overturning tables

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

Matthew 21:12-13

Twice in the gospels, once in the beginning of His ministry (John 2:13-17) and again during His Passion Week as told here, Jesus in holy anger drove the profit-makers out of the temple. These are the only episodes of angry action in Jesus, and show us His authority as Judge over the worst that false religion will do. The moneychangers took advantage of the poor and the needy. Many Jewish pilgrims traveled from all over the world to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem. The moneychangers were known to charge exorbitant rates for currency exchanges so those devout travelers could pay their temple tax in Jewish shekels. It was a racket.

The same goes for the animals on sale in the courtyards. Sacrifices were being sold at wild profits, particularly to the poorest of the poor who could only afford to sacrifice a pigeon. These ethically deprived creepy purveyors of religious price gouging were preying on the poor. This outraged Jesus. He did something about it. He made the comfortable, uncomfortable by turning tables, tossing chairs, and driving them out of the temple like the robbers they were!

Religion that preys on the poor falls under God’s sternest condemnation, and I can’t help but see Jesus ready to turn tables in evangelical churches today where ego-driven leaders, prosperity teachers, feel good comfortable preachers prey on the poor. These creeps are promising them health, wealth, and prosperity by buying books, sending big gifts to ministry, and helping this robbers buy private jets. The One Who was born in a peasant family and Who came to preach good news to the poor and needy, Who fed them, Who healed them, Who died for the sinful poverty of us all, calls us to care for the poor. Remembering our impoverished sinful souls and the mercy we have in Christ humbly helps us also overturn tables of injustice, proclaim the good news of salvation, and make God’s house a holy house of dependent prayer. We celebrate a gospel community where all are welcome and cared for through belief in the good news of Jesus — Who overturns tables to set everything right again!