In our Gospel reading this morning, Jesus goes to Jerusalem, the Holy City of God, and he goes to the Holiest of places in the city—to the Temple—the House of God—and he makes a whip of cords and drives the merchants and the moneychangers out. And He expresses indignation that the House of God is being used as a source of profit.
This scene in the Temple is one of a few events that is recorded in all four gospels. Although each emphasizes different aspects of the event they are similar enough to believe that it happened once and each is recalling that one event. John’s account emphasizes Jesus’ claim to be the Temple and his prediction that he will be resurrected from the dead. But we can not help hearing the echo from the other gospel writers, especially Jesus’ reference to the “den of thieves.”
Now when I have listened to this passage preached I have most often heard it said that Jesus was offended by the corruption that he found in the Temple and thus, in a sort of righteous indignation, he begins to purge the Temple of the scoundrels perhaps initiating a Temple reform…but that is probably not what is happening. In fact, providing animals to be offered for sacrifice had become a necessity, and was a legitimate service to the many pilgrims who traveled great distances to the Temple in Jerusalem. They could not have realistically brought their own animals. And different coinage needed to be exchanged. Instead, in all likelihood, Jesus was performing a symbolic act—fulfilling the role of Messiah and King—by cleansing the Temple as the prophets had predicted.
Bishop Tom Wright explains it this way, “When Jesus came to Jerusalem, at the climax of his public work, there can be no doubt that he intended his actions to be seen as making a royal claim. Like David, he came to Jerusalem to claim his kingdom. Like Judas Maccabaeus (the last King before Herod who had conquered Israel’s enemies), Jesus entered the city with palm branches waving all around him. It was a messianic symbol, a messianic demonstration.” And when Jesus proceeded to the Temple, “Jesus didn’t intend to reform the Temple system. He was acting like another prophet, Jeremiah. He was doing something which symbolized something quite different—the Temple’s destruction." (N.T.Wright, Jesus, The New Way)
Jeremiah had confronted the Temple rulers of his day. Those rulers thought that the Temple had some sort of magical quality that would protect them from harm, even while they were ignoring God’s commandments. God speaks through Jeremiah and says to the rulers, “Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to idols, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before Me in this House, which is called by my name, and say, “We are safe!” Only then to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Therefore I will do to the House which is called by my name, in which you trust, just what I did to Shiloh.” (Jeremiah 7.9-14) That is to say, God will destroy it. And to make a visual demonstration of that destruction of the Temple Jeremiah takes a clay pot and shatters it. (Jeremiah 19.10)
When Jesus enters the Temple, He expresses his Father’s indignation and he scatters the animals, overturns the tables and casts out the moneychangers—a visual demonstration of the immanent destruction of the Temple. Jesus is pointing to the destruction of the Temple—and the Temple would indeed be destroyed by Rome, and the city would be razed.
God has never been tied to a building. Solomon recognized that fact and said so, when he dedicated the original Temple. “God does not dwell in structures built by human hands.” God’s presence, God’s Holy Spirit living in the midst of his people is pure gift, a priceless divine grace. And God is righteous when he withdraws that gift from a community that has abandoned Him, ignored Him and abused Him. As Jesus stands in the Temple built of mortar and stone he stands as God incarnate. He stands there as the Presence of God in the midst of his people and they neither recognize Him nor acknowledge Him. God’s Presence in the midst of the Temple is ignored and rejected.
So, this raises the question, what is the true Temple of God? Wouldn’t the true Temple be the place where the Spirit of God resides and where the Spirit of God is blessed and sanctified? And where, in this Gospel story this morning is it? Is it to be found in stone and mortar or in flesh and blood?
The Jews demanded of Jesus, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” There is the new Temple—the true Temple—the Temple in which God resides in His fullness, in which God is honored completely—there in the flesh and blood of Jesus. And there is the answer to their call for a wondrous sign. Jesus will indeed raise himself from the dead in three days.
Those who seek to receive blessing from God, those who come looking for forgiveness, can no longer come to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. God does not reside there. John told us the same thing at the very beginning of his Gospel. He said, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.” (John 1.11-12) And so, the place of sacrifice changed. God’s only Son, the immortal one, became the source of worship. Jesus the Christ became the source of God’s forgiveness and compassion. This Jesus was made to be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world…and all who would be blessed of God would come to receive the Christ as their Lord and Savior, just as John had said, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1.12-14)
But where does that leave us all? God’s people were always able to find hope and receive God’s blessing by coming to the House of the Lord and offering up prayer and sacrifice there. When Jesus walked the earth, his followers were able to receive his blessing. But what about us? After Jesus ascends to heaven, are we left in the lurch to await his eventual return? Are we to sustain our own hope and struggle to hold on the message of salvation on our own? Or has God made provision for us as well?
In the upper room, when Jesus is saying his parting words to his disciples, he says, "Now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?' "But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16.6-7)
Indeed, God has made provision for us. The Holy Spirit has come and lives in our midst. God’s Holy Presence is a fact for the Christian community that honors His Son. And we are able to bring our prayers before God knowing with certainty that God hears and that God will provide. We can ask God for help, knowing that He is ready to answer us. He wants to heal us. He wants to restore us. He wants to bring this community into the fullness of the truth and to shower blessings upon us.
We are the most blessed of all people because God resides in our midst. God has restored his holy temple here in this place, and here in our collective hearts. We do not need to look to the hills to seek our help. God is not distant. He is here in our midst.
We can act boldly. We can trust in His promises. We can fight for holiness in our homes. We can strike out in the name of Christ and attempt great things. We can overcome the evil one in the world. Because the Lord is with us. He is present in his Holy Temple the Church. Amen.
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