The Gospel of John: John 2.13-25

Read and meditate on John 2.15.
Jesus said the Kingdom of God comes with violence, and He was right. He was right at this first Passover, and He was right at the last one He attended. And in many ways, He is right still.

¹⁵He made a whip of cords, and drove them all
out of the temple, tearing down each stall
and pouring out the money that He found,
and turning all their tables upside-down.

- John 2.15

Reflect
1.  This was real violence on Jesus’ part, but its main aim was symbolic. Meditate on Matthew 11.12 and Luke 16.16. What kind of “violence” should we associate with seeking and entering the Kingdom of God? Complete this prayer: Lord, I pray with John Donne: “Batter my heart!” Beat, bend, and shape me for Your Kingdom, Lord, so that…

2.  Put yourself on the receiving end of this mayhem. How would you have felt about what Jesus did here? Should we expect Jesus to go out of His way not to offend people? Should we? Explain. Lord, I know that truth is more important than…

3.  Was Jesus attacking the practice of doing business in this situation? What was He attacking? What did He want the people observing Him to understand about why He did this? Can you think of anything that might be a modern day equivalent of what Jesus did here? Lord, are there buyers and sellers and money-changers in my soul? Am I in any way…

4.  This situation raises questions of justice. We know that Jesus never sinned. But some people were bruised, some lost valuable merchandise, and others probably lost some money, as eager bystanders grabbed the coins thrown wildly to the ground. Why is this not an act of injustice on Jesus’ part? Lord, I know that in the Kingdom, some things take priority over others. For example, today in my own life…

5.  Meditate on John 16.8-11 and Hebrews 12.3-11. If Jesus were to stride into the temple of your soul, and find things not entirely as they ought to be, what sort of violence do you suppose He might unleash against you? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you wrote from questions 1-4.

Summary
“Nevertheless, in order to seek the mystery of the deed in the figurative meaning, who are they who sell the oxen? Who are they who sell the sheep and doves? They are those who seek their own interests in the church rather than those of Jesus Christ. Those who have no desire for redemption have everything for sale. They do not want to be bought; they want to sell. Yet surely it is for their good that they be redeemed by the blood of Christ so that they may attain the peace of Christ. For what profit is there in acquiring anything temporal or transitory in this world—whether it be money, or gorging oneself on food or achieving high honors from your fellow human beings? Are not all things smoke and wind? Do not all things pass on in a moment? And woe to those who want to hang on to passing things, for they pass with them!” Augustine (354-430 AD)

Jesus is the sworn Enemy of self-interest, especially when self-interest tries to take advantage of God’s purposes for its own ends. Do we see any of this in our churches today? Should we respond with a kind of violence of our own?

Closing Prayer
Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
Have respect to the covenant;
For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.
Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.

Psalm 74.18-23

Psalm 74.10, 11, 18-21 (Rockingham Old: O Lord Most High, with All My Heart)
How long, O Lord, must they prevail who mock and spurn Your holy Name!
Why stay Your hand? Deploy it now, and bring Your foes to lasting shame!

Remember this, O Lord, our God: a foolish people spurns Your Name;
Deliver not Your flock to them, nor leave Your holy ones to shame.

Your covenant, recall, renew, for violence spreads throughout the earth;
The poor and needy, rescue, Lord, and we shall sing Your matchless worth!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.