There was a stark contrast between the popular belief that the Messiah would be an earthly king verses what was God’s intention. All through the ministry of Jesus there was always some form of aggravation from the temple leaders. When he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the citizens were rejoicing according to the misconception of who Jesus was. When he went to the temple, his anger erupted at the disregard they did in disobedience of the Scriptures. When he began his ministry, he also did the same thing of throwing over the tables in the temple, but this time since they did not learn the lesson three years prior, he was very angry. In fact, through that whole week leading up to his crucifixion Jesus was on an emotional roller coaster.
Even the simplest display of obedience to God was disregarded. When they ignored Jesus, they were also discounting the Heavenly Father. The Pharisees in particular had a financial investment wanting the temple exchange of money to occur. To do business with the Temple, to be able to make sacrificial offerings, the people had to use a special coinage manufactured by the Temple. When Roman coins were exchanged for temple coins, the ones making the exchange would skim off the value of the Roman coins and only issue a lower amount according to the temple coins. In other words, the Pharisees were defrauding the people and cheating them.
Jesus did not disavow the messianic praise that the people shouted to him. For the moment he was the hero of the hour. He was the master of the temple. His anger fumed inside of him as he looked around for what was happening. At that time, the Paschal Lamb was to be offered on the cross soon. That Sunday evening Jesus went to Bethany where he and his disciples could rest at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
Early Monday morning he started off to return to Jerusalem. Sunday was a very strenuous day for them all. On the way to the temple Jesus spotted a fig tree. The blossoming of fruit on the fig tree was not yet due for several months. However, because there was foliage present already, it appeared that the tree was promising figs ahead of time as premature fruit. Growing beside the road made it common property for whatever person happened by. It was as if the fig tree was promising a profession but could not fulfill the promise. All it had was leaves and no fruit. To Jesus this was a symbol of the Israeli leaders who were boastful and hypocritical but insincere.
Again, he became angry. He cursed the tree. Even though there was no manifestation of his curse that day, it was very evident the next morning as it died from the roots up. The whole practice of temple worship was corrupt and would pass away soon when the Roman General Titus sacked the city and destroyed the temple. His first effort to reform the practice of those in the temple was disregarded and nothing happened in obedience during that three-year interval.
As Jesus and his disciples came closer to the temple, he was justifiably angry about the sheep bleating and the cries of the moneychangers. Indignation swelled up within him. In the midst of the chaos Jesus declared that the hour had come in which the Son of Man would be glorified. This confrontation brought to the forefront his declaration of Messiahship and the opposition from the Pharisees and their henchmen. The idea of material excess over spiritual victories was a disappointment to Jesus as well as a reason to stir up his anger. Jesus had no comfort or satisfaction that his murder was hours away by the end of the week. As a human, he shrunk from the idea of the cross causing another conflict within his emotions. He even told the disciples, “My soul is in a disturbed state.” The conflict that Jesus had with the Temple leaders was only the tip of the iceberg in comparison to the conquest that he would make over Satan.
The events of that Monday demonstrate the power of Jesus, the teachings of Jesus, the claims of Jesus. It also relates to us the emotional turmoil experienced by him when the leaders of his own religion did not conform to what their scriptures dictated. Perhaps it would be a good idea for us to have a holy anger when the church and professing leaders of the church fall away to un-biblical and ungodly behavior. I visited a church that was selling snacks and drinks that the people to take into the sanctuary showing their ignorance of Jesus in the temple overthrowing moneychangers. All we can say is that such happenings are themselves a sign that Jesus will return soon.
Christian Writer 