The Political Passion: Monday
In Mark's account of the passion week, Monday is the day on which Jesus cleansed the temple. "Cleansed," however, might not be the best description for what he did. Here's why:
Jesus makes two references to the prophets as he disrupts economic activity in the temple. First, he recalls Isaiah 56, in which God states that he intends to make himself accessible to all nations. Second, he recalls Jeremiah 7, in which God tells the temple leaders of Jeremiah's day that they cannot seek refuge in the temple while acting unjustly to "the alien, the fatherless, and the widow."
On the surface, it might appear that Jesus had a small, spontaneous "fit" because the trade in the court of the Gentiles was interfereing with the Gentiles' ability to worship/pray. And that may well have been a concern. But I suspect that Mark wants us to see something much more profound in this action.
For one thing, it was a premeditated act. At the end of the day on Sunday, Mark says, Jesus went to the temple, looked around (presumably, seeing the same things that were happening on Monday), and then left because it was late in the day. He saw the temple, but thought about what he saw for the whole night before acting.
For another thing, Jesus' reference to Jeremiah 7 makes it clear that he believes what he is doing there is bringing to fulfilment the words that God spoke in that chapter. Specifically...
While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your fathers. I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your brothers, the people of Ephraim.
Jesus is doing what God said he would do in Jeremiah - he is rejecting the temple, "destroying" it in a figurative sense (he will foretell the physical destruction on Tuesday). Almost certainly, Jesus was offended because the temple authorities were in collaboration with Rome, collecting taxes for the Empire and acting in complacency with (if not instigating) acts of injustice and hatred on those whom they were supposed to serve.
And Jesus' condemnation of those authorities will only become stronger on Tuesday...
[Other posts in this series: Palm Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday]
Related Tags: passion week, cleansing the temple
Jesus makes two references to the prophets as he disrupts economic activity in the temple. First, he recalls Isaiah 56, in which God states that he intends to make himself accessible to all nations. Second, he recalls Jeremiah 7, in which God tells the temple leaders of Jeremiah's day that they cannot seek refuge in the temple while acting unjustly to "the alien, the fatherless, and the widow."
On the surface, it might appear that Jesus had a small, spontaneous "fit" because the trade in the court of the Gentiles was interfereing with the Gentiles' ability to worship/pray. And that may well have been a concern. But I suspect that Mark wants us to see something much more profound in this action.
For one thing, it was a premeditated act. At the end of the day on Sunday, Mark says, Jesus went to the temple, looked around (presumably, seeing the same things that were happening on Monday), and then left because it was late in the day. He saw the temple, but thought about what he saw for the whole night before acting.
For another thing, Jesus' reference to Jeremiah 7 makes it clear that he believes what he is doing there is bringing to fulfilment the words that God spoke in that chapter. Specifically...
While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your fathers. I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your brothers, the people of Ephraim.
Jesus is doing what God said he would do in Jeremiah - he is rejecting the temple, "destroying" it in a figurative sense (he will foretell the physical destruction on Tuesday). Almost certainly, Jesus was offended because the temple authorities were in collaboration with Rome, collecting taxes for the Empire and acting in complacency with (if not instigating) acts of injustice and hatred on those whom they were supposed to serve.
And Jesus' condemnation of those authorities will only become stronger on Tuesday...
[Other posts in this series: Palm Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday]
Related Tags: passion week, cleansing the temple
posted by Matt at Monday, April 10, 2006
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