Money Changers In The Temple

Now days before the crucifixion and coming resurrection, Jesus has arrived at the Temple riding on the foal of a Donkey to the lauds and praise of the crowd. Already in motion, is the plot to “silence” him. This is not his first trip to the Temple, he has done so before.  On that occasion (John 2:13-25), Jesus saw things in the Temple that were wrong and not seeing the religious authorities doing anything about it, Jesus chased the perpetrators out.  Money Changers, people engaged in currency exchange and animals and birds that were for sale to those coming to Jerusalem to worship (John 2:16; Matthew 21:12). Now he enters the Temple again, and once again sees these same events (Matt.21:12-13; Mk. 11:15-18; Lke. 19:45-48). Now for a second time, Jesus chases these people out of the Temple.

In our world today, especially if we are not acquainted with the traditions, the Biblical Law and matters, we might wonder what the big deal is. Let’s look at some things together:

1.    

 

    The temple, or the area being spoken of here is the “hieron,” in the outer courtyard. Not the sanctuary where only priests were allowed (the naos). This is commonly called the Court of the Gentiles as seen in the picture above.  According to Jewish tradition the Messiah will enter Jerusalem from the east. Jesus entered Jerusalem through the East gate (also referred to as the Golden Gate) as he came down from the Mount of Olives and entered the Temple (Lke 19:28-48)

     Money changers. Foreign money (Roman currency, Greek Currency etc.) was not allowed to be offered in the Temple. As such, the money had to be changed into the half-shekel of Hebrew currency. This would necessitate “money changers,” or what would be like an ancient ATM where you could exchange one country’s currency for another.  Ferrell Jenkins in his Travel Blog points out that it is generally held that the coin used by the Jews for the temple tax was the Tyre shekel, which after 19 B.C. was most likely minted in Jerusalem (cf. Hendin, Guide to Biblical Coins, 175). Alfred Edersheim, who wrote a book on The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, pointed out that the total sum derived annually from the Temple tribute was large.  

What was so wrong with this? Jesus exclaimed a quote from Isaiah, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers (Lk.19:46)." How so?  The act of the money changers in the Temple was a profanity of the Temple itself. The Temple was a house of Worship and prayer and the religious authorities had allowed merchants to come in and make what was to be a joyful experience, a solemn, prayerful and insightful experience into something of hardship and commerce.  They were a den of robbers because they were gouging people in the exchange of coinage and offering purchase of sacrificial animals at exorbitant rates. A lot like going to a theater today and having to pay $5 for a $1 cola.  

There are several warnings here. 

1. First, is that God’s assemblies, churches, temples are NEVER to be places where usury, or commerce. God’s house is always a place of worship, prayer, and communing with God.  
2. Second, man does not have authority to make God’s house something it is not. When we do, we face the wrath of God.

We would do well to heed these warnings, and work toward making worship the spiritual experience and learning that it was always meant to be.

Jim

History, Choices and God

We have seen the prophets’ statements about the Messiah and the natural events that would herald his coming and his death. Daniel spoke of the time of the Messiah being cut off, Joel spoke of the coming “day of the Lord.” Now we narrow down the events to see what is revealed by God regarding not only this, but at how the events played out in the world and actual historical events. In John 11 and 12, we see two integral parts in play. The people acting of their own accord and the Jewish Aristocracy acting on their own. One lauding Jesus, the other plotting to kill him. The point of the passage is, these people did what they did without any coercion. Nobody forced them; they made their own decision; they operated from their free will; they did what they “felt” like doing.  All are left perfectly free to decide according to the way they choose.  What is interesting, is that we are free to choose -- as they were. We can go for or against Jesus -- but as they, we cannot choose the consequences. They will invariably follow a path that will reveal the sovereign choice of God.  

The first reaction of the Pharisees, to call an emergency session of the Sanhedrin shows desperation on their part. They have come together in to take drastic action. John here records three separate views of the same events. The first two are from the human point of view, which would still be shared by many today if we were involved in these events. Yet both of these are horribly, fatally wrong. The third is God's view. In the council of the Sanhedrin there were two parties, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, which saw the events leading up to a political uprising and that would result in the wrath of Rome coming down upon them: "The Romans will come and destroy both our temple and our nation (Jn.11:48)." The remarkable thing, of course, is that they were totally wrong. In fact, it is what they did in putting Jesus to death that had the effect they were hoping to avoid.  What they did not know, or what they forgot, was that Israel was not being preserved by their clever political manipulations.  What was keeping this nation a nation, was the hand of God. When they put the one whom God sent to death, God removed his protection, and the nations which had been hovering like birds of prey fulfilled the predictions of Jesus himself, that the city would be destroyed. History shows that they were terribly, horribly wrong. They were reckoning without the knowledge of all the factors involved.

