That day in the temple I saw a different side of
Jesus. Never had I seen such anger flash in His eyes. Oh, I’d seen some of it
before, particularly when some of the Pharisees acted pompously, but this anger
was intense. I can’t believe how quickly he fashioned a whip out of those cords
and how quickly men fled when he strode their way! I have to admit I found it a
little humorous, watching those money grubbers grab every coin they could as
they fled the sting of the whip.
People and animals scattered in every direction
while he thundered at them. He chastised them for making his Father’s house a
place of merchandise. As I watched, powerless to stop him, I remembered the
scripture, “Zeal for Your house has eaten me up.” All the money-making and
cheating in the temple was certainly eating Jesus up with anger. I shuddered to
think how the religious authorities would react to this scene of chaos in the
temple.
When the Master yelled at the religious leaders
about destroying the temple and raising it up again in three days, I was
totally mystified. I hoped he would explain what he meant by this later after
we left the temple, but he did not. It wasn’t until much later that I realized
what he meant.
Later, after witnessing his death and seeing him
alive again I finally understood. That’s when it dawned on me. For three days
he lay in that tomb. For three days we mourned and worried. We wondered what
would become of us. The temple he had referred to was his own body. Only after
he was crucified and raised again did we begin to understand. He himself, his
body, is God’s temple. Yes, they destroyed it. Yes, he raised it again in three
days. I remember that day in the temple so vividly. Even more than that, I
remember the day when the truth of it slowly dawned on me.
Food for Thought: How do you strive to keep God’s house a house
of prayer? How have you allowed the truth of Jesus’ resurrection to live in
your life?
Mark 11:17 Is it not written, "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?" But you have made it a "den of robbers."
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