Mark 11:15-18
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
If Palm Sunday was a triumph that upset them, on Monday Jesus enraged the Temple authorities with another serious challenge. In what was major strike against the status quo he challenged the rampant corruption in the temple precinct, threw out everyone involved in it because they had perverted the temple from its true purpose – a place of prayer. This was the action that was to lead a few days hence to his arrest, trial and execution.
Father help us to remain steadfast to your call on us, your people, to honour your teaching and not to let anything distract us from it.
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