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Matthew 21:12-17 NIV
Jesus at the Temple
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”
17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
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What a person values in their heart absolutely influences their choices and actions. The desire to survive compels patients to endure the pain of medical treatment. Love for their children leads parents to give up their dreams or needs to fulfill their children's desires. A wise person recognizes this truth and asks God to guard their heart diligently (Proverbs 4:23). The actions of the Lord Jesus while He was on earth also reflect what was in His heart. What was most important to Him? Jesus began His earthly ministry by cleansing the temple (John 2:13-17) and ended His last week on earth by doing the same (Matthew 21:12).
During His three and a half years on earth, He saw many social, physical, political, and moral problems... but the most important issue was the relationship between people and God. The temple played a crucial role in this relationship. The temple represented God. In this context, the apostle Matthew calls it "God's temple" to emphasize God's ownership, which lays the foundation for why Jesus cleansed it. The temple was the place where believers worshiped God, a symbol of God's presence, and the meeting place between God and man. The apostle Peter says, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:15-16).
The Jews hoped that Jesus' kingship would overthrow Roman rule. In reality, what Jesus sought to overthrow was the corruption within the temple. The relationship between people and God was what concerned Jesus Christ the most. He became the atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:25) to restore the relationship between humanity and God. Everything Jesus did was in line with God's will (John 5:19). His anger was not impulsive but very deliberate. After cleansing the temple, He was moved with compassion and healed the blind and the lame who came to Him for help (Matthew 21:14). His holy nature balanced righteousness and mercy perfectly. Even children could recognize His messianic qualities, yet this stirred the anger of the scribes and chief priests. They were jealous of Jesus' influence and hated Him for disrupting their source of income. But Jesus was not afraid of them. Instead, He pointed out their ignorance (Matthew 21:16).
Many Christians want to rely on politics to improve society, but the real issue lies within the church. The church must first cleanse itself of its worldliness and lack of influence. The apostle Peter says, "For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household" (1 Peter 4:17). What mattered most to Jesus was the relationship between people and God. Therefore, this should also be the most important goal for believers and the church. What is the most important thing in our hearts? Do we share the heart of Christ Jesus?
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