SUNDAY, March 7, 2021
Today’s scripture reading for worship is:
John 2:13-22
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
It is interesting that John placed this story of Jesus cleansing the temple very early on in his ministry. The other 3 gospels place this story much later.
Was it right for Jesus to display anger? Are you surprised by his rage? What is righteous anger?
What was it that made Jesus so angry that day? Were those exchanging money, cheating the Temple goers? Were those selling animals for sacrifice overcharging? Was it okay to be making a profit? Were the profits being made, being used in unjust ways? Were the Temple goers really sacrificing anything if they just waited to buy their sacrifice at the temple? Was everyone just going through the motions of what they thought they were supposed to be doing, rather than being connected to why they were there and what their life of faith was really about?
This is not the only time Jesus got very angry. Check out Matthew chapter 23. He calls the pharisees a “brood of vipers” Clearly Jesus had little patience for hypocrisy.
Today’s scripture reading for worship is:
John 2:13-22
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
It is interesting that John placed this story of Jesus cleansing the temple very early on in his ministry. The other 3 gospels place this story much later.
Was it right for Jesus to display anger? Are you surprised by his rage? What is righteous anger?
What was it that made Jesus so angry that day? Were those exchanging money, cheating the Temple goers? Were those selling animals for sacrifice overcharging? Was it okay to be making a profit? Were the profits being made, being used in unjust ways? Were the Temple goers really sacrificing anything if they just waited to buy their sacrifice at the temple? Was everyone just going through the motions of what they thought they were supposed to be doing, rather than being connected to why they were there and what their life of faith was really about?
This is not the only time Jesus got very angry. Check out Matthew chapter 23. He calls the pharisees a “brood of vipers” Clearly Jesus had little patience for hypocrisy.
