Deuteronomy 31: 30, Deuteronomy 32, Luke 19: 45-48, Luke 20: 1-26, Psalm 62
Luke 19: 45-46
“And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who
sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’
but you have made it a den of robbers.”
Verses 45 to 46 from Luke 19 depict the well-known scene of
Jesus thrashing the money changers and other vendors who were doing business in
the Gentile court of the temple. While reading some bible commentaries on these
verses, I found out that the money changers and other folks doing their
business were also cheating people by as much as 20 times with the cooperation
of the priests of the temple. No wonder Jesus was so angry. I always thought
this scene was about the vendors doing their business and not allowing the
Gentiles who wanted to worship in the temple to pray. Christ was angry at not
only sellers, but the buyers as well since they were participating in the
trading spirit and turning the Temple into a marketplace. The Temple priests
who allowed these activities took place completely disrespected the Gentile. Why
even build a place for Gentiles to pray in the Temple, and then allow the area
to disintegrate? Could not the money changers and the people selling the sacrificial
animals have done their business outside of the temple? Scholars have said the
Jesus’ actions did not cause any lasting reform, because the people carried on
as usual the next day. These verses stand out today as a stark reminder to the
people who follow Christ to not let their churches become places where believers
cannot worship in peace and/or be cheated.
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