“Jesus Angry” | Dreaming Beneath the Spires
![[Jesus_temple.jpg]](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_63E1D_NTJ5A/SbnLhQOr9hI/AAAAAAAABWM/bgo4IVfw-DU/s400/Jesus_temple.jpg)
A friend of ours has a daughter who is disabled, autistic, and has a fiery temper. When asked to chose a Bible story, she asks for “Jesus angry” stories.
In the past, when I have been angry with another Christian, and told them what I think of their behaviour, a third Christian has often asked me, “Well, what would Jesus do?” And sometimes, a likely answer is, “He would be angry.”
Matthew 21:1-12
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
1 As they approached Jerusalem
The centre of Israel’s religious life and messianic expectations
and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
Jesus refers to himself as the Lord, the sovereign orchestrator of these events.
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
The inexorable and uncanny fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.
A donkey was an animal symbolic of humility, peace and Davidic royalty.
ESV–Matthew specifies that Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem upon a colt fulfills the prophecy of Zech 9:9. Jesus’ action is an open declaration that he is the righteous Davidic Messiah.
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,
An act of royal homage; it symbolized the crowd’s submission to Jesus as King.
while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosannab]”>[b] to the Son of David!”
Hosanna means O Save. It expresses both prayer and praise.
Son of David, an acknowledgment that Jesus is the Davidic Messiah.
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”c]”>[c]
“Hosannad]”>[d] in the highest heaven!”
This means “May those in heaven sing Hosanna.”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred
The religious establishment is stirred up, fearing that Jesus may usurp their power. Much opposition comes from fear and jealous.
and asked, “Who is this?”
Because of Jesus’s dramatic entry into Jerusalem.
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Jesus was obviously a strong, physically power man, with charisma. One man, single-handedly chasing away those who were buying and selling, overturning the tables of the money changers, and the benches of those selling doves. The buying and selling took place in the large outer court of the Gentiles, which covered several acres. Jesus was probably particularly annoyed that this took place in the area set apart for the Gentiles to pray.
What chaos, what a hubhub!
Because increased money gives power, and the power to fulfill fantasies, and to boost one’s profile, church, in the hands of the less scrupulous will be accompanied by requests for money, sometimes legitimate, sometimes to fulfill private visions, dreams, and ego-boosting plans and fantasies.
Thieves used caves to store their loot, and plan future crimes!
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