The Day That Jesus Got Nervous

 
Source of the image: Spoiled Milks

You read correctly, there was an episode in which Jesus got nervous, it is narrated in the four Gospels, but in John, there is an extra detail in the narration.

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:13-17. Bible NIV.)

Among all reports of Christ’s life in the Gospels, this has a particularity. The text doesn’t show Jesus as calm and gentle as he is portrayed in other texts. Neither shows Jesus only talking with authority against the Masters of the Law. This time, Jesus uses physical force. Verse 15 says that he made a whip out of cords to drive out those who were trading goods in the temple. Matthew and Mark report that Jesus overturned the tables and the benches of those who were selling in the Temple.

These actions deviate from Jesus’ usual behavior, I suppose even the disciples got scared when they saw the Master being so radical to the point to use a whip out. But all that Jesus did has a reason.

Historical context

Jewish people went to the Temple to offer sacrifices to God. And because of the urbanization of that society, many of them hadn’t flocks and needed to purchase animals to offer them to God. So far, so good. The problem starts at the moment that the priests allowed the entrance of merchants into the Temple. The Law of Moses is very clear and exhaustive when it mentions purification rituals to get into the Tent of Meeting (future Temple), the person should be ceremonially clean and should get in only with the sacrifice; that was a Holy Place.

However, during the time of Jesus, the Temple was even open to merchants, and they sold and profited in the House of God. Another important point, according to the Bible King James Study Bible (Portuguese Version), there was a “scheme” between merchants and the priests. The faithful ones bought the animal and delivered it to the priest for the sacrifice. But the priest didn’t sacrifice it, he gave back the animal to the merchant to sell it again. So, they divided the profits. There was a set of errors and sins in the Temple. Matthew, Mark and Luke report Jesus’ words:

“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ (Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46)

What do these happenings teach us?

This text made me reflect on the role of the church in society. Think with me: Jesus lived and died under the rule of the Roman Empire, and the Romans are known for their sinful practices: violence, injustice, promiscuity, perversion, etc. Jesus didn’t go into the Roman palace to condemn their sins, nor did he require his disciples and followers to do so. For the Lord, it wasn’t a priority to change what happened in general civil society (Jews and non-Jews). Jesus got angry and required changes in His House, the Temple. The sin was starting there inside, in leadership. The Lord wanted to show that the House of God must be the first place to be purified, then, everyone will have a place for true adoration and devotion to God.

And today, think about how the Christians are behaving. Everyone is more concerned about civil society than the church. If a rumor arises about some law against Christian principles, people get scared, revolt, and do their best to fight that. But, what about when a church teaches doctrines against the Bible? What about when a pastor or leader sexually harasses the women of the church? What about when a church uses God’s name as a source of income? What about when a church evades taxes and doesn’t comply with current laws? What about when a church gets involved in illicit acts to get financial resources? What about when a church covers up domestic violence? What about when a church covers marital infidelity?

The list of errors and sins is endless, but the church is more concerned about what happens outside of it. Jesus also spoke about the hypocrisy in judgment:

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthews 7:3-5; Luke 6:41-42)

And the Apostle Paul also speaks about the importance of judging those who are inside:

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? (1 Corinthians 5:9-12)

Conclusion

The message of Jesus is very clear: purify the church from all sin. The church must be a refuge, a House of Prayer for all the people.

If the church acts like the world, for what reason anyone will seek anything different there?