Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple grounds.

When looking at the world, we do not have to look far to find corruption. We find greed, manipulation, and selfishness all around. This is a result of sin in the world. God knows this about our nature and has been gracious to us. Jesus came while we were yet sinners and addressed our sin problem at its root. So why did the Son of Man get so frustrated with people at this point? Wasn’t He familiar with their sinful nature? The place of Jesus’s frustration and the point of Jesus’s frustration are important for us to consider in seeking to understand this passage. Jesus displayed this anger in the temple. This was a place where God dwelt with the people and gave them access to be with Him. This place was supposed to be set apart for worship but had become no different from the rest of the world. Jesus was angered by the exchange of money and funds to deceive people that they could “buy their way” to God’s favor. This place that was meant to lead people to commune with God had become a place for people to leverage the name of God to make money.

Jesus’s fiery response in this moment reminds us of the sacredness of His name and the openness of His kingdom. His name and kingdom are not things to profit from: His kingdom is available to all those who surrender their lives to Him. His Kingdom is not an exclusive club for those who can pay their way but an open invitation to those who have nothing. What about our lives? What are we telling the world about the name and availability of Jesus? How are we seeking to live in alignment with these truths each day?

• What are some ways Christians can live as people set apart? Why tempts us to follow the ways of the world?
• What are ways you might be misrepresenting Jesus to others?
• Pray and ask God to open your eyes to see the His kingdom as He does.