Passion Week Devotion #2
Text: Matthew 21:12-27
Pastor Jimmie Suggs, Jr.
“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.
18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.
20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
It is hard to imagine a more bold display than what we just read. Isn’t it? Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilling the prophetic words of Zechariah. The crowds streamed along the way shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt. 21:9). Get this; the first place Jesus went upon arriving into Jerusalem was to the temple! And, when he arrived it was no calm display! “He 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” (Matt. 21:12). The buzz of the marketplace turned into an uproar. It is possible that the animals being sold for sacrifices, including the pigeons, were being released and running and flying through the crowd. The shopkeepers’ money was on the ground likely being intermingled. No doubt the people most close to the action were startled. And, those on the fringes were wondering: what just happened?
What had just happened? Why such boldness? We are reminded of a similar event recorded in John’s gospel at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, which had begun approximately three years earlier (Jn. 2:13-17). It was a similar setting bringing about a similar response by Jesus. On that occasion Jesus said, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade” (Jn. 2:16). It is interesting that John then gives some commentary. “His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me”” (Jn. 2:17). Though it could have been before, it seems that the disciples’ reflection on the event took place after Jesus’ resurrection. The passage they recalled was Psalm 69:9, “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.”
Now compare the first confrontation with the one recorded by Matthew. Here at the end of Jesus’ ministry we have almost identical circumstances. Again, it was Passover week. Jesus confronted the situation in the temple and said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” The first part of Jesus’ statement was Him recalling the word that he had given to Isaiah. “These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people” (Isa. 56:7). The second part of the statement is sheer indictment. If there had even been a time when the practice of providing sacrifices and exchanging currency were in fact helpful and for convenience that time had passed. Jesus said it, “You have turned my Father’s house into a den of robbers.”
Don’t you find it interesting that at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry he confronted this issue and with less than one week of earthly ministry left he dealt with it again? It is clear that cleansing had not taken place. Three years of earthly ministry and there had seemingly been no fundamental change in the people’s understanding of God and His purposes or plan, which is why Jesus’ act was so bold.
But there was going to be an even bolder act, the boldest act! At the end of the week Jesus would do the work necessary to bring about the change to which he was pointing. That is why this event, the cleansing of the temple is so important. It was drawing attention to certain necessary and important things.
1. It was drawing attention to the fact that their religious acts were not sufficient to change their hearts. “You make my Father’s house a den of robbers” (vs. 13).
2. It was drawing attention to their deep-seated sin and ongoing rebellion. “You are not seeking God but only your own welfare” (vs. 13).
3. It was drawing attention to their lack of understanding of the purposes and plan of God that were clearly demonstrated and voiced in His giving of the temple and temple worship. But they missed it. “You don’t understand the meaning and significance of what God has given in the temple” (vs. 13).
4. It was drawing attention to the fact that they refused to see and submit to the authority of God. “They questioned Jesus’ authority” (vs. 23).
5. It was drawing attention to Jesus’ authority (12-17).
As you meditate on this text give consideration to the new abode of God, your heart. Think of its condition. Is it a place of prayer and genuine worship? Are you questioning the authority of God in your life? Are you carrying out all of the things that seem to be the right things to do without really understanding or even caring about the purposes and plan of God? Are you robbing God by being more concerned with your own welfare than you are His work?
Remember the bold act of Jesus on the cross, an act that brought change and continues to bring change! Does your life reflect that change?
Prayer: Father I acknowledge that my criticism of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day often comes as I draw ungrounded distinction between their acts and my own. Forgive me! I am in need of You just as they were. Help me! Change me in and through the changing work of Christ’s death and resurrection and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I offer this prayer. Amen.