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Christ Confronts Corruption in the Temple
91
Financial Corruption at the Heart of God’s Work
Sharp bargaining, the lowing of cattle, the bleating of sheep,
the cooing of doves, mingled with the chinking of coin and angry
disputing. The confusion was so great that the uproar drowned out
the words directed to the Most High. The Jews rejoiced over their
temple and regarded a word spoken in criticism of it as blasphemy,
but the love of money had overruled their concerns for its honor.
[65]
They had wandered far from the purpose of the service that God
Himself had established. Wherever God reveals His presence, the
place is holy. See
Exodus 19:12, 13
. God’s temple grounds should
have been regarded as sacred. But in their hurry to get rich, all this
was forgotten.
The priests and rulers should have corrected the abuses of the
temple court and given the people an example of integrity. Instead
of watching out for their own profit, they should have been ready
to help those who were not able to buy the required sacrifices. But
greed had hardened their hearts.
Those who were in poverty and distress—the blind, the lame,
the deaf—came to this feast. Some were brought on beds. Many
were too poor to buy the humblest offering for the Lord or even to
buy food to satisfy their own hunger. The statements of the priests
greatly distressed them. The priests boasted of their holiness, but
they had no sympathy or compassion. The poor, the sick, the dying,
stirred no pity in their hearts.
As Jesus came into the temple, He saw the unfair transactions.
He saw the distress of the poor, who thought that without shedding
of blood there would be no forgiveness for their sins. He saw the
sacred, outer court of His temple converted into a place of unholy
business.
Something had to be done. The worshipers offered sacrifices
without understanding that they represented the only perfect Sac-
rifice. And among them, unrecognized and unhonored, stood the
One that all their service symbolized. He saw that the offerings were
perverted and misunderstood. No link connected the priests and
rulers to God. Christ’s work was to establish an entirely different
worship.