“Revive Is O Lord Jesus Christ!”

“Revive Us O Lord Jesus Christ!”(Mk.11:15-29).
Each time we read the text, popularly captioned, “Cleansing of the temple,” we are tempted to quickly equate a church house to the temple. We are partially right since for us Christians, the church house is a replacement of the temple.
The temple building was located within the temple area.
The text says, “Jesus entered the temple area 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…”
Here is a dimension of the walled temple area: “460 meters to the east, 315 m to the north, 280 m to the south, and the western wall was 485 meters long. The walls above ground rose 30 meters (ten stories tall)…”
Whatever business was going on within the temple area was a necessity that unfortunately became “a necessary evil” because it was going on within the temple area. Such businesses could have been appreciated if they were done outside of the temple area.
God had earlier on through prophet Isaiah assured the Gentiles that his house will become a house of prayer for all nations. The temple area was the place where Gentiles worshipped and prayed. To use that place as sales point, etc. was an intentionally disrupting concentration in worship. Yet the religious authorities were not bothered.
They had transformed it into “a den of robbers” in the double sense of taking financial advantage of the people and also robbing the temple of its sanctity.
There is a sense in which the pilgrims who came to the temple for prayer and worship are comparable to those who travel to far off mega churches but end up listening to the preacher and seeing him only through screens in the overflow areas where they are.
Jesus taught in the temple area because those worshippers there heard little or nothing that was done inside the temple building.
Perhaps a new cleansing of the temple should be advocacy for “Small Christian communities” – call it “the church in the neighbourhood” where people belong; not where people join. Mega congregations take away the personal touch of close intimacy with God in the fellowship of believers.
Dear friend, the Protestant motto of “Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda” can be traced back to Jesus cleansing the temple. This cleansing is ongoing and involves all of us because our bodies are the temple of God.
Take note that Jesus drove both who were selling and buying. No matter how genuine and appropriate a cause may be, if it is misplaced, it becomes a wrong that has to be righted.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, cleanse me and make me a temple of the LORD’S dwelling. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang
27/02/2025.