¹⁷ “‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not mourn.’

Jesus has made his final journey to Jerusalem. He had his triumphant day on Sunday, and now it is Monday. Jesus heads to teach at the Temple only to find it being used for making money at the expense of those who come to sacrifice for sins with the purchase of animals.

It says in Mark 11:15-26 about how Jesus cleared the Temple. We see Jesus entering the Temple only to find money changers selling animals for sacrifice. Now, for the Jewish people that was their way of taking care of sin in their lives through animal sacrifice. This is just as Moses wrote in the first 5 books in the Bible.

This makes sense, but here was the problem. This system had been set up as a ‘religious market’ for gain. The Chief Priests were also gaining from it financially. The Temple Court should have been a place to help the Gentile people find God.

Jesus gets so upset that he drives them out. He pushes over tables, knocks down cages, and pushes over pens holding animals. Money is thrown all over the ground. Animals are running free. There is chaos. He is angry because the Temple was a place for prayer for all nations and not just the Jewish people.

Jesus’ anger was not about him personally. He was angry because it was desecrating the House of God, His own Father’s House. This was controlled anger for the justice of people coming to seek God’s forgiveness and presence.

How is your anger? Is it controlled and not about you? Anger is a good emotion when controlled the right way.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you control your anger and show greater love.

Strength and Courage

Michael