The King Visits

Please read Matthew 21:12–17
 
The Monday of Holy Week is often used as a day to reflect on Christ's visit to the temple in Jerusalem. The Gospels tell us that when Jesus saw all the merchants and money-changers doing business in the temple courts he was angry. Jesus' words are sharp and to the point. "My Father's house will be called a house of prayer but you have turned it into a den of thieves."

Doing business in the temple this way was symptomatic of the corruption of the whole temple system that had crept in over the years. The area where the traders met was called the court of the Gentiles. It was an area that symbolised Israel's responsibility to draw the Gentile nations into covenant with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Instead it had been turned into a holy market place.

But not only was Israel failing in its calling to be the light for the world, the traders themselves were exploiting temple worshippers. Most people coming to the temple would come to make some kind of sacrifice in accordance with the Torah laid down in the first five books of the Bible. The traders sold animals that were acceptable for use, without blemish, but they sold them at inflated prices. They also operated currency changing facilities as only temple currency could be used in the temple (not Roman coinage). Again, sharp exchange rates operated to rip off worshippers and pilgrims.

It is this kind of "religion" where people are exploited and robbed of money that makes Jesus angry. One can only wonder what he would make of TV evangelists and certain Christian "ministries" in our day who seem to be more interested in the financial giving of people above all else.

In our churches we need to be constantly on our guard that no corruption enters into our practice and more likely perhaps that we do not put up needless barriers that stop people coming to worship God or enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ.