Monday, March 21, 2016

Monday of Holy Week: Jesus Cleanses the Temple (Mark 11:15-19)

Mark 11:15-19

Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, “Is it not written, 
‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?
But you have made it a den of robbers.”
And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

This passage is troubling, on a couple of levels.  It is also featured in all four gospels.  First, the jolting disturbance of people using God's house in a way that does not honor God.  I'll say more about that in a moment.  Second, Jesus' very physical reaction of "driving" the money changers and his very forceful message.  I'm not used to imagining Jesus posturing above people, or behaving with the rage summoned by an angry toddler.  A more consistent image in scripture is one of Jesus kneeling to serve, heal and receive us, no matter our condition.  



But, on to the first troubling point.  What is so offensive about the actions of the merchants and money changers?  I imagine that what they are doing was not new; rather, it was the way that things evolved in Jewish life.  Jesus probably witnessed this at other times in his life, but he chose this particular moment to literally make an example of this practice as ungodly. Keep in mind, Jerusalem was packed with Jews who had come for Passover, perhaps numbering 300,000 to 400,000. Jesus' actions were easily visible and experienced by the sea of pilgrims moving in and out of the Temple Courtyard. 

Some would make the connection to justice-- the exploitation of the "have-nots" by the "haves" being offensive and unacceptable in God's presence (yes, indeed).  Others might point out a modern connection to the ways in which the church today is a house for sinful behavior and activities, much like what Jesus experienced. Along those lines, it is easy and tempting to put ourselves in the shoes of Jesus and anyone on the end of our finger in the position of the merchants and money changers.

But a little later in Mark chapter 12, Jesus has a very telling exchange: One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

I invite you to join me in turning that finger from pointing outward and instead point inward.  We are the merchants and the money changers.  As we approach Easter on this Monday of Holy Week, perhaps this story begs the question: how is Jesus pressing upon you in this final week of Lent to cleanse your heart and mind?  To whom have you given your allegiance other than God?  Who do you oppress by your way of life and how might you begin to make amends?  

Dear Sisters and Brothers, Easter is coming...








  


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St. Paul UMC- Fountain City

St. Paul UMC- Fountain City