Domus Patris | My Father's house

"Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!" – John 2:16

  

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In today’s reflection we read and ponder about how our Lord Jesus Christ acted in His Father’s house when He saw injustice taking place there. In John's Gospel, Jesus' relationship to His Father is much emphasized. Jesus uses the term “My Father’s house” quite often, in fact, around 53 times. 

There are two recorded occasions when Jesus cleansed the temple. The first time at the beginning of His ministry, and the second time just after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem shortly before He was crucified. This second cleansing is not recorded in John. The two events took place nearly three years apart. Today’s reflection focuses on the first of the two times.

It wasn’t just normal business taking place at the temple. The selling of animals was not done in an honest way. People were exploited and cheated moneywise. Dealers were profaning the temple and violating the law. The misuse of the temple and the injustice taking place caused Jesus’ anger.

Our perception of Jesus must always be grounded firmly in the Scriptures. The same Jesus who talked kindly with the Samaritan woman could overturn tables. As we read in Scripture, Jesus is both a Lion (Revelation 5:5) and a Lamb (John 1:29). Another aspect that stands out clearly in this passage is that a person is either in God's love or under His wrath. There is no middle way.

Our Lord Jesus acted appropriately, according to the situation. He always sets the example for goodness and love. However, here we can learn from this passage that we cannot just go along with something that is clearly wrong. We cannot ignore and not act. Many people fear to act because they don’t want to ‘’rock the boat’’. They don’t want to upset others and cause any disruption. Rather, they keep quiet and don’t say anything even though they know how wrong the situation is. Jesus did not ignore the corrupt situation at the temple.  No, He acted when it was necessary.

If it is an issue of importance, we should confront it, especially if it is injustice and not according to God's Word. We should act appropriately. As it is commonly said: The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good men do nothing.

This passage also serves as a reminder that our bodies are now a temple of the Holy Spirit and that we were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We were bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). Christ's blood was the perfect, final sacrifice for sin. He saves completely those who come to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25)

Let's pray that nothing unclean will enter our temples and that we will use our temples to glorify God.

Reflection on John 2:13-23 by Hanne Teach

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