12 The next day…15They came into Jerusalem. Jesus went into the Temple and began to drive out the traders, those who bought and sold in the Temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of the dove-sellers. 16 He permitted no one to carry any vessel through the Temple. 17 He began to teach: “‘Isn’t this what’s written,” he said, “‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the world to share’? But you’ve made it a brigands den!” 18 The chief priests and the legal experts heard, and looked for a way to get rid of him. But they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19 When evening came, they went back out of the city. Mark 11:12,15-19 The Kingdom New Testament Translation, N.T. Wright
Jesus first order of mission in Jerusalem on Holy Week is to restore the Temple to its rightful place of worship within the city. The Temple was seen clearly as the habitation of God on earth – the physical locale of Heaven invading earth. The Jews, especially during Passover, would have been in and out of this Holy area of worship throughout the week. On Monday of Holy Week Jesus enters and turns over the tables where sacred ground had become sacrilegious. And, this is what prophets do: they call us back to sacred ground. They turn over tables which were once sacred and call them to be used again for repentance. They use whips to cleanse Holy ground when no one else is willing to see how the Holy place has become another hinge for the ways of the empire of darkness. Jesus, this prophet from Nazareth was calling for business as usual to remember its Holy origins as a Temple of worship to God, not a temple of business, exchange and profit led by the current aristocracy and religious elect. This didn’t fly over well. Prophets rarely do. As v18 reveals “The chief priests and legal experts heard, and looked for a way to get rid of him.”
To this day Jesus teachings have a prophetic effect on my own soul. Jesus turns over tables in my soul and summons me back to my calling as a temple – where Heaven and earth meet. A house of prayer. I’m called to live as Holy ground where He can inhabit. Where Heaven can be done and have its way on earth. The Apostle Paul would follow suit and remark that each follower of Christ is a temple now of the Holy Spirit. We are the sacred place of worship where Heaven and earth meet. We are the witness of Heaven invading earth.
I believe Jesus would call you and I to live as a house of prayer. Slowed down. Still. Quiet. Set apart from our culture and its busy ways. It is becoming more and more difficult to live as a Temple of prayer and worship to God. Our culture prefers we become a house of business, exchange and profit to the people around us. This Monday of Holy Week let us give Jesus free rein within our souls. Let Him turn a table or two over. Restoring our relationship. Freeing us from our bondage to business and busyness. Let’s repent of our ways and return to the Lord.
Paul Deary 