The Temple of God

Third Sunday of Lent

In today’s Gospel Jesus overturned the tables of the moneychangers and merchants who were selling animals, notably cattle sheep and doves for animal sacrifice in the temple. He drives them out of the temple claiming that they had turned it into a market place. When asked for a sign on whose authority he can do this. He says that he can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days.

Jesus expressed anger at what was taking place inside the temple, a place of worship. He saw the abuse which the moneychangers were carrying out by cheating the people as they exchanged their foreign currency for the appropriate coins which were needed to pay the temple tax. Possibly we feel disappointed that Jesus became angry and “made a whip out of cord”, but in order to fully understand Jesus’ actions as well as his words when asked why he should act like this we need to know more about temple worship at that time and reflect on the whole of John’s Gospel.

In the temple at Jerusalem the merchants sold animals to worshipers for sacrifice in atonement for their sins, a symbolic payment. The blood of an animal was seen as ‘life’ itself, the opposite of death and a way of maintaining a right relationship with God. The money changers exchanged Roman coins which had the image of the Roman emperor (considered to be God) on them for temple coins needed to pay the Jewish temple tax (used to maintain the temple). They were notorious for cheating the people. These animal sacrifices seem alien to us but we need to read this in light of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. John uses the story of the cleansing of the temple to interpret a later event and to reveal the identity of Jesus as the Messiah. John’s account (unlike the synoptic Gospels) occurs at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, just after his first miracle at Cana.

John is writing at the time of the early Christian community (80-100 AD), he claims that temple worship would no longer be necessary as it was surpassed in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. 

Jesus is not talking about destroying the physical building but is predicting his own death and resurrection when he says he will destroy this temple and raise it up in three days. The people are looking for a sign, proof of his authority to do such a thing. The sign par excellence in today’s Gospel we learn is the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Do we ask for signs from Jesus casting doubts on our faith? Or do we truly accept he is our Lord and saviour? 

A reading from the Gospel of John (Jn 2: 13-25)

Since the Passover of the Jews was near Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. 

At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” 

But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken. While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel story is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. Jesus showed his displeasure with the abuses taking place in the temple a place for worship and not for business. As Christians we should feel angry when we see certain abuses taking place. Anger itself is not good or bad but how we use this feeling can be. That is, do I channel my anger in a positive or negative way? Do I take a passive or active role when faced with evils such as racism, abuse, violence and injustice?
  4. In our prayers this week we can ask the Lord to transform our righteous anger into peace and positive action. Lent is a time to practise acts of charity (love) and almsgiving (service) and to reflect on our own quality of worship.
  5. Together with your family find the right time to read this gospel. The environment helps, so before you start prepare;
    i. The Bible reading from St John (2: 13-25);
    ii. A candle
    iii. Cover the table with purple cloth
    iv. A computer/laptop with the reading and clips
  6. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested)
  7. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  8. Be creative 😊
  9. Go to the Prayer Corner section to continue praying as a family

Today we are going to hear about Jesus cleansing the temple. It was a sort of ‘Spring Cleaning’. The temple is God’s house, a place for prayer and worship. One day when Jesus went into the temple, he got angry when he saw what it was being used for.

  • That Jesus forgives us when we get angry 
  • Our actions should always be directed towards Jesus 
  • Blank paper 
  • Pencils

In the Gospel today we read that it was the time for the annual Passover celebration and Jesus travelled up to Jerusalem. When he arrived in Jerusalem he went straight to the temple (God’s house). He could not believe what he saw there in the temple courtyard. He found people who were selling cattle, sheep and doves for the worshipers to use as sacrifices in the temple. There were also tables set up for moneychangers where people could change their money to pay the temple taxes. It looked more like a market place than a house of worship!

Jesus did not like what he saw, it made him angry. He made a whip from some rope and drove the animals and the sellers outside. Then he went to the tables of the moneychangers and turned them over and all the coins scattered over the temple floor. “Get out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market” cried Jesus.

Why do you think Jesus was angry?

It was because some people were not using the temple which is God’s house in the correct way. They were not using it to praise God but were cheating others instead. We could say that Jesus carried out a kind of ‘Spring Cleaning’ in the temple by getting rid of all the things which would offend God. 

During this season of lent we should also try some ‘Spring Cleaning’ of ourselves. How can you do this?

