Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48
Jesus arrives at the temple, which is the destination for all Passover pilgrims. Their first order of business when they reach Jerusalem would be to make the proper sacrifices, as outlined in the law. When Jesus enters the temple, He witnesses just how much of a "business" worship has become. Many of the Jews would need to buy the sacrificial animals, and the merchants were making an enormous profit. Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7 to the crowd of merchants. The blind and the lame in the temple come to Jesus and He heals them. Jesus' biggest critics, the priests and scribes, knew that what Jesus was doing was wonderful (this is the only time this version of the word is used in the Bible. It has the tone of being so personally affected by something that it annoys you.) That, combined with the sounds of the children still shouting "Hosanna to the son of David!", has pushed the priests and scribes to confront Jesus. He quotes Psalm 8:2 to them.
The chief priests and scribes have gone from trying to set a trap for Jesus with questions, to actively seeking to destroy Him. They are moved by the miracles that Jesus is still performing, but they are moved in the wrong direction. These men have devoted their lives to the teaching and interpretation of the Old Testament, but when Jesus quotes it to them, they cry "Blasphemy!"
The God-given right to worship Him is not something that can be bought and sold. It infuriated Jesus so much, that He went into a SINLESS fit of righteous anger. These verses have led me to think of what the American church is just now starting to face. Churches in bigger cities are being shut down and threatened with fines if they meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some are even taking their fight to the courts of our land. Just as Isaiah 56:7 invites all peoples to God's house as a house of prayer, so also Hebrews 10:25 commands us to not neglect meeting together. It is not in the power of the merchants, the high priests, the scribes, or our own government to override what God has instituted. Before anyone thinks I'm inciting an overthrow, let's think some more. Jesus has righteous anger without sinning. We do not have it in us to do that. We may think we do, but our sinful nature, which Jesus did not and does not have, will not allow our motives to be pure. So I say we let Jesus fight our battles, as only He can. And let's pattern our lives after the ones who, as Jesus taught daily in the temple, are hanging on His every Word. (Luke 19:45-48)
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