Monday… The Cleansing of the Temple
They came to Jerusalem, and He went into the temple complex and began to throw out those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’ tables and the chairs of those selling doves, and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple complex. Then He began to teach them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves! ” Then the chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to destroy Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished by His teaching. And whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.
Mark 11:15-19 HCSB
On Monday of the week of Passover Jesus re-entered Jerusalem and went to the Temple. There He saw the money changers; a normal sight at this time of year. However, Jesus probably observed them taking advantage of the travelers and inflating the exchange rates so that they could make a profit for themselves.
Whatever happened, it enraged Jesus to the point of overthrowing the tables and driving the money changers out of the Temple. This is also the scene in John 2 when He makes a whip out of cords (John 2:15).
After He does this, the chief priest begin to plot His death. Jesus most certainly know the risk He was taking in asserting His authority over the Temple. He knew that God’s plan was coming to a head.
Jesus is the authority of our temple as well. He dwells in the inner most portions of our soul (in our holy of holy). Allow Jesus to overturn the evil in your life, no matter how small it is! Let Him that dwells in you have control of what comes out.
