Holy Monday: Cleansing the Temple
A Hallowed Home
On Monday of Holy Week, Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them,
“It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”
The sin of Israel, in part, was to see Jesus as a one-dimensional character in the story. In their minds, he was simply an insurrectionist seeking to challenge the religious dogma of the first-century priesthood.
But when Jesus enters the scene, he communicates much more than first meets the eye. Zechariah 9 instructs us that he is a King who finally comes home to set things right. He comes in priestly, prophetic and kingly roles. The abuse of his home is over, and now a gracious ruler is here to guard the true religion of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He will be the faithful priest who inspects the house and finds it wanting. He will be the true prophet will proclaim glad tidings to those captive. And he will be the glorious king who will set his reign by establishing a new house for his name.
Our temptation on the Monday of Holy Week is to keep business as usual. We are tempted to say: “In my home, there is no corruption. I am the right kind of housekeeper. Jesus, there is no need to change the furniture.” But Jesus comes to teach you that there is always cleaning up that needs to take place. When Jesus comes, it’s Spring cleaning time. He comes to make all things new.
As we approach Good Friday, we must ponder anew how we may give our sins to Jesus so He can carry them to the cross where he bled and died. It’s time to allow Jesus to save you from your current residence. Aren’t you tired of the cycle of sin? Aren’t you tired of apathy? Aren’t you tired of not noticing any spiritual growth in your life in the last 2,5 or 10 years? It’s cleaning time!
It’s time to allow Jesus to enter and change the make-up of your home as he did in Jerusalem. It’s not going to be comfortable. He’s going to crush some things that you treasure a whole lot, but he’s going to give them back to you in a new way.
Prayer: Gracious Lord, my heart continues unmoved by my sins. I cannot seem to change the temple of my own heart, and the more I try, the more I find myself troubled by my own motives and intentions. I pray for a cleansing that will shake the foundations of my home but will lead to the honor of your own Name, which is hallowed forever, amen!