Paul writes, "We preach a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory," (1 Cor. 2:7-8). There is something secular wisdom does not know and cannot see because it lacks essential knowledge of the facts. Men continually make decisions which look right to them but are really terribly wrong and have disastrous effects upon themselves and upon society. In fact in Jn.11:50, it is Caiaphas’ own words uttering statements that they themselves did not understand, yet statements that confirmed  what you and I know (if we look) is the unseen hand of God in human history. Men could do their worst but they could not alter the divine plan. Richard Halverson, Chaplain to the United States Senate, states it well: "Nothing men can do will thwart or alter the will of God; and nothing God ever does sets aside the sovereign choice of man."  This unseen hand of God in human history is what men ignore, and that makes their free will a total disaster.

Prov.3: 5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path."  It is absolutely impossible to understand what is happening in life unless you see life from God's point of view. There are factors involved that you will miss, there are realities that you do not see, that nobody sees. Nothing reveals time more than the hand of God in history.  Jn.11:54 states, “Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim; and there he stayed with the disciples.”  Why did he do so? There is no evidence that he ever was afraid of what he was facing. It was because he understood the way God works.  God is still at work, moving among men to raise up kingdoms and overthrow kingdoms. We must never forget that this view of history supplies elements that no secular mind can ever see. The rulers of this age do not understand this and so they make atrocious errors.  Paul says, "But we have the mind of Christ," (1 Cor.2:16). When you begin to have the mind of Christ, when you know the Word of God, when you look at events through its light -- not when you merely listen occasionally to a message, but when you saturate yourself with the mind and thinking of God you can face life realistically. Do you have that mind?

Jim

It's History - It's Scripture! God Talks!!

In ancient Greece the Olympic Games were held in the July of the first year of each

Mark Antony

Olympiad, which was a 4 year period that ran from July to June of each succeeding year. These were magnificent events of the day, just as they are in our modern times.  The 202nd Olympiad ran from July AD 29 to June AD 33 with each year of an Olympiad beginning on the 1st of July. July so renamed from the Roman term Quintilis by Mark Antony to honor Julius Caesar, who had reformed the Roman calendar in 46 B.C. to what became known as the Julian calendar. This is neat history, but why the significance in consideration of spiritual matters?

The resurrected Jesus in Acts 1, instructs his disciples not to leave Jerusalem – that they will be given power from the Holy Spirit by His authority. As previous in their history of walking with the Lord, they did not understand, wondering if Jesus was talking about something political. Yet, they obeyed the voice of their Lord. The Passover ended, the Jewish celebration of Pentecost, 50 days after the Passover Feast had begun. Jerusalem was full of worshipers from all over the known world of the day. The Bible records the events during this celebration in Acts 2. The sound of a great rushing wind, something like flames hovering about the disciples. Just as strange, the disciples began to speak, but not in their native Aramaic or Hebrew, but in languages of other nations that they had not learned. They were understood by countless foreign visitors to the city.  Hecklers shouted: “They’re all drunk!”  This is now when the now Apostle Peter stands in the confusion and speaks his famous sermon of which is recorded and we are all familiar. Peter argues from the words of the prophet Joel recorded in 835 BC (Joel 2; Acts 2).  Peter asserts that Joel’s prophesy has been fulfilled and that his listeners know it—that they have seen the signs themselves. This is the same argument the apostle Paul made in Rom.10:17, 18 and this would have no persuasive force unless Paul’s and Peter’s audiences knew that these things had occurred.  Both men assumed that everybody knew about the signs. Of particular interest for us: Joel said there would be astronomical signs. What were they? Peter states, “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood…”

• The gospels record that the sun was darkened on the day of the crucifixion, beginning at noon and going until 3pm (Mk.15:33).
• The non-Biblical Roman sources confirm this. Phlegon Trallianus records in his history, Olympiades .. "In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, [AD 32–33] a failure of the Sun took place greater than any previously known, and night came on at the sixth hour of the day [noon], so that stars actually appeared in the sky; and a great earthquake took place in Bithynia and overthrew the greater part of Niceaea,” — TRALLIANUS, OLYMPIADES
• Another historian, Philipon (with Origen), confirms the historicity of Phlegon's statement by writing, "And about this darkness - Phlegon recalls it in the Olympiads...Phlegon mentioned the eclipse which took place during the crucifixion of the Lord Christ, and no other (eclipse), it is clear that he did not know from his sources about any (similar) eclipse in previous times ...and this is shown by the historical account of Tiberius Caesar."
• Julius Africanus, a Christian historian (160-240 A.D.) records, “On the whole world
  
  there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun.”

