Mar 30 - "Had Enough?"

Mark 11:12-25
Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
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Was there a time recently when you completely lost your cool? Are there days when you are in a crabby mood for no apparent reason?

I find this passage both interesting and confusing. Right before Jesus goes to the temple and shakes things up a bit, He is walking along, spies a fig tree and decides He would like one. He comes to the fig tree and finds none. Even though figs are not in season at this time, He curses the tree, soon after which it withers and dies. It seems a strange story to tell. But as always, we later see the divine purpose of the fig tree's undoing is to show the power of prayer. Jesus tells His disciples that nothing is impossible; whatever they ask for in the deep belief of their prayer will come to pass.

After sending the fig tree to an untimely demise, Jesus wreaks havoc at the temple. He turns over tables, chases people out and starts barking orders, telling people what they can and cannot do in the temple. This seems so uncharacteristic of Jesus. It was likely not a planned or staged event...nothing Jesus did had that false flavor. He must have simply been fed up and witnessed a scene which pushed Him over the edge. Even though we see times when Jesus rebuked or seemed angry, this is the first and only time we see Him really take action, lashing out in response to His anger or perhaps frustration.

How could He do this? Wasn't He perfect and beyond sin? Even though Jesus was fully God, He was also fully Man. Things angered and frustrated Him; He wept; He was tempted; He asked that this cup be passed from Him; Jesus even asked God why He was forsaking Him on the cross.

At the end of this chapter, Jesus returns to His old self. He is back in the temple talking to the priests, telling the parable of the caretakers in the vineyard and how they mistreat the vineyard's owner. This is the Jesus we know. Even though He is still pushing the envelope, rebuking the priests and elders by means of the story He tells, He does it in a way that is non-violent, scholastic and almost meek.

So, we all lose our cool every once in awhile. It's OK, even Jesus did. Just make sure you return to your former self, loving peace and working towards harmony.