e-vo for week of March 7

Dearest e-votees-

This Sunday’s appointed gospel lesson has the dramatic event of Jesus’ cleansing the Temple.

The appointed gospel text is found at the beginning of John. The account follows on the heels of Jesus first miraculous sign—the changing of water to wine at the wedding of Cana. It is interesting to note that this event is one of the very first events in John. Jesus’ disciples associate this event with Psalm 69:9—“Zeal for your house will consume me.”

In the other three gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, (aka the synoptic gospels) it occurs much later (chapters 21, 11 and 19 respectively). In the synoptics Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11 are quoted by Jesus in connection with this Temple cleansing event.

What might this powerful moment in the ministry of Jesus say to us today?

Peace,
Karl


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13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." 18 The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20 The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" 21 But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

John 2:13-22, NRSV

The thing about Jesus cleansing the Temple is that the money changers and the animal sellers were providing needed services. Prohibitions against graven images meant that people making offerings had to trade out their Roman money for something without Caesar’s image. In order to sacrifice a dove or a sheep or cattle one needed to have a doves or sheep or cattle. The changing of money and provision of animals weren’t necessarily the problem.

The problem had more to do with where this business was being conducted. Something about the location or the method of execution (sacrificial pun intended) was where things became an issue.

Much of what we do is innocuous if not good and beneficial. The things we choose to do with our time and our resources aren’t particularly objectionable—certainly in the eyes of the world. Perhaps, however, where we do them or when we do them or what is compromised because we do them is problematic. All manner of sports and other extra-curricular activities are great for shaping people, cultivating health, learning loyalty and about being part of a team. If they compromise being part of a faith community or becoming a deeper disciple or disallow other more important opportunities there is an issue. Working and making a living and providing for ourselves and our families are good and noble things. It the pursuit of wealth and security or the love of money run unchecked there is an issue. If tending to our own needs and wants and personal delights makes it that we can’t tend to the needs and wants of others—at least to some degree—there is an issue.

We might say to Jesus “What evidence can you offer for speaking into our lives this way?” Jesus might say “I have the power over death. They destroyed my body and in three days I was raised up. I still have the power over death. Chasing after the more worldly things at the expense of the deeper spiritual truths brings a measure of death into your life. I came that you might have life and have it abundantly. I will do whatever ever it takes: chasing things out of your life with a whip, enduring the scourging of the Romans and descending to the very depths of hell and then rising again to bring life to you. I have chosen you and you are mine. Zeal for the people of God consumes me. I will not let you go.” And what might we say to Jesus in response to that?


God, have your way in our lives. Help us draw near to you in response to you drawing near to us. Help us believe the scripture and the words that Jesus has spoken. Amen.