Reflecting on Mark 11:12-26
"My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." (Mark 11:17)At one time Jesus says, “whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” (John 6:37)
And yet here Jesus drives away people from the temple (v.15).
He is driving away those who were driving away others.
These temple merchants, with the temple permission, were making it hard for others.
They charged excessive prices for the sacrificial animals.
The words He speaks are a quote from Isaiah 56:7.
In that Isaiah passage, God explains (again) His heart for justice and goodness.
Then a word is spoken specifically to foreigners and eunuchs.
Both were considered unclean by the Law, excluded from the temple.
“Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.’ And let no eunuch complain, ‘I am only a dry tree.'” (Isaiah 56:3)
Yet God’s heart is that eunuchs and foreigners seeking God and goodness be welcomed.
For God designed the temple to be a house of prayer (seeking God) for all ‘peoples’.
Though the Moses Law made a distinction, it was temporary.
God created everyone, and does not want to exclude anyone.
His calling of Abraham and Israel was for them to bless the nations (Genesis 11:1-3).
God welcomes anyone who is devoted to love, justice (fairness), mercy, goodness.
The religious leaders would have known God’s desire for the nations.
It was referred to often in their scriptures, and they knew them well.
But they had turned God’s temple into something else, a house of thieves.
They insisted worshippers buy their animals for sacrifices, at inflated prices.
They made it hard for struggling seekers, and excluded sinners seeking mercy.
It was the opposite of what God wanted from His people:
“Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the one who does this.” (Isaiah 56:1-2)
Jesus is acting out God’s salvation and righteousness.
He is doing this FOR seekers and sinners, and against the religious leaders.
He is restoring God’s house as a place of love, fairness, mercy, welcome and worship.
He is drawing in those who have been hindered and excluded.
And He is driving out those who have been hindering and excluding!
“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Mark 11:17)
Jesus is not saying that we should pray in a church building.
Jesus is saying everyone should be welcome to pray.
Everyone should be welcome who is humbly, sincerely seeking God.
They do not need to be one of us, or like us (i.e. foreigners).
They do not need to meet our criteria of ‘holiness’ (i.e. eunuchs).
Eunuchs are an especially interesting example to consider.
A eunuch was a sexual misfit, a male without male sex organs.
According to Jesus, there were different reasons why people were eunuchs.
“For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others — and there are those who choose to live like (literally make themselves) eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:12)
According to the Jews, they were all sexual misfits, perverts, monsters.
Some were born that way (intersex), some were forced into it (victims).
And some actually chose it for the sake of God, to honour God.
Provocatively, Jesus does not exclude any of these.
And Philip, when he meets the eunuch reading Isaiah, doesn’t either (Acts 8:26-39).
There’s no exam to make sure he is the right kind of eunuch.
Philip immediately immerses the man with God’s grace in Jesus (baptism).
Apparently “the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35) is for everyone too!
“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Mark 11:17)
I wonder if ‘outsiders’ (racial, sexual, others) feel that way about our Jesus gatherings?
Are we known as a place of welcome, or a place of exclusion?
God welcomes anyone who desires justice, mercy, love, goodness.
God welcomes anyone who is devoted to justice, mercy, love, goodness.
Yet Jesus does drive out some…
Those who make it hard for others, who are unfair, without mercy.
Maybe our churches are driving out the wrong people…
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, how is it that Your open, welcoming grace is constantly being reversed and used to shun, hinder or drive away those who are genuinely seeking You. Forgive us when we turn Your 'house' into a "den of robbers".
May my heart, and my response, be one of open, gracious welcome, always ready to baptize anyone with God's immersive gracious love.
A powerful message. We all need Jesus and who are we to decide who He will and will not accept?
We all need Jeus.
We come as we are. In our coming our lives are changed. Having Christ in our lives, we are living for Him which is shown by our fruit of the Spirit.