The Gospel of Mark: Den of Robbers

Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, “Is it not written,
‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?
    But you have made it a den of robbers.”

And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. ~ Mark 11:15:19


Over the weekend I asked you to mull about the cursing of the fig tree. But before we get to see it again tomorrow, we get this dramatic scene of Jesus overturning the tables in the Temple. Given that we will come back to the fig tree, it is safe to assume there is a connection.

In Mark there is always a connection!

This scene has always sparked imagination. It just seems so out of character for Jesus to be so angry.

But is it?

Along the ways we've seen Jesus' frustration with his disciples and their lack of imagination and faith.

We've seen him face off with Pharisees and scribes over the Sabbath.

Now he is in what is considered the most holy place for Jews, and he seems like he's had it. The abuse of the Temple is the climax of his anger, so he stops the abusive workings in it.  

The Temple had ceased serving the function it was meant to.

By the time Mark was written, it was either about to be destroyed or had already been destroyed by the Romans. 

Was it cursed like that fig tree? Or had it cursed itself, by forgetting who and what it served?


Holy God, thank you for the gospel - the good news - of your Son. Open my mind and heart to this good news and enliven me with your Spirit of servanthood that I might share this good news with a world in need. Amen


Engagement Questions:


Are there elements of our church life that no longer serve the function they were meant to? What tables of ours might Jesus turn over?

 

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