Sunday 11th March 2012 - 3rd of Lent
(Purple)
Theme: Significant action
Readings: Exodus 20:1-17 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
John 2:13-22 Psalm 19:7-end
Theme: Significant action
Readings: Exodus 20:1-17 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
John 2:13-22 Psalm 19:7-end
Collect:
Eternal God,
give us insight
to discern your will for us,
to give up what harms us,
and to seek the perfection we are promised
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Comment
John’s gospel tells of a number of occasions when Jesus visited Jerusalem. The other gospels only tell of his last visit, so their accounts of the cleansing of the temple have to be placed then (unless, of course, he did it twice). All accounts show that Jesus’ action was deeply symbolic. Although he might have disapproved of the market-place atmosphere, his action was much more than a ‘cleansing’.
The temple was the place for sacrifice, so there were always lots of animals there. The people had to be able to buy animals ‘without blemish’ for sacrifice, and the temple authorities insisted on using their own currency (without any idolatrous images on it), so there had to be a certain amount of buying and selling going on for the temple to function at all. No doubt the traders were making money; they had to make a living. Perhaps they were being too greedy. But Jesus’ action of cleansing the temple was not only a protest against the commercialisation of the temple; it was even more a protest against what the temple had come to stand for. Originally intended as a place where people could come before their God, it had become the symbolic centre of Jewish nationalistic ambitions.
John reminds us that this took place at Passover time. The Passover was the reminder of the deliverance of the nation from slavery in Egypt, and the people’s protection from judgement by the blood of the lambs smeared on their doorposts. When Jesus drove out the animals and overturned the money tables, he put a stop to sacrifice. It was only for a moment; yet it was deeply significant. And when he was challenged by the authorities, he spoke of his death and resurrection – albeit in very cryptic terms. He himself would be the true Passover lamb – ‘the Lamb of God’ (John 1:36).
Not only was Jesus the true sacrifice. He was also the temple itself. Although the disciples did not understand at the time, after his resurrection they did. Recalling this incident, they realised that Jesus was saying that his own body was the true temple. In him heaven met earth, God and sinners are reconciled. The temple Jesus had just cleansed was a temple under judgement, which had corrupted its original purpose and was about to be replaced by the real centre of reconciliation.
Our church buildings are not replacement temples. Across the world they range from grass shelters to glorious cathedrals. God does not live in them. He lives in his people. We are the temple of the Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16).
Questions
1) What should church buildings be used for?
2) What does this story tell us about Jesus?
Eternal God,
give us insight
to discern your will for us,
to give up what harms us,
and to seek the perfection we are promised
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Comment
John’s gospel tells of a number of occasions when Jesus visited Jerusalem. The other gospels only tell of his last visit, so their accounts of the cleansing of the temple have to be placed then (unless, of course, he did it twice). All accounts show that Jesus’ action was deeply symbolic. Although he might have disapproved of the market-place atmosphere, his action was much more than a ‘cleansing’.
The temple was the place for sacrifice, so there were always lots of animals there. The people had to be able to buy animals ‘without blemish’ for sacrifice, and the temple authorities insisted on using their own currency (without any idolatrous images on it), so there had to be a certain amount of buying and selling going on for the temple to function at all. No doubt the traders were making money; they had to make a living. Perhaps they were being too greedy. But Jesus’ action of cleansing the temple was not only a protest against the commercialisation of the temple; it was even more a protest against what the temple had come to stand for. Originally intended as a place where people could come before their God, it had become the symbolic centre of Jewish nationalistic ambitions.
John reminds us that this took place at Passover time. The Passover was the reminder of the deliverance of the nation from slavery in Egypt, and the people’s protection from judgement by the blood of the lambs smeared on their doorposts. When Jesus drove out the animals and overturned the money tables, he put a stop to sacrifice. It was only for a moment; yet it was deeply significant. And when he was challenged by the authorities, he spoke of his death and resurrection – albeit in very cryptic terms. He himself would be the true Passover lamb – ‘the Lamb of God’ (John 1:36).
Not only was Jesus the true sacrifice. He was also the temple itself. Although the disciples did not understand at the time, after his resurrection they did. Recalling this incident, they realised that Jesus was saying that his own body was the true temple. In him heaven met earth, God and sinners are reconciled. The temple Jesus had just cleansed was a temple under judgement, which had corrupted its original purpose and was about to be replaced by the real centre of reconciliation.
Our church buildings are not replacement temples. Across the world they range from grass shelters to glorious cathedrals. God does not live in them. He lives in his people. We are the temple of the Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16).
Questions
1) What should church buildings be used for?
2) What does this story tell us about Jesus?