3rd Sunday of Lent Year B - 4/3/2018 - Gospel: Jn 2:13-25
Ownership
Market square is a business centre that has different stores selling a variety of things. It is also the place where different personalities are revealed. Each store is owned by a family. When asked they can show the receipt of their annual payment fees to prove of their rights and ownership of the store. It is given to them by the Temple's authority.
Jesus was unhappy about the way the Temple's authority, which set up the Temp in a similar structure of a market square where individuals can pay their way to own a portion of the Temple. They had the rights to sell cattle and sheep and exchanged money in the Holy Temple. These business owners claimed that it was their counter; they paid for it, and they had the full right of ownership of their stores. Jesus, in his rage, drove their cattle and sheep out of the Temple and hurdled small stores and money changers counters. His violent action challenged not just the store owners but He actually was aiming at the authority of the Temple who used the Temple for their own benefit. Jesus told them
Take all of this out of here and stop turning my Father's house into a market Jn 2,13
The saying had revealed that Jesus made claim that the Holy Temple was His Father's house. He was the first and the only One who indentified the Temple as His own body; no one had ever made such claim before. Jesus made claim that the Temple's authority had defiled God's house on earth. God is the owner of the Holy Temple, not the governing body, but God himself who alone is the true owner of the Temple. The Temple's authority certainly would not accept such claim but would be united and publicly declared war against Jesus. They would love to see Jesus on his knees begging for pardon. They challenged Jesus' authority.
What sign can you show us to justify what you have done? Jesus answered: Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up v.13
Jesus gave the answer in a figurative language and that confused the Temple's authority. We know Jesus was talking about His own body and the Crucifixion and Resurrection, not the physical Temple they were standing on. By linking the Holy Temple to His own body Jesus had made several claims.
First, 'gives to God what belongs to God'. Mat 22,21. Jesus answered people who tested Him that should they pay tax to Caesar.
Second, God is the true ownership of the Holy Temple and no one has any right to make that claim.
Third, God is Jesus' Father when He says: stop turning my Father's house into a market v.17.
Fourth, Jesus is the Beloved Son who has the full rights to His own body when he says: The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. Jn 10,17
We don't own anything, even our own body. It is God's gift to us to enjoy and to take care of it. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit said Paul in 1Cor 6,19. It is given to us freely and we need to keep it worthy because when our earthly journey ends we will return to God what belongs to God. Do not let substances and other vices abuse our physical body but take ownership of it.
Jesus was unhappy about the way the Temple's authority, which set up the Temp in a similar structure of a market square where individuals can pay their way to own a portion of the Temple. They had the rights to sell cattle and sheep and exchanged money in the Holy Temple. These business owners claimed that it was their counter; they paid for it, and they had the full right of ownership of their stores. Jesus, in his rage, drove their cattle and sheep out of the Temple and hurdled small stores and money changers counters. His violent action challenged not just the store owners but He actually was aiming at the authority of the Temple who used the Temple for their own benefit. Jesus told them
Take all of this out of here and stop turning my Father's house into a market Jn 2,13
The saying had revealed that Jesus made claim that the Holy Temple was His Father's house. He was the first and the only One who indentified the Temple as His own body; no one had ever made such claim before. Jesus made claim that the Temple's authority had defiled God's house on earth. God is the owner of the Holy Temple, not the governing body, but God himself who alone is the true owner of the Temple. The Temple's authority certainly would not accept such claim but would be united and publicly declared war against Jesus. They would love to see Jesus on his knees begging for pardon. They challenged Jesus' authority.
What sign can you show us to justify what you have done? Jesus answered: Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up v.13
Jesus gave the answer in a figurative language and that confused the Temple's authority. We know Jesus was talking about His own body and the Crucifixion and Resurrection, not the physical Temple they were standing on. By linking the Holy Temple to His own body Jesus had made several claims.
First, 'gives to God what belongs to God'. Mat 22,21. Jesus answered people who tested Him that should they pay tax to Caesar.
Second, God is the true ownership of the Holy Temple and no one has any right to make that claim.
Third, God is Jesus' Father when He says: stop turning my Father's house into a market v.17.
Fourth, Jesus is the Beloved Son who has the full rights to His own body when he says: The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. Jn 10,17
We don't own anything, even our own body. It is God's gift to us to enjoy and to take care of it. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit said Paul in 1Cor 6,19. It is given to us freely and we need to keep it worthy because when our earthly journey ends we will return to God what belongs to God. Do not let substances and other vices abuse our physical body but take ownership of it.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
