Monday, April 2, 2012

Holy Week—Monday

Jesus drives the sellers from the Temple.

This story is retold in three Gospels.  In Matthew, it seems to have happened after riding into Jerusalem on Sunday.  My apologist husband once bristled at such inconsistencies.  As he studied, and worked as a peace officer, he came to see how varied eye-witnessed accounts can be.  In fact, red flags appear when different people retell a story in exact detail—it is a seen as a sure sign of dishonesty!  Pretty interesting, huh?

Matthew 21:12-13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.  And He said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

Mark 11:15-18 (NASB)

Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.  And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.” The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

Luke 19:45-46 (NASB)

Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, saying to them, “It is written, ‘AND MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,’ but you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

 

Money is everywhere, and appears to factor into everything.  We can see how it became commonplace to corrupt holy ground with money-making.  I struggle with money’s place in my life.  I have my greatest issues with money when it comes to the church.  It is difficult to strike the balance of holy and practical.  Lord, please grant me your wisdom and increase my faith in you, especially when life concerns money.  Amen

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