Holy Week
Day One
Mark 11:15-19
So when they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the Temple and began to dive out the those who bought and sold in the Temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. He taught, saying to them. "Is it not written, "My House shall be called a House of prayer for all nations"? But you have made it a "den of thieves'" And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. When evening had come, He went out of the city.
Jesus shows His caring for the people, you and I
As Holy week starts Jesus goes to the Temple and drives out the people doing business there.
The Levitical Law required the men of Israel and all Jewish men to come to the Temple and offer sacrifices for Passover. The religious and governmental leaders had made rules that allowed for certain people to make money from the requirements of the Law. The citizens were trapped by these requirements and had to pay up with no one to look out for what was right. This was a problem that all of the Old Testament prophets decried yet it still continued.
Jesus shows up at the Temple turns over the tables and drives out the people doing business there and calls them out for the oppression of the people quoting Jeremiah and Isaiah saying that really God's House is to be a place of prayer. Jesus shows His anger towards the ones who allowed this to happen and does something about it.
Often times we may feel that others have created rules and situations that benefit the few at the expense of others and ourselves. We can take courage to know that Jesus Himself notices and cares about it. We also can be assured that it is personal to Him just like it was at the Temple. We as followers of Jesus have been asked by Him to do the same and call out when we know that others have created rules to help only the few take advantage of the people.
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