Commotion at the Temple

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. — Matthew 21:12 Jesus entered Jerusalem and was cheered as a king—but not for long.In the next scene, Jesus went to the temple courts in Jerusalem. And as he looked around, he became upset. As Isaiah the prophet had noted many years earlier, the temple of the Lord was to be “a house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7). God wanted it to be a place where people could connect with him. The temple area was not meant to become a marketplace for selling animals and exchanging currency. So Jesus overturned the tables and benches there and drove the merchants out.Continuing in his ministry of drawing people to the Lord, Jesus healed people who came to him at the temple. Some were blind, and others could not walk, and he healed them.The temple authorities, however, did not like any of this.They complained about the disruption and the children shouting “Hosanna” in the temple courts, and they asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”“Yes,” he said, and he asked if they knew the words of the psalm that said, “From the lips of children and infants, you, Lord, have called forth your praise” (see Psalm 8:2).But the religious leaders did not have the eyes of faith to see Jesus for who he was. Before long, they were plotting to kill him, and in a few days they stirred up the people and had them shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Faithful God, help us to see Jesus for who he truly is—the fulfillment of all your promises. Thank you for your grace. Amen.