Mark 11:15-19 (NRSV)
Jesus cleanses the temple
Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, "Is it not written,
'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'?
But you have made it a den of robbers."
And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
Reflection
I notice in this passage how Jesus takes action then teaches. He puts things in order and cleanses the temple of people trying to just make money from Jews who need certain coins to offer and animals to sacrifice to God, then he teaches us about the temple.
We can apply Jesus teachings about the temple building to the temple body as well. We also should be a house of prayer to God. We were made to worship and honor God. In this way we keep the temple of our bodies and spirits clean. But the real cleansing comes through and in the acts soon to follow in this passage. The ultimate cleansing for our own temples comes in the acts of Jesus suffering, death and resurrection. This is the cleansing we so long for and it is given freely to us. Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Jesus, I give you thanks for cleansing the temple, in so many more ways than one. --- Amen
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