When the Conflict Isn't Faithful

Scripture: On one of those days when he was teaching and preaching the Good News in the Temple, he was confronted by the chief priests and other religious leaders and councilmen. They demanded to know by what authority he had driven out the merchants from the Temple. Luke 20:1-2

Observation: Jesus has driven the merchants from the temple, and the priests come to confront Jesus about it. He refuses to answer their question about his authority, as likewise they can't answer his question about John's authority. However, it is interesting to note the initiating cause of this conflict, which is the fact Jesus expelled the merchants.

The priests should have no real interest in the merchants. The merchants function to provide sacrificial wares to travelers coming to the temple ... likely ranging from animals (so they didn't have to transport their own), to ceremonial items and clothes they may need. Such transactions should be meaningless to the priests who are performing their duties to God, and even if such transactions are necessary for worshippers, the location of those transactions - inside the temple court or on nearby city streets - is irrelevant.

However, this is the event that has triggered the latest escalated conflict between Jesus and the chief priest. Why would something that should be meaningless actually trigger major escalation? The obvious answer is that ... for some reason, expelling the merchants wasn't meaningless to the priests, and the most likely conclusion is that they received kickbacks from the merchants. It wasn't just that the merchants defiled the temple, but that the "den of thieves" Jesus referred to extended to an entire network of money-exchanges, extending all the way to the chief priest.

The priests receive their livelihood from God, via the sacrifices and donations of the people. Instead, the priests were also generating side-income from the temple-centric commercial marketplace. The fact their conflict with Jesus has no basis in an issue of law or faith, indicates that it is based in an issue in conflict with law and faith.

Application: We have SO many conflicts these days that have no grounding in the bible. It is critical to remember that we - believers - have no reason to engage in any conflict that is not well-founded in the word of God. Any other conflict isn't just baseless, but may even be contrary to the Lord's will.

God wasn't opposed to priests having money. However, he had provided a model for them to receive compensation by his laws related to sacrifice. Seeking their own income therefore removes part of their relationship with God, is in conflict with scriptures, and thus contrary to God's will for the priests' lives.

God wants me to love other people, but not through pronouncements about health practices, and certainly not through angry protests that divide and endanger. The bible tells us how to love others, and doing something different may be truly wrong in the sight of God.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us good instructions and guidance through the prophets and Jesus himself, about how to proceed in this world, even in such a time as this. May I take steps each day that don't just pursue your purposes, but do so as you have instructed. Amen.