Matthew 21:12–17 (ESV) —
12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
“ ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise’?”
17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.
NOTE: Jesus has fully presented himself to Israel. He has fulfilled prophecy. He has cleaned out the temple, he has healed the outcasts, and he is recognized by the lowly, the children. And what is the response of the leaders to the Messiah? They were angry as if something unjust or wrong had just occurred.
An interesting thought from another commentator (Maticich) suggested that the temple had become a site of Jewish nationalism, adding superstitious respect for it. So instead of being a house of prayer, they had ruined it and made it a symbol of politics. Unfortunately, many do the same today with the Christian faith, associating it with political thought rather than a deeply based need for salvation from our sins.
PONDER:
- Is my faith expressed in the mission of God, to save this world from its' sin or is it based on a certain political party being in power?
PRAYER: Father, free us from politics. There is nothing wrong with good laws, but laws will not change hearts nor will they save us from hell. Change our perspective so that we have your priorities
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