Tuesday 28 February 2012

Background

This passage is the story of the cleansing of the temple, wherethe temple made with bricks is contrasted with "the temple of hisbody" (v. 21).

Yesterday's reading of the miracle at Cana(John 2:1-12) laid down the marker that Jesus'ministry is about transforming things, and serving quality.

The cleansing of the temple repeats the message in a new key:transform and make worship better for all people.

The context introduces the deep conflict between the smallJohannine Christian community (ie the first recipients of John'sGospel) and the temple authorities, not least around the identityof Jesus and his followers.

Quite apart from the issues around noise and money, Jesus requiresa new approach to worship. "Destroy this temple, and in three daysI will raise it up" is Jesus' challenge.

Then follows a comment of interpretation: "But he was speaking ofthe temple of his body" (v. 21). The Johannine Christian Communitywould have been familiar with the emerging theology of the Churchas 'the Body of Christ'. In chapter 4 Jesus says to the Samaritanwoman: "you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor inJerusalem ... but ... will worship the Father in spirit and intruth" (John 4:21, 23).

The body of Christ is flesh and blood, not bricks and mortar:worship is centred on God, not a building, and is accessible toall.

To Ponder

What do you do to make God's house into "a houseof prayer" (Matthew 21:13, quoting Isaiah56:7)?

What can you do to remember our own bodies are'the temple of God' (see 1Corinthians 6:19), the dwelling place of God?