Jesus’ Anger Gathers and Glorifies

Posted on by bethany j.

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July 12

“God intends for the whole world to be able to praise him. He intends for Zion to set an example of faithfulness for the rest of the world. Zion cannot do this when evil persons corrupt others.”[i]

Bleating sheep and bellowing salesmen swarmed the temple. But really? God’s house was empty.

In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changes sitting there (Jn. 2:14).

Jesus longed for a house full of true worshipers.

“…These I will bring to my holy mountain, and will make them joyful in my house of prayer… for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The LORD God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered” (Is. 56:7-8).

“This place of worship should have prefigured the hope of God’s restored creation—” writes Pastor Jonathan Parnell, “a day when ‘all the nations shall flow to it, and many people shall come, and say: ‘Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob’ (Is. 2:2-3).”[ii]

God intends for the whole world to praise him, but in the temple, Jesus saw mud being thrown at that vision. So zeal for God’s house consumed him. Passion for God’s children—all of God’s children—moved him.

“Take these things away,” Jesus said. “Do not make my Father’s house a house of trade” (Jn. 2:16).

Jesus gets angry when God’s people don’t glorify him. His rage purges what’s fake and false so true worshipers can gather in spirit and truth (Jn. 4:23).

 

. . .

 

[i] ESV Student Study Bible. (2011: Crossway. Wheaton, IL), p. 743.

[ii] Parnell, Jonathan. (2015, March 30). Jesus turns the tables. Retrieved from https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/jesus-turns-the-tables

 

6 thoughts on “Jesus’ Anger Gathers and Glorifies”

  2. This was convicting to me. I have been guilty of anger at the American church while refusing to examine my own heart, weeding out the fake, phony, and self righteous. Jesus’ passion is for me to worship him in spirit and in truth, and for all of his children to do so. May judgment begin in the house of God, and in my heart.

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  3. The picture of throwing mud stood out to me. It brought to mind all the times I clutter up my own heart and abuse the gospel to justify my sin. And how Christ’s righteous anger breaks me and over turns my pride. In a way that His love does for my good and His glory.

    Psalm 23:4.

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    1. “abusing the gospel to justify my sin.”

      ouch, but yes.

      and if you think about it, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, created for worship. Jesus purges us to create space “for our good and His glory.”

      thanks for sharing.

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