A Gentle Jesus?...Maybe Not!

John 2:13-22

"The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken."

Who is this Jesus over turning table and kicking the money changers and animal sellers out of the temple? Where is our gentle Jesus? Where is the Jesus of whom we sing "Fairest Lord Jesus..."? Where is the passive gentle Jesus of our childhood? The simple answer is that the gentle Jesus whom we grew up with indeed crosses all boundaries. He breaks through all walls. Just when we are comfortable in our relationship with Christ, he changes things up. He never lets us go, but he isn't passive. He is an active Christ. An active leader. He understands the abomination that was happening within the temple of God. The hypocrisy of the Pharisees and chief priests to make money off of their Adonai, His Abba...And Jesus breaks boundaries, he breaks walls. He makes a weapon. A whip. A bit unconventional for the Jesus we know from our childhood...A strong Jesus. A tough Jesus. A Jesus with passion and fervor and fire. And love...for you...and for me.

Pastor Joel Martyn
Hope Lutheran Church of the Sierra