The Temple was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 and it was never rebuilt. This Temple does not need to be rebuilt for we know Christ to be the fulfillment of everything in which the Temple pointed towards. In Christ’s own words: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He was not speaking about the Temple as the building, but rather He was making an illusion to His own death and eventual Resurrection. The fact that He through this sacrificial action becomes the fulfillment of the Temple.
In our Gospel Christ casts out those in the Temple area who are abusing its God given purpose thus causing the Temple to not function as it ought. This “temple area” that we are being told about is referring to what was known as the Court of the Gentiles. This court represents Israel’s mission to the whole world. This section of the temple allowed God-fearing Gentiles to make prayers to the One True God even thought they were not converts to Judaism.
As time went forth the Court of Gentiles became filled with vendors who would offer animals for sacrifice and money changers who would convert people’s money. Unfortunately these vendors and money changers were often corrupt. They were not concerned about assisting others to come to worship God, but rather they were concerned with them-self and forgot about the true purpose of the Temple.
Christ also got upset as we can see from His quotation of the prophet Jeremiah as He is cleansing the Temple area: “Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.”
From this we can see that Christ was also concerned with empty religion. People would enter into the sacrifice in the Temple and yet they would allow their hearts to be far from Him in what they are doing and offering. The Temple had ceased to meet its purpose for it was no longer a place of encounter with God. In time it would replaced by the Messiah.
For each of us we must allow ourself to become cleansed in order that the prayer that we offer is found acceptable in the presence of the Lord. We cannot just mindlessly come here and assume as if we are being good Christians. Rather, what we encounter here must be extended into every moment of our life. Lent is a time of purification, so that the prayer that we offer may be found acceptable and true in the Lord’s presence.
