Almost three years earlier, in the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He cleared out the Temple in much the same way. Now, all this time later, He finds His house still corrupted by the religious leaders. The Temple was built so that people would have an opportunity to encounter the living God. Instead, people are merely encountering a religious market where money changers profit off the Temple’s sacrificial system. Rather than finding a place to focus on worship or Scripture, attendees are distracted and angered by the unfair business transactions going on. Not the ideal experience for someone genuinely trying to worship God. Matthew’s account offers clarity as to what God wants His house to look like when Jesus says, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” God wants His House to be a place of prayer and worship. A place devoted to God. It is a haven for all people from all nations to come humbly and honestly before God. And they should be able to do so without being cheated out of money—or prevented or distracted away from honoring God.

Consider these questions as you reflect on today’s reading:

What are your thoughts on what Jesus said in Mark 11:17? “My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations; You’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves.”

Why is anger so often the response when sin is confronted?

How can we ensure that people are finding safe spaces to encounter God?