Lessons From the Road to Calvaryનમૂનો

Throughout Jesus’ ministry He interacted with all levels of people. Scripture specifically tells us that the bulk of His ministry was with the “publicans and sinners.” However, the only time we witness Jesus displaying any kind of anger is His righteous anger while cleaning out the Temple.

It is interesting that in Mark’s account doves are specifically mentioned. Doves were sacrifices that poor people could offer, and it appears as though the poor were especially being targeted.

Jesus did not mince words, especially when talking to the fakes, the people who were hiding their corruption behind long flowing robes of religion. A den is where an animal goes to hide, and Jesus called the Temple a den of thieves. He called out the religious leaders for going to the Temple to hide their sins of corruption underneath their religion. They were acting pious and holy, but they were there for the money. They were not praying in the house of God; they were preying on the people. They were perverting God’s purposes with their own selfishness and taking financial advantage of the people.

Travelers came to the Temple from all over the world and they were required to pay the Temple tax in a certain currency. By charging exorbitant exchange rates, the religious leaders were raking in the money. They were also compelling people to purchase their own “Temple approved sacrifices.”

An interesting point to consider is that this was not taking place in the Holy of Holies. It was not in the Holy Place nor in the Inner Court of the Temple. These moneychangers and thieves were sitting at tables in the Outer Court, also known as the Court of the Gentiles.

What was the purpose of the Court of the Gentiles? It was to be a light to the nations of the world and to the Gentiles who were coming to find out about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead of making a financial profit in the Court of the Gentiles, they should have been proclaiming the truth of the One True God. They were supposed to be doing missionary work and evangelism in the Court of the Gentiles. Yet, they were not.

We can easily slip into a similar sin. Instead of using the church for its purpose of prayer and speaking the truths of God, it can be turned into something that is full of selfishness and greed. The best way to guard against that is to be close to the Lord in the Scriptures, to know what He says, and to meditate on applying these truths in our own lives. Christian, do not let anything interrupt the main thing you are doing for the Lord.

Lesson: Do we go to church to cover up our sins? Do we show up on Sunday just to maintain our reputation or to worship and glorify God? If Jesus were to show up in our churches, what changes would He make? Are we the light to the world that Jesus has called us to be?