What do you think the odds are, that 

1. in the 800’s BC a man would speak of a day in which the Lord of all man would come, and its harbinger would be an eclipse and blood moon? 
2. That a Greek freed-man during the reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian writing of the Olympiads, would arbitrarily record of an eclipse in the same year as the gospels and Peter record in Acts, at the same time of the crucifixion, resurrection of the Lord and the events of Acts 2? 
3. Or, that a historian some 100 years after the fact, would reference the event correcting another man’s writing of it and call it an eclipse without reason for occurring?

This was obviously not a simple astronomical event. It is history – it is scripture. Think God is trying to tell us something?

Jim

It isn't HAVE TO!

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

 Rom 12:9-15

This is good advice given by Paul that we are all familiar with. However, there is part of this that we often either overlook or maybe we even downright ignore. In the application of abhorring evil, loving one another, being patient in tribulation; did you notice the part about contributing to the needs of the saints?

We all apply this to money, and any time we use our money in service to God, it draws us closer to God. However, this is not all that it applies to like we want to make it. Any time send a card and write a note of encouragement, I've just invested in the plan of God’s will. When another believer is discouraged and needs somebody to talk to and I buy give a shoulder or an ear, I've done God's will. John writes, "Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God."

When we invest our money in developing relationships within the Church, it points others to God and gets us closer to one another and to Him. In other words, when you invest in the fellowship of God's house, it helps everyone involved and helps bring people to Christ. Heb.10:24,25 teaches, "encourage one another and provoke one another unto love and good works,  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Don't get caught up in "the day," that's another discussion. Pay attention to two things in this passage, encouraging and not neglecting meeting together. Many have been taught that "not neglecting meeting together" is like attendance at school. They make it a "have to" thing and this isn't what God wants at all. It should be a "want to" in our lives as Christians to not only invest in our own spirituality, but to want to do everything that I can, every time that I can to contribute to the needs of others. To not do this is to be self serving and not to consider the will of God above your own.

Do you see a need in God's house?  What are you rising up to do about it? Are you afraid to reach out to others, to invest in their lives? Ask God for help to overcome your fears and trust him with your efforts. Remember, "Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."

Jim 

When The World is Falling Apart!

"Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!   Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven..."

Lamentations 3:40,41

There are days when life seems as though it is falling apart at the seams. We all want to know what we can do different, do over, what we can change to make things better.  We CANNOT change the past, nor can we change what HAS been done. You can’t change your parents, family, children. They are who they are and you are who you are.  You can’t change the gifts and talents God has or hasn’t given you. You can’t change a handicap you’ve been given. You can’t bring back someone who is dead.  The fact is, there are a LOT of things about life you cannot change. Peace in the midst of troubles can be found when you accept what you can’t change. Otherwise, you’ll make yourself and the people you love miserable. All of this said, there is  something important you can change: you.

The prophet Jeremiah, about 20 years of age, in the 13th year of King Josiah (Jer.1:2; 25:3), in the year 627 BC. He was active in this capacity from this time on to the destruction of Jerusalem which occurred in 586 BC. Even after the fall of Jerusalem,  he prophesied in Egypt at least for several years, so that his work extended over a period of about 50 years in all. The most devastating period of his life was when Jerusalem fell, during which time he wrote the Lamentations. To that, the verses quoted at the beginning of this article was a reflection of a breaking heart spoken about things that he could not change. His sentiment? Lamentations 3:40: “Let us examine our ways and turn back to the Lord”

We can't change the past, but we can change the present. Jeremiah's reflection shows that if he could have gone back and changed something that would have prevented Jerusalem's destruction, he would have. The same for us, we all lament when things go awry, and in wondering what we can change or what could we do; ask yourself what’s happening  in your life that doesn’t line up with what God wants? After all, God can see what we can't, and can do what we can't. To re-order your life God’s way, it’ll take some deep self-evaluation of every area of your life. You’ll need to take a look at your relationship with God, your spouse, your kids, and your co-workers. You’ll need to look at hurts, habits, and hang-ups that may be bringing you down. Nothing can be off limits in this. We cannot sugar coat this, and it is not and will not be easy. You WILL find things you don't like, and there are some things that as Jesus said to cut out of your life. It’s always tough to turn from sin even when it’s tearing us down.

Healing apart from repentance won't happen. When your world is falling apart, you can’t change everything — but you can change you. At times, that can mean everything.

What can you change right now that will make a positive impact on yourself and others? Ask yourself the hard questions about your priorities, relationships, and secret sins as you try to change your world.   "If you hear the message and don't obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror and forget what they look like as soon as they leave.   But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don't just hear and forget. (Jas.1:23-25)."

