The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone. (John 2:13-25, NRSV)
Always remember when someone says, “What would Jesus do?” that fashioning a whip and going to town on people would not be out of the question!
We always want to think of Jesus a meek and mild and welcoming the sinner and the stranger and this He was, but when the rubber met the road, He would also get down to business.
I find it interesting that the reading says that many believed in Him because of the signs He was doing. Does this include the whipping?
Is this image of a crazed man, driving animals and people from the temple and throwing money instill you with belief?
It is intermixed in our reading with commentary of the disciples and the temple destroyed being His body. But people believed because of His actions. So what were they looking for?
What are we looking for in a Messiah?
What are we looking for in a savior?
Meek and Mild, or whip-bearing, temple cleaning?
aSacredRebel 