You can look inside yourself and see if there is anything which you need to throw out. Is there anything which I need to change and is stopping me from loving Jesus as I should?

Something else I can do is write on the blank paper which I prepared anything which I think is stopping me from loving Jesus. Maybe I got angry when I shouldn’t, or maybe I didn’t do something I was asked to do. Maybe I didn’t tell the truth. Then take the paper and crumple it up into a ball….. As if you are going to throw it away. Next as a sign that you want to get rid of those thoughts throw the paper ball on the floor. At the same time pray that Jesus will help you to ‘Spring Clean’ your heart this lent so that you will be closer to him.

(Don’t forget to pick up the paper afterwards and you can place it on your prayer table as a reminder of what you want to clean from your heart).

Then listen to the song Change my heart oh God.

Sign of the cross.

Thank you Jesus for always loving us even when we get angry. Please help us to change our bad habits and to grow closer to you. Thank you for the new life you give us, and teach us to be more like you.

Amen

Today we are going to hear about Jesus being angry at people because they were treating others unfairly. It is one of the rare times in Jesus’ life that we see him manifest his just anger and it happens in the temple (God’s house).

  • Jesus does not want us to treat others unfairly 
  • That Jesus wants us to worship him as our Lord and Saviour 
  • Blank paper 
  • Pencil/pen

Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Passover and entered the temple. He became very angry with what he found there in the temple courtyard. Have you ever felt angry because you saw something that was wrong? Often when we look at the world we see lots of things that are not fair. Jesus teaches us to think about ways in which we can change this. 

Inside the temple Jesus found people selling cattle, sheep and doves which were for used as offerings to God. It was more like a market place than a place of worship. He saw moneychangers sitting at tables exchanging money. Roman coins could not be used to buy a temple offering because they had the image of the Roman emperor on them who said he was God. Hence, the moneychangers exchanged Roman coins for special temple coins. The temple is a place of prayer and yet the sellers and moneychangers had made it into a place of business! They were overcharging and cheating the people which was not fair on the people who wanted to worship God and didn’t have much money. They were taking advantage of people and treating them unjustly. 

Why do you think all this made Jesus angry?

It is the house of God don’t forget, so you can see why Jesus got angry with them. He made a whip out of rope and he drove everyone out along with the animals. Then he went to the moneychangers and overturned their tables.

How do you think all the people felt when they saw Jesus do this? Jesus saw something which he did not think was fair or right and he took action. He was standing up for what he believed in, doing something positive which would result in a change for the better.

Can you think of some things which you have seen which are unfair or which are not right?

Do you think it is unfair that some people do not have enough food to eat? What could you do to change this? One way is to donate food to a food bank who distribute the food to families in need. By doing this we are acting fairly to change things for the better.

The authorities asked Jesus to explain his actions, and by whose authority was he acting like this? They asked Him for a sign. Jesus answered “destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up”. The people were shocked by his answer as they took it literally, but Jesus was not talking about the building but about his own body. Jesus is the temple that will be destroyed but in three days God will raise Him up. He was talking about his own death and resurrection.

Jesus became angry when he saw the temple being used for dishonest activities. On the paper write down what makes you angry when you see others being treated unfairly. It could also be abuse of animals or the environment around us (think of all the litter left on the beaches or in the countryside). Then listen to this song.

 Afterwards place the paper on the prayer table and read it slowly asking Jesus to help you to think of ways in which you can take action. Then crunch up the paper into a ball and throw it onto the floor. In your heart ask Jesus to help you throw away your anger and turn it into a good action. (Don’t forget to pick up the paper afterwards!) 

Sign of the cross.

Jesus I love you above all things. Help me to stand up for what I believe in and to notice the unfair things in the world around me. 

Help me to make the world a better place by following your example and never be afraid to do what is fair and right. We ask this in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

1. Today's Gospel narrates that Jesus got angry when he saw what the sellers and money changers were doing in the temple. To whom among these, did he speak to at first?

Correct! Wrong!

2. What did Jesus say to these sellers?

Correct! Wrong!

3. When faced with all this, the Jews asked Jesus to give them a sign to back his actions with authority. Jesus said to them...

Correct! Wrong!

4. What did Jesus mean when he said that he would rebuild the Temple in three days?

Correct! Wrong!

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.