Kill the Man, Kill the Movement

“And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.” (Luke 19:47-48 ESV).

At this time in Jerusalem, the religious atmosphere had deteriorated. The priests were getting rich, taking money from those practicing commerce within the temple walls. They craved power, and influence. What had started as help for those traveling to the temple for the feasts had been corrupted. Gentiles, money changers, animals, and other things had contaminated the temple’s sanctity and worship. John Calvin wrote, “As robbers in the dens sin with greater hardihood because they trust that they will escape punishment.” Thinking they were safe in their corruption within the temple they controlled, Jesus proved the Pharisees wrong.

Luke shows us that the Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus, kill the man, kill the movement. However, in his zeal for the house of God, he cleansed the temple, and the Pharisees could do nothing about it. Jesus regularly taught in the temple, a place of worship; it was his Father’s House.

Today we see much corruption within the church. Issues of pride, money, adultery, and many other sins occur, involving those who call themselves pastors, priests, and ministers. We must cleanse the modern church much like Jesus cleansed the temple. For this to occur, there must be reforms, a return to preaching the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, not the false man-centered charismatic, feel-good heresy preached today in many churches. Let’s return to the true message of the Gospel, salvation through faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone, through scripture alone, all for the glory of God alone. Martin Luther was right.

Grace and Mercy!