Getting Angry Like Jesus

Jesus did not like it when people commodified religion. Blending in a little profit to the spiritual journey was not his thing, especially when it prevented others from connecting with God.

In order for pilgrims to purchase the proscribed sacrifices (it was too hard to herd cattle all the way to Jerusalem!), stalls were set up in the temple so they could be bought. And since only ‘pure’ money (the Temple currency) could be used to purchase sacrifices, money changers set up shop nearby to convert the coin of the realm into the coin of the temple. And of course, both animal sales and coin changers took a hefty fee - making it especially hard for the poor to be able to make their sacrifices.

Jesus doesn’t say anything about the sacrificial system in this passage, but apparently he thought there was a better way to show hospitality at the temple than all the ruckus connected to the ritual.

Put yourself in the scene. Hear the noises. See the sights. Smell the smells (!). And then see if your holy imagination can catch a glimpse of Jesus, seething in anger - yet without sin. What does it look like?

After you’ve done that, take a minute to review the fun pic at the bottom from our friend @nakedpastor and think about Jesus training you to do the same.

In the temple courts he found people 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 courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” -John 2:14-16