Matthew 21:13 “It is written,” Jesus said to
them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are
making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (NIV)
The Temple in Jerusalem was meant to be a sacred place
where anyone’s prayers could be heard. It didn’t matter who you were or where
you came from, if you sincerely wanted to ask God for help, you could actually
do it within the Temple courtyards. Even foreigners and aliens were granted
this privilege because the outer court was designated as a place of prayer for
them. Unfortunately, in Christ’s time, the elite worshippers treated this area
as an extra space to set up their money-changing tables, as well as the selling
of all sorts of animals. It meant that the whole area became a menagerie of
moneymakers, instead of being a quiet dignified place where foreigners could
safely pray.
This commercial set up angered Jesus for two reasons.
Firstly, it dishonored God’s House of Prayer – it was a holy area for
meditation, confession, and worship, not a wholesale arena for markets,
commerce, or wares. Secondly, the place that was set aside for the foreigners
had been designated by the grace of God; now it was being desecrated by the
greed of men. Jesus condemned the bigotry and injustice that was taking place
in God’s House, which is why He angrily turned over the tables and threw the
money-changers out of the Temple courtyards.
Faith and justice, as well as grace and mercy, were key
components of Christ’s ministry. In this passage, He teaches all of us today
that places of worship are holy areas and that how we treat foreigners does not
go unnoticed by God. In a world which is increasingly beset by religious
intolerance and contempt for outsiders, Christians should actually remind
themselves of what Jesus did in the past and how that should influence what we
do now. Such a personal reflection will not be comfortable, but then again, who
said that having faith in Jesus was ever going to be easy?
Point to ponder
What made Jesus angry? Why should I deeply care about
those things, too?
Prayer: Lord
Jesus, You want all people to freely come to God and receive His blessings.
Help us to be gracious, compassionate, and loving to others, especially those
who seem so different from ourselves. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
Today’s image is one of
John’s stained glass designs called ‘A New Earth.’ If you would like to view a
larger version, please click on this link: New.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church
website at this link: www.erinpresbyterian.org.
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