The Temple: Last Sunday's Sermon

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The Gospel

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.

The Sermon

In the old testament reading from Exodus God gives to the people the Ten Commandments. There were lots of laws that the Jewish people were expected to follow but the ten commandments were special. I remember as a child getting ready for confirmation class I was expected to memorize the ten commandments. I was never good at memorization and I was certain that the bishop would ask me that very question. Actually, I don't think he asked me any questions.

These ten commandments are so ingrained in our religious and social fabric that even though very few of us could recite them from memory, we still pretty much know what they are. The first four commandments have to do with our relationship with God. We should worship no other God and make no images to a false god. You should remember to never use God's name in vain and keep the Sabbath.

The rest of the commandments have to do with our relationship with each other. Most of these commandments have the word not in them. Do not steal, covet, kill,lie, commit adultery. The other commandment is to honor your father and mother.

So do these really apply to us today? You do not see the word love in any of these commandments but maybe it is implied. That I think is what Jesus brought to the table. His two commandments were to love God and love your neighbor. Really, if you love God the first four commandments would naturally fall into place. If you honestly love your neighbor, the remaining six would follow.

Why are we doing this particular reading during Lent? I guess because lent is a time of reflection. Jesus told us many times in the gospel that we should always put God first. False gods can come in many forms. It can be money, fame, prestige or possessions. That is what all of us need to reflect on. Are we putting these things ahead of God.

The Gospel reading is about an event where people put their greed ahead of everything else. The moneychangers and merchants wanted to make money off of the people who were entering the temple. This is clearly a time when Jesus lost his temper and literally lashed our at those who abused the temple's purpose.

At the end of this reading Jesus referred to himself as a temple. I think of us mere mortals as temples too. Our temples hold our souls. Let us make the effort to treat our temples with the respect and love it deserves.