Victory over death part 3

April 6, 2020

Today is Monday, if anyone is keeping track. Today is an interesting day in the final week of Jesus’ earthly life (a.k.a. “Holy Week”).

One of the debatable timing of events is the “cleansing of the temple.” Matthew records it happening on Palm Sunday. Mark puts it on Monday. Luke does not give a time. John puts this event at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Considering the detail the Gospel writers put into the story, I think it is likely Jesus cleansed the temple at least twice. In John the key statement is “Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” [John 2:19]. The synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called “synoptic” because they are very similar) record, “And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” [Mark 11:17 NIV, also see Luke 19:46, Matthew 21:13]

Matthew 21:14 records, “The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.” [NIV] The significance of this statement comes from those who entered the temple. Jesus cleared space for them. By now, if you follow the life of Jesus, the amazing part was not that He healed. It seems Jesus healed people just about everywhere He went (except for a few in His home town, because of their lack of faith). When Jesus drove out the animals and money changers, He cleared out the section of the Temple reserved for Gentiles, the sick, and the handicapped.

Imagine the indignation on the religious elitists who were the gatekeepers keeping people away from God. They lose money from the business shut down. Their sacred space is invaded by undesirable people. And to add insult to injury, Jesus heals the people, doing what they should have been doing. As a bonus, the people who were no longer excluded from the inner parts of the Temple now had free access.

Imagine being one who has been excluded. Physical suffering compounded by religious exclusion and multiplied by the humiliation of begging are suddenly healed, invited in, and set on equal footing. The blind may never have seen the alter. The lame may have never step past the threshold of the Temple. The Temple gates were thrown open for the “dogs” (Gentiles).

Jesus also declares a significant shift in the purpose of holy space. The Temple was no longer for “sacrifice.” Temple space was now to be used for prayer. Little did they understand that day, God’s perfect sacrifice was about to put an end to the necessity of the daily and yearly sacrifices.

At the moment, most of our church buildings are empty. Most of our buildings will require extraordinary and continual deep cleaning. Contrary to one news network's empty church ad, claiming this is the only way we will have a future; I pray this will not last long and there will not be enough room to accommodate all the people seeking God. When this plague passes, churches will be open, but to whom and for what purpose?  

What would it take to clean out our churches (and lives) to accept those who are not like us, not perfect, or maybe considered “undesirable?” You can do it now or Jesus will do it later.