April 15, 2025
Mark 11:15-19
And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. And when evening came they went out of the city.
This passage shows a different side of Jesus than what we are used to. The Jesus who is calm and composed throughout the Gospels, even when facing opposition and rejection, suddenly Jesus appears to "lose it” in the Temple and to turn to an angry and violent outburst.
What caused Jesus to react this way?
Where is the “gentle, meek mild” we often think of?
Some background for us is useful. Every year at Passover thousands of Jews came from all over Israel and Judea to offer sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem. Since many of them traveled long distances, they often purchased their animal sacrifices in Jerusalem rather than hauling them from home. The risk was that in transit an animal might suffer an injury or a blemish of some sort that would make them an unworthy sacrifice. There was a convenience offered for Jewish worshippers to purchase their sacrifices once they arrived in Jerusalem.
Some background for us is useful. Every year at Passover thousands of Jews came from all over Israel and Judea to offer sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem. Since many of them traveled long distances, they often purchased their animal sacrifices in Jerusalem rather than hauling them from home. The risk was that in transit an animal might suffer an injury or a blemish of some sort that would make them an unworthy sacrifice. There was a convenience offered for Jewish worshippers to purchase their sacrifices once they arrived in Jerusalem.
However, and here is a significant detail that we sometimes miss. Where was this “market” set up? Well the market for obtaining a animal for sacrifice was set up in the Court of the Gentiles. The Court of the Gentiles was the space in the Temple area where non-Jewish seekers of God came to worship. Keep this in mind. So here we are in our passage at Passover, the temple courtyard was filled with livestock, sellers of livestock and money-changers, who exchanged regional currencies for Jewish money.
Something about this scene caused this angry outburst from Jesus, I mean Jesus was so upset and angry that he overturned tables putting a stop to this buying and selling scene. But why? Weren’t the merchants just trying to help the travelers worship God? Even if that was the case, they were doing it at the expense of those from “all nations” who were seeking God, treating their worship as insignificant, or of less importance. Jesus referred to these sellers as “robbers,” which could highlight two points: their greed, perhaps seen in their overpriced financial dealings, and how they were depriving Gentiles of their space for worship.
Something about this scene caused this angry outburst from Jesus, I mean Jesus was so upset and angry that he overturned tables putting a stop to this buying and selling scene. But why? Weren’t the merchants just trying to help the travelers worship God? Even if that was the case, they were doing it at the expense of those from “all nations” who were seeking God, treating their worship as insignificant, or of less importance. Jesus referred to these sellers as “robbers,” which could highlight two points: their greed, perhaps seen in their overpriced financial dealings, and how they were depriving Gentiles of their space for worship.
LET US PRAY
God, we are so thankful that we meet you in Jesus. We worship him as the final sacrifice that opened the way to you. Help us through our worship of Jesus to be drawn toward the love he generously offers us. We pray today that all nations, near and far, will come to worship you, Jesus, as “the house of prayer for all Nations.” Amen.
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