I think that it is important for me to share with you just exactly what I believe that Jesus was so upset with in this morning’s reading from the Gospel of John (2:13-22). I mean seriously; can you imagine coming into our Church, our sanctuary, or our fellowship hall and discovering that individuals have set up tables and displays, and that they are willing to sell to us cattle, sheep, doves, second-hand cloths, used household items, handicrafts, pies, donuts, or hot meals complete with fellowship? Can you imagine discovering that there are also individuals here willing to exchange your Canadian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, or Chinese money into US Dollars? Of course the truth is that each and every one of these individuals is not genuinely interested is making a “fair exchange;” after all they are here to make a living on each and every one of our completed purchases and/or exchanges.
Most of us would be outraged, and rightly so. After all, unlike the temple that Jesus was entering into, we do not really practice making public sacrifices for our sins. As United Methodist we believe that the forgiveness of sins is between God and each individual. We also believe that Jesus has made the ultimate and only required sacrifice.
And yet, deep inside most of us believe that when we have done something wrong that we are somehow required to make some kind of sacrifice. We know that we have to at least truly and humbly confess our transgression. Sometimes not just to God. Sometimes we are also led to confess to those that we have sinned against. Sometimes there are additional actions which are required of us so that we can live with our own conscience. Often the reality is that we can not undo the wrong that we have committed, but somehow we are deeply driven to seek true forgiveness no matter what the cost may be.
Yes, I believe that Jesus was greatly upset with those individuals who had over the course of many years turn the house of worship into a house of profit. But I also believe that Jesus was just as upset – and maybe even more – with those who quietly and willingly settled for an exchange of money rather than taking the true responsibility for seeking restitution for a transgression. What kind of person would break one of the Ten Commandments, and then feel truly justified by simply paying $200 for a sheep that they turn over to a priest to offer as a sacrifice to God? What kind of God would see this as justice?
And so Jesus was determined to clean out the Temple. He once again wanted to make clear the real truth of God’s forgiveness; we can not buy God’s forgiveness, and we can not earn God’s forgiveness. In truth the forgiveness of God is a gift given from God. This should not be such a strange thought to us. If we are willing to be honest with ourselves, then we will recognize that those whom we have forgiven are the ones whom we believe have made an honest apology.
To those who live a life revolving around the world’s rules – those whose beliefs are dictated by the flow of their current society’s every changing values – they will not understand what Paul wrote to the faithful community in Corinth (1st Corinthians 1:18-25); “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom”[1]. The choice is ours to make. We can choose to follow the forever changing values of this world and it’s ever changing society, or we can follow the words of God and the teachings of the Holy Spirit.
[1] 1 Corinthians 1:25a NRSV
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