Jim

The Reluctant Journey: Fulfilling God’s Purpose for You by Dr. Richard Leslie Parrott

The Reluctant Journey: Fulfilling God’s Purpose for You by Dr. Richard Leslie Parrott

I have found this book interesting, albeit I was skeptical at first. Guess it shows that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover as they say.  There is a lot of reading to go through before you get to the meat of the book, but once there, I found it reflective and inviting. I have read several books on the same theme by more infamous authors and historians. Each was good in their niche, the same as this one is. It shouldn't be looked at for history, archaeology, etc., its theme is spiritual reflection. Why did people take these journeys? How did they get there? What happened along they way? What caused them to become the people of faith that they were?  These are the things that you will find in this book.  It is also equipped with thoughts at the end of the chapter and questions, so it could be used for devotional purposes or small group study.

The only real criticism that I have, is that the copy I have has very light printing. Combined with the paper being darker than normal, while giving the book a neat appearance made it difficult to read.  I don't know if the e-book is better or not, but I did find this a drawback.

Overall I give the book a high rating and recommendation. You won't be disappointed to consider its thoughts, or use it as a class study. 

Jim

Throw Up - Sometimes It's the Best Thing

“You must also rid yourself of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”

Col. 3:8

Notice the word RID here. In the original language it means to put away from, throw away, be rid of, divest yourself of, PURGE! That’s strong language.  It has the same connotation as your stomach throwing up something that is sour, spoiled or poison.  Now notice what Paul says to throw up from your life as a Godly person. Anger, Rage, Malice, Slander, Filthy Language.

We all have a certain amount of emotional energy. In conversations involving conflict, you can use the energy to fix blame or to resolve the problem.  One, looks for an excuse, ANY excuse not to have to deal with the issue.  It will always be someone else, something else and never what I can do. It will never look for a solution because it is too busy trying feel important, blame others, blame things, blame situations – never look for ways to resolve or reconcile issues. So you've got to ask yourself what’s more important, to blame the other person or to resolve the conflict. Too often we choose the former because we feel it is easier.  It is a product of our society today – why fix something? Just go get a new one. However, that is not so easy when others feelings, emotions, - SOULS are at stake

.

So, let’s consider Paul’s advice.  As a Christian, especially in conflicts there are things I need to throw away from me.

1. ANGER – the word here is the word from which we get passion, however here it is violent passion.  The idea is that we all know what it takes to set us off, or set something off. When in conversations with others that we know are going to be emotional – GET RID of anger before the conversation starts, or reschedule the conversation for another time when you can keep things under control.  Prov.17:14, “The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.”
2. RAGE – the word here again is passion, but it is used in the sense of the fierceness of a bull.  Other places in the Bible this is called “Gnashing of Teeth” when used in proximity to anger. Here Paul is using it in connection with anger as the two are cousins. When anger is chronic in your life, RAGE is not far behind. Rage is the out of control part of anger, and has no place in someone who seeks peace. To be a peacemaker you have to have the mind of God, and you can’t have that if you are given to rage.  Mat 5:9  "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
3. MALICE - is the vice which lies below anger and wrath, as a root or spring.  That is because this word rather than emotion, is directly associated with my intent.  It is one thing to be angry, another to fly into a fit of rage on an occasion. But to deliberately do either is malice and speaks to forethought. It is what leads to murder.  It has NO good in it and if you are harboring it, you are harboring Satan in your heart and not God.
4. SLANDER – The word here in the original language is blasphemy, as used in the since of vilifying someone. Saying things to make the other person look bad, lay blame, fault etc. Its brother is malice, because to do this involves forethought. Gossip is the 2^nd cousin as is backbiting. They all hang around together. This and its cousins were what drove the nails in Jesus’ hands.
5. FILTHY LANGUAGE - “abusive conversation.” This involves quite a few things, especially as borrowed from the above. The emphasis is that the language is intended to “abuse” rather than just be polluting. This is made likely by the words in context, anger, rage, malice, et.al. It is the same thing that Peter does in the courtyard while Jesus is undergoing his trial. He allows his language and oaths to become base and abusive so as to sound like the crowd and not be associated with Jesus. When we do it, it is the same.

The reason we need to focus ridding our lives and hearts of these things, is that they are all a form of judging. You’re not the judge. You can’t figure out anybody else’s motivation on anything, we don’t know our own motivations most of the time! Only God knows and only He can be the judge. We need to “..work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Ph’p.2:12)” and work on getting ungodly habits and things out of our own lives before we try to get something out of someone else’s. 

Jim