Monday Week 14

After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves, he said, "Get out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"

His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."

John 3:12-17

Do yourself a favor and throw out that picture you have of Jesus with the cuddly lamb over his shoulders. Jesus was a stud. He took on a mob by himself and won. That’s right. Jesus was no meek and mild pushover. Jesus was a ninja warrior. While attending the Passover festivities, he walks into the Temple, his Father’s house, and he sees people making a profit off of forgiveness. True, forgiveness comes at a cost (blood), but never was it intended as a business venture. The sight sets Jesus off. He makes a whip and starts a stampede. He scatters the money changer’s coins on the ground. He overturns tables. Nowadays, Jesus would have been arrested for disturbing the peace. For him, it was acts like this that ultimately cost him his life.