Monday, April 2, 2012
Monday of Holy Week
Mark 11:15-17 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."
JESUS ACTS AS PROPHET, PRIEST, AND KING
Jesus book-ended His ministry with two different temple cleansings. Three years previous Jesus saw that the chief priests were allowing animal sales and money exchanging to be done right in the temple grounds (at prices which were outright robbery). He was enraged.
On that occasion (John 2:13-22) Jesus made a whip, and then drove the animals and sellers out of the temple courts. He overturned the money changers' tables, and demanded that they not make His Father's house a common market.
When they demanded a miraculous action to prove He had the authority to do this, Jesus spoke as God's prophet saying, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). With these words He spoke of His death and resurrection which would occur three years later.
After that first cleansing Jesus knew that the religious authorities wanted Him dead. So, He spent most of His time away from Jerusalem. In His absence the merchants moved right back into the temple courts.
So, on Monday of Holy Week Jesus cleansed the temple a second time.
Acting as God's anointed King, Jesus once again drove out the merchants. He wouldn't even allow people to carry burdens through the Temple. This was a place of worship, not a handy shortcut.
Acting as God's prophet, Jesus quoted Scripture to explain His actions, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers."
