THE DEVIL QUOTES THE BIBLE

Many a battle has been fought in the name of Religion, thousands have died. Many still die, to this day and age by ‘those’ who try to justify their actions because, as they say, they are fighting a ‘holy war’. How can you murder your brother, your neighbor and justify your cause by calling it ‘a holy war’?  On a lighter, but still sinful, act, how can you justify your robbing people alive, charging them beyond their means with the excuse that the money is going to the Church’s coffer?

That is just what Jesus witnessed; the daylight robbery of the temple priests on the poor and not so-poor Jews attending the Feast of the Pasch in Jerusalem. First of all every Jew had to exchange his currency to make it acceptable to the Temple’s authority, the Jewish ‘shekel’. As you might imagine many were those who visited Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple.

Josephus Flavius, the historian, tells us that about two and a half millions Jews visited Jerusalem in those days, and they came from all over the ‘known world’ to do their duty. As can be imagined every one carried the currency of the country from where he lived, be it Greece, Tyre, Syria, Egypt, Rome or any other country. They had to undergo much suffering till they arrived in Jerusalem. Once there, they had to exchange their money to the Temple’s currency.

Having said that, we must say that the exchange of currency involved a certain charge, an approximate of four Euro cents. Not much, we might say, but we have to keep in mind that a labourer’s daily wage was just four Euro cents. Next comes the sacrificial animal. According to the Leviticus the animal had to be without a ‘stain’ it had to be immaculate. A person might take a pigeon with him for sacrifice, just as Mary and Joseph did. But that would have cost them just three Euro cents to buy, whereas those offered at the Temple for sale, and the only ones accepted, that were declared without ‘blemish’ would have cost them seventy five Euro cents.

Just imagine Christ watching all this robbery, and knowing that this has been going on year after year. To add insult to injury this was done in the name of Religion, because it was ordered by Leviticus. Though Leviticus did not specify the type of ‘stain’, ‘blemish’ or ‘impurities’ which the Temple inspectors found in the animals, and which sometimes were visible only to the inspector’s eyes. And what about the exorbitant profit made? There’s more to this.

The area provided for their stalls and the carrying out of their business was in Solomon’s Porch only, but gradually it was extended until their stalls reached the ‘Gentiles’ Courtyard. Jesus realized that the thousands of Gentiles seeking a place in the courtyard were finding it difficult or impossible to find a place where one could listen to the Rabbi’s teachings. Besides the deafening shouts of sellers selling their products. Things had reached a point of no return, the Temple had become literally ‘a den of thieves’.

No wonder Jesus took a whip and started pulling down their stalls and turning over their tables. In no place do we find that Jesus had struck any one. HE was loud and clear in His accusations: “You have made My Father’s House, a house of prayer, a ‘den of thieves’. We all know that the temple of Jerusalem was past it’s time. Jesus prophesied that He will rebuild a Temple not made by man’s hands in three days. Jesus was referring to His body where we all participate. This has been repeated by Peter in his second Letter: “You are living stones”.

If I do not respect my brother; if I murder my neighbor, even under the pretext of a ‘holy war’, if I cheat or rob any one, even though I give the money to the church … besides other examples, we will be forming part of the band of thieves and will be helping in ruining, in pulling down the Church with our actions. My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and so is yours and every human being’s. If I do not show respect towards others I will be guilty of disrespect towards the New Temple of the Body of Jesus Christ.