FRIDAY- 33^rd  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –A

Gospel: Luke 19:45-48: You have turned the house of God into a robber’s den.

I Reading: 1 Maccabees 4:36-37.52-59: They celebrated the dedication of the altar, joyfully offering holocausts.

The Cleansing of the Temple: The Religious Anger of Jesus, 19:45-48

Jesus’ anger is seen at the abuse of God’s temple. The believers and the church is the temple of God (1Cor 6:19-20; 3:16-17). Jesus proclaims the church to be God’s, to be His holy temple. The church is the place that is set apart for prayer, worship and communion with God. Now Jesus cleanses the temple, how?

1. How Jesus cleansed the temple: drove people out (v.45)

a. Those who profaned

b. Those who exploited

2. Why he cleansed the temple (v.46)

a. The place of his presence and dwelling

b. The place of prayer

c. The place for teaching the Word of God

3. The result of his cleansing the temple (v.47-48)

a. The leaders: sought to destroy him

b. The people: listened to him attentively

Thought: The leaders were making the two mistakes:

i. They were letting their greed keep them from Christ (1Tim 6:10;James 5:3; Prov 16:8; Jer 17:11)

ii. They were letting their self-confidence and self-righteousness keep them from Christ (Mt 7:21; Mk 7:6; Titus 1:16; Hosea 10:13; Oba 1:3-4).

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