Once the kiosks for temple merchants + “spiritual loan sharks” had been cleared out, there was room for the blind + crippled—the outcasts, rejects + poor—to get in! People who had been ignored by their own families, friends, religious community + culture now had a path to not only get to God, but receive from God + they came flooding into the temple!
How did Jesus respond?
He healed them all. The blind + crippled were healed, delivered + set free!
Then the blind + the crippled came into the temple courts, + Jesus healed them all + the children circled around him shouting out, “Blessings + praises to the Son of David!” —Matthew 21:14 TPT
Who knows how long this went on? Perhaps it took up the better part of that Monday. But for a few hours, only days before His death, Jesus gave us a picture of what the temple was supposed to be.
Unfortunately, here’s how the religious establishment responded:
When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things [or “wonderful miracles” (NLT)] + heard all the children running + shouting through the Temple, “Hosanna to David’s Son!” they were up in arms + took him to task. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” Jesus said, “Yes, I hear them + haven’t you read in God’s Word, ‘From the mouths of children + babies I’ll furnish a place of praise’?” —Matthew 21:15-16 MSG
I love the fact that children, who, in that culture were often ignored, overlooked + neglected, but who Jesus regularly honored (Luke 18:16-17; Mark 9:37; Matthew 18:6, 10, 14), were running + shouting, probably dancing, singing + celebrating through the temple declaring Jesus’ identity + reveling in their freedom!
The religious establishment was ticked! They went ballistic! “Don’t you see what’s happening? Don’t you hear what they’re saying?”
Jesus’ answer was so straightforward. Once again, He quoted Scripture from Psalm 8:2:
Jesus said, “Yes, I hear them + haven’t you read in God’s Word, ‘From the mouths of children + babies I’ll furnish a place of praise’?” —Matthew 21:16 MSG
It’s almost as if Jesus was saying: “You guys don’t get it, do you? This is what God had always imagined the temple to be . . . ”
“No, I won’t tell them to stop! Because this place doesn’t need less of this . . . It needs more of it!”
This is the action that went down on Monday.
Here’s my question:
What was the message in Jesus cleansing the temple? Again, He did it twice. Once at the beginning of His ministry + once near the end.
Why? Why was this so important that in Jesus’ mind, as He approached the end of His life, it demanded a repeat performance?
Also, why did Jesus curse the fig tree + the next day allow his disciples to see it completely withered away? What was all of this about?
I believe that through both of these “prophetic acts” that took place on the Monday before His arrest + crucifixion on Friday, Jesus was demonstrating a critical message.
When He cursed the fig tree + cleaned house at the temple, he was putting everyone on notice: “This entire system is finished! Its day is done! It’s about to be overturned!”
“This ‘tree’ is never going to bear fruit again + this ‘temple’ will no longer be a barrier again.”
It’s almost as if Jesus is saying, “Don’t weep over a dead tree, weep over a dead temple.”
“This ‘tree’ is never going to bear fruit again + this ‘temple’ will no longer be a barrier again. I’ve come as the fulfillment of every sacrifice that has ever been offered. This system is under judgment + it’s about to be destroyed.”
Through Jesus’ actions on Monday, He was saying, “The time is coming when all of these barriers between people + God will be ancient history. The time is coming when a person will not have to sacrifice an animal in order to connect with a holy God. Because I will be the final + ultimate sacrifice.”
Hebrews 10:12 would later describe it like this:
But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. —Hebrews 10:12 NLT
It doesn’t stop there . . . When Jesus cleansed the temple, He was saying:
“The day is coming when there will be no more barriers, no more exclusions + no more walls! Anybody who wants to—Jew or Gentile, male or female, rich or poor, slave or free—anyone + everyone will be able to walk right into God’s presence!
“I’m not only flipping tables, I’m flipping the system! I’m flipping things back to God’s original intention, which was never about meticulously keeping all the rules, but always about the beauty of a personal relationship!
“The day is coming when the need for this temple will not exist, because God is going to make Himself available anytime, anywhere, to anyone + everyone who wants Him! It’s all going to happen through Me” (Luke 21:6; Mark 13:1-2; Luke 19:44).
Paul would later describe it like this in Ephesians 2:14:
For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews + Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. —Ephesians 2:14 NLT
That’s what went down on Monday.
On Monday, Jesus publicly picked a fight with the religious authorities by essentially saying, “This whole system is coming down! I’m flipping things from religion back to relationship! I’m going to show you what extravagant grace looks like!”
From now on, when you think of the “temple”, the “House of God” or the church, think of it through the heart of Jesus as:
• A House of Prayer—a place where people from every nation + people group can gather to communicate with God.
• A House for His Presence—a place where people from every nation + people group can encounter the presence of God.
• A place where anyone + everyone can experience God’s power in operation to save, heal, deliver + set them free!
Today’s Verse: Jesus said, “Yes, I hear them + haven’t you read in God’s Word, ‘From the mouths of children + babies I’ll furnish a place of praise’?” —Matthew 21:16 MSG
Today’s Prompt: Do you see your church as a House of Prayer + His Presence?
Today’s Gratitude: I am grateful I have a place to go where I can pray, feel God’s presence + experience His power.
Today’s Prayer: Father, furnish a place of praise in my life. Let my prayers + praise ignite Your power + presence. I am in awe of Your grace + Your heart toward me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
