A story is written in the Gospel of John (Jn 2:13-22) about how Jesus cleansed the Temple of Jerusalem; making a whip out of cords to drive out all those who were selling animals and money changers.
To understand this whole story, however, it is good to understand the background of the temple. This temple was the centre of Jewish religion and as such all Jews from around and from all over the world used to make pilgrimages to Jerusalem to offer their sacrifices. These were the Jews that remained in exile when the others were returning. The sacrifices were in the form of oxen, lambs and doves which were offered as burnt offerings to the LORD. There was also a temple treasury which could be likened to the modern day offertory in a Christian churches.
Of note is the fact that some of the Jews came from lands very far away and as such they could not carry with them the sacrificial animals due to their bulky nature. This led to the introduction of a provision of a place in the temple where sacrificial animals could be sold. That solved one problem for the travellers but the other problem was that of currency. The Jewish temple did not allow foreign currency in its treasury. This meant that people from outside had to change their money to the Jewish equivalent for offering.
This was good as it offered people from far a chance to worship God the normal way.
The problem came in when people stopped looking at it as a way if helping their brothers and sisters from outside and started taking it as a business. They adjusted the rates if exchange for the money to maximise profits and they were selling the animals at a higher price just to do the same.
That is why Jesus came in to rebuke them, telling them that His Father's house was not to be made a market place.
Later the same Jesus in His chat with the Samaritan woman (John 4:20-24) talked of how irrelevant the worship place is, and how good it is to have a personal relationship with God by worshipping Him in truth and Spirit.
Paul consolidated that by pointing out that our bodies are the temples of the Holy spirit (1 Cor 6:19).
Relating to both the cleansing of thr temple and the fact that our bodies are the temples of the living God, you and I today are called to examine how we are using the temple of the Spirit that God has given us.
Are we using the bodies we have for personal gains? Jesus drove out those who were using the temple area for their own personal gains other than for the help of others and the Glory of God. Our God wants to be worshiped in truth and Spirit. Does our inner temple allow us to do that?
What would Jesus do to us if He came into our temple?
Examine your temple and use it for the Glory of God for He is a jealous God.
1 Cor 6:13.
Inspired by a homily by Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa.
