Matthew 21.12-13

TEMPLE CLEANSING

(Matthew 21.12-13)

It is sometimes suggested that, because the cleansing of the temple by Jesus is so out of character, it did not happen.

I would suggest that it is precisely because it is so out of character that it did actually happen.

I say this for two reasons.

Firstly, I find it much more difficult to imagine anyone making up such an uncharacteristic story.

Secondly, if it did not happen, l find it equally difficult to explain why such a serious mistake was not corrected by those who were eyewitnesses.

Therefore, like it or not, I believe we are saddled with the fact that Jesus cleansed the temple. He did go "into the temple, and cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought in it."

So what was it that made Jesus so angry?

The answer to that question is quite easy. He objected to the exploitation of worshippers which distracted from the worship of God.

This they did in two ways.

Firstly, they were exploited by the money changers.

Every Jew was expected to pay a temple tax of half a shekel each year. This was the equivalent to two days wages for a workman.

Since Palestine was such a cosmopolitan city, there were many currencies in circulation, such as, Greek, Roman, Tyrian, Syrian and Egyptian.

However, the tax could only be paid in shekels of the Sanctuary or Galalean shekels. Since the money changers held the monopoly for this trade, they could charge whatever commission they wanted. Needless to say they exploited the situation to their own advantage.

Secondly, they exploited the offering of sacrifices. Sacrificial victims could be bought at a reasonable price outside the temple precincts. However, they maintained that such victims had to be spotless, and to ensure that they were, temple inspectors were appointed to police the situation.

Needless to say, only those sacrificial victims bought from off the temple stalls ever passed the inspection.

Again, having established such a monopoly, they sought to exploit the situation to their own advantage by charging exorbitant prices.

No wonder then, that Jesus went, "into the temple and cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought, saying unto them, ‘it is written, my house is the house of prayer; but you have made it into a den of thieves’”.

However, the temple traders had the last laugh. The stalls were owned by Annas, the High Priest, and you may recall that it was to Annas the High Priest that Jesus was brought after his arrest!

Do note, Jesus did not object to the payment of the temple taxes. Nor did he object to the sacrificial system. He objected to the exploitation of the worshippers and the consequent distraction to the worship of God.

Today, it is not the temple of 2000 years ago that should concern us, but rather our own distraction to the worship of God.

For, as St Paul reminds us, "Do you not know that you are God’s temple and God’s spirit dwells in you?” And again, “For God’s temple is holy and you are that temple”.

It is the temple, not of brick and stone, but of heart and mind that needs cleansing today.

I often fear that the noise and chatter and the consequent distraction before the Eucharist on a Sunday is no better than the noise and chatter in the temple 2000 years ago. In my last parish we overcame this problem by prohibiting any talking or movement for three minutes before the Eucharist, to enable the worshippers to focus their hearts and minds upon what was about to take place.

This was signified audibly by the bells ceasing to ring and the organ beginning to play music. It was like an orchestral overture in the theatre which prepares us for the curtain to go up. It was also signified visibly by the lights being dimmed, for the benefit of those making so much noise that they did not hear the organ!

This created a stillness and a sense of anticipation whereby everyone became focused upon the worship of God.

Incidentally, recently I was at Staunton-on-Wye village hall for worship. Five minutes before the service was due to begin, I began to prepare myself through prayer, and immediately this must have been noticed because the whole room fell silent and there was a sense of stillness which one could almost touch.

Alas, I have to admit, I seldom have opportunity to say my prayers of preparation here on a Sunday because I am being distracted by, the choir rushing in and out of the vestry, people appearing at the last minute to hand in notices for announcing, whilst others are still arriving, finding their seats, and talking to their neighbours in the pew.

Jesus cleansed the temple because the exploitation of the worshippers was a distraction to the worship of God. We as God's temple also often need to be cleansed of our mental and physical activity before the service, which can become an equal distraction to the worship of God.