Cleansing the Temple

 

Cleansing the Temple (Easter story continued) After his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Jesus went straight to the Jewish Temple and threw all the vendors and money changers out. He overturned the tables and used a whip to force them to leave. He also forbid the women who carried water to take a shortcut through the temple court. Passover was the busiest week of the year for the religious leaders, scribes and temple vendors. They made a lot of money off of temple activities, and they had a well-honed system for doing it. Jesus upset their financial system by demanding respect for God and his Holy Temple. And since Jesus went to the temple every day of Passover week, he made sure they didn't come back. Jesus declared, "You shall not make my Father's House into a den of thieves!" When people say, "What would Jesus do?", I think of this story. Jesus was not a wimp. He confronted people. Jesus challenged people to do better. And in this story, Jesus boldly confronted corruption in the Holy Temple of God. This episode did not make Jesus popular with the religious leaders at all.

 

Triumphal Entry

 

Triumphal Entry Luke 19:28-38 Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When Jesus came near the place where the road goes down to the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” This passage in Luke 19 describes the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  However, by the end of the week the same people in Jerusalem who shouted "Hosanna" would demand that Jesus be crucified. So the Triumphal Entry is a very strange story. What exactly happened, and why? Mainly it seems to be a prophetic event. Palm Sunday holds a promise: that Jesus will indeed return to Jerusalem and take the place of authority that He has earned. Furthermore, the Bible says that He will do it easily and quickly. The power that Christ restrained during the crucifixion will not be restrained or held back any longer. On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode on a donkey - but when He returns, Jesus will ride on a white horse. The Second Coming will be full of the majesty, glory and overwhelming power that one would expect from the Son of God. "And every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10-11