Jesus is a multi-billion dollar business today. We have it all–books, courses, trinkets, music and more. I sometimes wonder what Jesus would think.
The vendors in the temple justified their actions. People coming from all over the world needed money exchanged. They also would often need a special animal for sacrifice as it would have been hard to bring an animal so far for the people who traveled long-distance. It was reasonable then to have these available in the temple for purchase and for profit.
Some commentators would like to say that the problem was that they were selling things at high prices, making a huge profit. That the problem was that they were not giving the people a fair deal. That could be. Jesus alludes to this:
“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.’]” (Matthew 21:13).
But it was more than just charging too much. The buying and selling of good was happening right there in the place of worship. Right there. It was not longer a dedicated space for worship but rather a circus of businesses. How could one worship and pray in peace?
His Father’s house was not to be a market. It was a place of prayer.
Businesses had no place in the place of prayer.
So what do we do with the churches that have coffee shops and McDonalds right there in the building. Or sell art work on their walls to raise support for the youth group. Is that a violation? Are these the same thing or are they different?
It’s not for me to say. But I’ll give you my opinion anyway.
I can see low cost coffee bars and giving people a place to connect. And yet other things bother me. The bigger churches offering McDonalds and chain restaurants inside feel like it has been turned into a strip mall. Nor am I a fan of selling art on the walls. It feels like commerce and prayer have become too intermingled. But about what about a Christian bookstore inside the church?
I just have mixed feelings.
But one thing for sure, it does matter that the actual space for prayer and worship is not used for anything for sale. I shouldn’t go into a sanctuary, or even on my way to the place of worship, and look at the art on the wall for purchase or books to buy or other things. There should be holiness in a place of worship.
Using the throngs of worshipers as a source of money and business has been around since the beginning of time. But consider how seldom we see Jesus angry, we must discern a much more higher level of care.
What about giving out coffee instead of selling it? Or providing a light meal to people?
Too expensive, one might say.
Just think about it.
John 2:12-25
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[c]
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.[d] 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.