John 2:14-15 In the temple courts, he (Jesus) found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.
From the description in our focus verses, it would seem that Jesus was having a bit of a conniption. Holy anger got the better of him, as he surveyed the scene in the temple courtyard and found it to be utterly unacceptable. A little “AI Overview” research reveals that the temple courts were a place for communal worship and preparation, where even Gentiles could attend. By the time of Jesus, this area of the temple had evolved into a marketplace where bartering and selling routinely occurred. This business vibe offended Jesus, as it contradicted the worshipful purpose for which this outer court was created. As Pastor Caroline mentioned in her Sunday sermon, animals and people were not injured by Jesus- but with overturned tables and a whip to scare off all living beings – the message of Jesus was clear. He further stated, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”
What strikes me in this passage is the indignation of the religious leaders who questioned Jesus. After all, what authority did Jesus have? How dare he interrupt the status quo. From the little research I’ve done on this courtyard of the temple, it sounds as if commerce grew over time. The temple courtyard didn’t begin as a marketplace, but until the time of Jesus, it most certainly had become just that. It was a slow slide away from its worshipful intent to the animal farmyard and banking area that it had become. How often this can be said of a life, a church, business, or even a country! Little slips and slides are uncomfortably accepted, norms begin to shift, and change can trend to the negative. Given enough time, these transformations can create chaos and the unacceptable can become the expected, even the law.
I recently had the privilege to view a documentary on the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This young German theologian struggled with the slow slide of Germany into Nazism. He vacillated between loyalty to his country, as Hitler brought about prosperity, and the moral need to address the brutal prejudices that Hitler was expounding. In the end, Bonhoeffer chose to become part of the resistance. His “holy anger” compelled him to push back, to become part of the underground that tried to save those whose voice had been taken away. He died on the gallows, one month before Germany’s liberation. It was striking to see the slow slide of this great country through the eyes of Bonhoeffer. It was equally striking to see the resolve in his pushback, once he’d reached a tipping point. Life is rarely all “evil” or all “good”. There are usually many shades of gray along the way. What is your tipping point? Whether it is an unacceptable relationship with an abusive person, a work environment that is hostile or unhealthy to you, or a country that is sliding into grift and intolerance – what is your tipping point? Dear Lord, how easy it is to become accustomed to wrongdoing. The mental bargains we make with ourselves to accommodate wrong in the hopes of a happy ending ultimately lead us to complacency. Help us to stand with you as we actively seek what is right for ourselves and for others! May your words of love and justice always lead the way.
Blessings to all!
Diana
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