Passion Week - Monday

Cleansing the Temple

It is my intention to do a blog each day of this Holy Week. I'm centering my thoughts this week on the tone of the events in the life of Jesus, which it appears to me, are often much different than our traditional interpretation of those events. I'm not sure what all will come of this - only the passing of the week will tell.

While it appears that the time when Jesus cleansed the temple was the same day as the triumphal entry, it is appropriate to make that our subject for this blog.

Each of the four gospels include the story of Jesus cleansing the temple, however John includes it at the beginning of Jesus' ministry rather than just preceding his crucifixion. At any rate, even though it is a short story, it is important in our understanding of what was happening here.

The action of the followers of Jesus in waving their palm branches, putting down their cloaks, and crying "Hosanna" was reminiscent of previous events in the life of these people. For instance, William Barclay in his commentary on Mark records that Judas Maccabaeus came into Jerusalem, after he drove out Antiocheius following his desecration of the temple, in much the same manner as Jesus had done. The cries of the people were an almost verbatim quotation of the verses found in Psalm 118:25-27. It was a cry for God to come and deliver them from the throes of enemy occupation and control over them.

So entering the temple in Jerusalem was thought to be a sign of Jesus beginning the overthrow of the Roman occupation, as were some of the earlier events symbolizing victory over the enemy. Jesus did enter the temple, and cleansed it of those who were taking financial advantage of the many hundreds of visitors who came in to Jerusalem for the great passover feast. This act was one which again signaled the different direction that Jesus was taking in showing what his role as Messiah was to mean. He was not going to overthrow the occupiers but instead was intent on throwing out the system which had taken a wrong turn and was totally out of sinc with what God wanted for His people. This event was surely to put Jesus in harms way, and the teachings which followed would eventually lead to his arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

As we continue through this important week we will notice some final teachings of Jesus to the public, as well as some specifically to the disciples. Jesus is trying to prepare his followers for the horrendous events that were ahead. Jesus' earlier teaching that his followers were to "take up your cross and follow me," were about to take perhaps a more literal turn than they were expecting.

Pilgrim on the way