John 2:14-17
14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 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. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
Yesterday I referenced Jesus entering the temple when he rode into Jerusalem. Did you notice that the synoptic gospel places Jesus being angry in the temple immediate after he rode into Jerusalem, but John references this much earlier? Why is this do you think? Also, it is worth noticing how the focus is slightly different on each account. (Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:11, Luke 19:45 & John 2:13-17).
Often this passage is described as Jesus having a righteous anger against those who were defiling the Temple for profitable gains, this is true. Jesus was outraged by what was taking place through the Temple, the house of prayer, the place where God once dwelt. The old Temple had already fallen, and God’s people had not realised. Jesus’ passion, or zeal for justice, liberty, and salvation for all people, fuelled Him not just to enter Jerusalem as King, and the Temple for cleansing, but the cross to mark the way of salvation.
The zeal of Jesus was expressed threw his anger, at the trading taking place in the Temple as merchants and bankers were defiling the Temple through the exchange rate for Temple currency. Again, many OT passages were being fulfilled, such as Psalm 69, Zechairah 14, Isaiah 56 & Jeremiah 7.
The main theme for us today in these passages, is how zealous Jesus is for His Church, John 2:17 & Psalm 69:9.
Followers of Jesus love the Church so much they spend their life working towards love and unity advancing the message of Christ. It is so temping to blame the Church for its short-comings, issues and differences bringing division, confusion and chaos within the Church as well as to the world, over what makes us one and stronger. The power of the Church is not in our differences, but in our central core beliefs about Jesus and who he is to us and the world. Take a few minutes to reflect on these passages to remind yourself what unites us and makes us one, with God and each other.
1 Corinthians 2:2 - For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Micah 6:8 - what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God.
Matthew 6:33 - seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
John 2:17 - His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
What consumes us will either make us stronger or weaker. When we allow Jesus to consume us, we will only ever grow stronger, and the Church grows exponentially. Where does your zeal come from? How is your zeal expressed?
Prayer: O Lord give me a hear after your own heart, a heart to be more like Jesus and the heart to love you Church with zeal, as you do