Thoughts by Julie Wicker

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

This week we are sharing Holy Week. Today is known as Holy Monday, when Jesus cleansed the temple courts. Although Jesus was physically cleaning out the temple courts, I think of how our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit and how we should strive to keep clean from idols as we read in 1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Meditate on today’s verse. The four gospels are narrative accounts of Jesus’ life, each viewed through a unique lens. Through Matthew’s lens he sees Jesus as king, Mark with Jesus as servant, Luke with Jesus as man, and John with Jesus as God. In addition to our key verse reading from Mathew, take a moment to read what Mark, Luke, and John recounted this day.

‭‭Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — 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.’”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭45‬-‭46‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. “It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

‭‭John‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts, he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves, he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

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