*Section 2.5-2.9
The Life and Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth

It’s rather enlightening to read a portion of the bible and have it suddenly come to a whole new light.  A verse that you’ve read over and over again unexpectedly has new meaning.  Such was the situation for me when reading today about the time that Jesus went to Jerusalem and chased the money-changers out of the temple.

In the bible, we usually get the picture of a calm, peaceful, loving, and patient Savior.  He is not visualized as a man who was prone to anger or one who got fighting mad.  Whenever I would read about how Jesus entered the temple, saw the money-changers and merchants, and then made whips to chase them out, well I would quickly read over that part.  It was not how I pictured my Jesus.  I couldn’t fathom it.  So I searched for instances of an angry Jesus in the bible, and indeed He did get angry at times.  When the Pharisees questioned Him about healing a man on the Sabbath – Jesus could not imagine how heartless they were to ignore the needs of the sick man because of what day it was.  Again, when the disciples tried to chase away the children who wanted to sit with Jesus, Jesus rebuked them and said “let the little children come”.  Jesus got angry, but never fighting mad. 

Why did Jesus get so mad at the temple?  I thought, and I thought.  Here’s what I realized:  Evil had parked on the porch of the temple!  Jesus did not pick out any one person at the temple to whip and scorn.  He was mad at the merchants and money-changers for taking up the space that belonged to the people who wanted to come to the temple to worship – and they were cheating people with their high prices and high profits.  The devil himself was taking over on the very doorway of God’s house.  That was what made Jesus so furious.  Evil had directed the lives and actions of those people.  Jesus did not directly whip the people but rather quickly scattered the wrong-doers and their wicked business to remove evil and restore God’s house. 

Searching the bible, you can find over a hundred verses where Jesus tells evil to flee.  The devil has no power over Jesus!

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

Luke 10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

I no longer skim quickly over the story of Jesus chasing out the money-changers in the temple.  I use it!  On those occasions when I feel like the devil himself is dragging me down with negative thoughts – making me feel worthless – and giving me doubts and fears – I know that Satan flees at the presence of Jesus.  I picture my Savior swinging that whip and chasing the evil thoughts that try to consume me.

Jesus is my hero!

He fights for me and you!

And when the devil tries to take over – I see my Jesus swinging that whip;
and evil scatters and flees!

just Laurel

*(Our church is beginning a bible study for the next 7 weeks {beginning 2/12/24} leading up to Easter.  We are using a book that has taken the 4 Gospels of the New Testament and smooshed the accounts of Jesus’ life that Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote about and put them together chronologically to read as one story.  Genius!  Click here if you are curious about this small, handy, and convenient little book.  My writings over the next weeks will reference what sections of this book I am reading.  If you don’t have the book – no problem!  You are surely familiar with the Jesus stories I write about.  Reading them again always gives fresh meaning and life to God’s word.)