But I wonder if that's really the issue here. Do you think Jesus is saying it's evil for a church to buy and sell goods and services? Wow, that means every church-sponsored car-wash is an act of heresy, right? And every bake-sale or church bazaar to raise money for missions honors the devil? Geez... Where do we draw the line on this issue? Are Catholics destined for purgatory for bingo games?
Nah... trust me, without creative fund-raisers, churches and other non-profit organizations that otherwise depend on donations would suffer greatly - especially in a day and age where people are hip-deep in debt and worried about jobs and financial security. I don't think this passage is about methodology... it's about motivation. Jesus wasn't mad because buying and selling was going on in God's house per se. He was, however, consumed with anger because the folks charged to make God accessible to people - yes, even non-Jews - were instead erecting barriers for those seeking to worship Him.
Think about it... if your religion required you to offer bring an animal to sacrifice at one holy place (the Jewish Temple), and if you lived a several day walk from that holy place, would you rather bring your prized goat, or sheep, or bull (or whatever)... risking that it may die or get stolen along the way? Or would you decide it best to buy a genuine "Kosher approved" animal at the temple instead?
However... kind of like paying for parking or hot dogs at a Seahawks game - once you got there the insanely high prices would be pretty frustrating to say the least. Nevertheless, what choice do you have, o pilgrim of God (or football)? The "insiders" own a sweet - albeit unfair - monopoly, and you can either pay the steep price or not come to worship. Then, just to add insult to injury, you'd find your foreign money doesn't have a very promising exchange rate either. So in God's holy temple, you unwittingly get less money to buy extremely over-priced (and likely sub-par quality) animals to sacrifice to the Most High God. Woo-hoo.
Hmmmm... so it was a sin in that day to create religious barriers to worshipping God. I wonder how (we) churches today commit the same sin. I kinda doubt it's about selling coffee or homemade quilts... but assuming that's true... then what is it about? How should we interpret Jesus' frustration in our 21st century Christian context?
I think His anger may also have been rooted in the purpose of those sales. These people were in the temple selling items of all sorts for purely personal gain. Our Coffee House is a mission in itself. No one without the capacity to pay would ever be turned away, and the money benefits the church. It is not personal gain.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the religious barriers to worshipping... I think one of the biggest barriers to worship in today's churches is the "pomp and circumstance" that gets woven in. Many churches make it hard to be comfortable until you pass through hoop after hoop completing rites of passage before becoming an "official member".
The humbling thing about this is how angry Jesus became at those defiling his temple...as Paul often refers to "us" as God's temple, how many places are there in my life and walk that would evoke this kind of frustration and anger from Jesus. Usually, when I think of Jesus, I think of a constantly loving and ever-patient man. This verse is a little scary because I know that I "defile" my "temple" every day. An angry Jesus is hard to to take and a bit frightening. It gives me a little added incentive to keep my temple clean. I don't think this story is written just to say that Jesus was human but to remind us to keep our "temple"/ourselves in order and in a way that, if Jesus wandered into our lives, which we know he does constantly, that our temple would be a place he felt did his Father honor.
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Great points, Anonymous... Yes, our coffee house has a missional purpose to connect with people of our community. Our prices tend to be under the going rate in town for a high quality product offering. It's not about the buying and selling, it's about doing what Christ did... that is, engaging people where they live... to be (as relationships are built) and to share the good news of God with those who hunger and thirst.
ReplyDeleteGod doesn't want barriers erected that defile His holy temple... either our church communities (body of Christ) or our own flesh and blood bodies. He wants us to maintain simple faith and trust in our Father in heaven. There's something beautiful... yet something very dangerous about adding layers of religious sophistication to our worship services. Jesus made it clear as he engaged the Pharisees... simple acts of trust and obedience are much more pleasing to God than performing on the religious stage.
I think it is a matter of the heart. The money changers and animal sellers probably had a honest role to play at one point...but it became dishonest/for profit/me me me rather than meeting the needs of the worshipers.
ReplyDeleteIf The River didn't have coffee as an outreach, but as simply as an object of "personal perceived need/ modern day idol" then I might be tempted to put it in the money changer category. Thus labeling it as a heart issue.
Well put, Ed. And therein lies the challenge to us: to keep our eyes on Christ, our hearts broken for injustice (even the religious varieties), and our motivations pure... in that we MUST never lose sight of why we do what we do... and for Whom we do it. I love coffee... I love people... and quite frankly, I love what money can do for a community of faith. But true ministry comes from the heart of God to draw lost sheep to Himself... not being cool or popular or rich or even well-liked. If we love Him, He charges us to participate in culture (with fear and trembling)... and use whatever means necessary to reveal His holy love.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it has anything to do with coffee or any other item, Jesus was angry due to the fact that the ones who "Knew Him" were taking advantage of the ones who wanted to "Know Him" to use God for their selfish gain, not the Kingdoms
ReplyDeleteGreat comments all,
ReplyDeleteMy mind went to Paul's word the the church in Corinth in 2 Corinthians 2, "15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God."
This verse is part of my call story and remains a constant reminder for me, especially when I start to endeavor to please people more than God. I do see this text as a reminder of the same.
Wasn't Jesus' criticism of Temple worship primarliy political and aimed at the collaboration of the priests with the Roman occupiers?
ReplyDeleteWell, Anonymous... I'm not denying that is a possibility, but the way I read the Gospels, Jesus never seems terribly concerned with earthly politics... ever. He does not seem to teach an anti-political view per se. That said, however, nor does he ever seem overly interested in the talking heads in "power" in earthly matters... whether they be Roman kings, or Jewish governors. He does, however, seem extremely interested in spiritual matters... specifically relating to the injustices of this world (dues to sin) and obedience to His Father's will. That is why he so thoroughly abuses the priests and experts in the law... and their legalistic interpretations of Scripture that prevent all people from encountering God as they hunger and thirst for His presence.
ReplyDeleteI'll throw in a bit of a twist on this regarding turning God's house into a market, from Hank Williams Jr.'s perspective in one of his songs long ago ...
ReplyDelete"There are some preachers on TV, in a suit and a tie and a vest ... they tell you to send your money to the Lord, but they give you their address.... Send all of your donations, they're completely tax free. God Bless you all but most of all - send your money"
Perhaps the money changers are anyone who uses God's house and His name to make a selfish profit for themselves rather than profiting the Lord in the ways He asks.
Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon."
Ha... Jeff, another guy in our church bought me a bumper sticker (but I thought it best not to put on my car)... "If money is the root of all evil, how come churches are always begging for it?"
ReplyDeleteMoney makes the (capitalistic) world go round, and as such, is not the root of all evil... as we all know, it's the love of money... i.e., worship of money and material things. As a pastor, I have to constantly check my motivations for why I ask for money from people each week... some of whom have no discretionary income. But without money, we have no resources. And without learning the life of sacrifice, we cannot truly know the ministry of Christ. So money and giving money is absolutely necessary (under normal circumstances anyway)... but greed is always unacceptable, especially by those called of God to be stewards of His house.
To be perfectly honest, the money god tends to demand my worship all too often... but the real, True God always beckons me back to His grace... and gives me meaning and purpose in the resurrected life of Jesus.