The cleansing of the temple is one of the most dramatic scenes in the life of Jesus. In a display of righteous anger, Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers and drove out those who were profiteering in the temple courts. This startling act was full of symbolic meaning. The temple was intended to be a house of prayer for all nations, but it had become corrupted by greed and ethnic exclusion. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple was a prophetic call to return to the worship of God in spirit and truth. As we explore this passage, we’ll see that Jesus calls us to bear fruit for Him among all peoples.
- Bear fruit for Christ
- Bear fruit for all nations
- Jesus judges fruitlessness
The cleansing of the temple has profound implications for us today. We cannot use worship as a cover for greed or prejudice. The church is called to be a house of prayer for all nations, a place where diverse peoples find welcome and grace. As followers of Jesus, we are charged to bear fruit for Him through acts of love, justice and service. When our lives overflow with practical compassion, we fulfill the calling implied in Jesus’ dramatic cleansing of the temple. May we have the courage to follow Him in bringing down the walls that divide, so that all may find a place of belonging in God’s house of prayer.