And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money–changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” Matthew 21:12–13
Yesterday was an exciting day for Jesus and his disciples. It was a day filled with shouts of praise directed toward Jesus. Jesus was finally receiving the praise due him. Or was he? You see, the people were praising the king they thought he would be. The king they wanted him to be. Not the King he actually was—no, the King he is.
On the evening of Palm Sunday, Jesus returned to Bethany, the city where Mary anointed him the day before his grand entrance into Jerusalem. Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany. Now, on Monday morning, they return once again to Jerusalem as Jesus continues the journey toward the cross.
On the walk from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples pass by a fig tree. Jesus is hungry so he walks over to the tree to grab a bite to eat, but the tree is barren. The fact that the fig tree had leaves on it should have meant that there would be figs on it as well (as the fruit generally appeared at the same time, if not shortly after the leaves). So what does Jesus do? Does he command the tree to blossom, to produce fruit for him to eat? No, he curses the tree and uses it as a teaching opportunity for the disciples (we will look at that in tomorrow’s reflection). Just as the tree was hypocritical—looking one way (fully bloomed), but in reality, was something different, so there is judgment for those who are hypocritical in word and deed and for those who should be bearing fruit but do not. Just as the fig tree withered, so God will remove any aspect within us that does not bear fruit.
Once Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, he goes to the temple. Matthew (21:12–13), Mark (11:15–17) and Luke (19:45–46) tell us that Jesus clears the temple of the “money–changers.” Here we see righteous anger from Jesus as he observes peddlers who have turned God’s house of prayer into a profit–seeking business. In his anger Jesus overturns tables and drives the merchants away from the temple. Please understand, Jesus was not upset because people were selling items. The temple and marketplace had been connected for many years. This was the cultural center of the city. Jesus knew and understood this. The reason for this outburst at this particular time was due to the salesmen taking advantage of the worshipers—especially those worshipers who traveled to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover and needed to purchase animals for sacrifice. Instead of traveling long distances with animals, Jewish worshipers would simply purchase their sacrifices once they arrived to Jerusalem. However, the sellers were raising their prices knowing the worshipers had no other choice but to buy from them. Not only that, Jesus looked around and saw that the marketplace was taking away from the worship within the temple. There were too many distractions. And God is jealous about his worship.
This action of clearing the temple is especially appropriate in light of the day Jesus had yesterday—Palm Sunday. Yesterday, the crowds were shouting his praises and waving palms of victory, and now people are being distracted from worship. He wouldn’t let the Pharisee’s quiet the crowd on Palm Sunday and he is not going to let the marketplace distract the people from worship today.
At the end of an eventful day, Jesus and his disciples return to Bethany to rest for the evening (Mark 11:19).
When I consider the events of this day in Jesus’ life, I come to the conclusion that the theme for the day is cleansing. On this day of cleansing, will you join me in searching within to see if there are any areas in our lives that are not bearing fruit the way they should? Or are there any actions or attitudes that are preventing me from worshiping God to the fullest?
Prayer
Join me in praying Psalm 139:23–24.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Cleanse me, Lord, today. Amen.
Come Down, O Love Divine
Come down, O love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardor glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.
O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
and let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
Bianco da Siena, circa 1434; trans. Richard Frederick Littledale, Jr., 1867