treatment? Once they did get to go to an exam room the merchants follow them continuing to try and make a sale. How do you think that patient would be toward the doctor? The patient would most likely be very frustrated and that frustration would be present in the conversation with the doctor. Some paints may even leave the hospital altogether.
I think Jesus looked upon the temple and saw that a man-made barrier to God had been imposed upon the people that went there to seek Him.
Chris,
What an interesting insight! I love how God shares his wisdom with us this way. You are absolutely right, of course. Jesus saw people whose hearts were focused on profits ahead of serving God. It is not that “profit” is bad, unless it pushes out the love of God in our lives. Then it is very bad. These people whose whose hearts serve greed rather than God do become a barrier to others coming close to God (Matthew 23:15).