UNDER CONTROL

John 2:13-17
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Jesus Clears the Temple

13 It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. 16 Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

17 Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”


Jesus was passionate about God’s house and angry about what He found going on there leading up to the celebration of the Passover. He jumped into action, driving the cattle and sheep out of the temple area and turned over the tables of the money changers.

Why is it that Jesus took a different approach with the merchants who were selling doves? He simply told them to leave. Jesus was no less angry with them but He was in control of His anger. The same treatment of the doves as was shown to the sheep and cattle could have harmed, even killed them.

We might have a legitimate reason for getting angry but Jesus shows us that ‘loosing it’ is inappropriate behavior. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is self-control. We need to practice using this gift, especially when we are angry.

There are way too many cases of abuse. Don’t lose your temper. Keep it under control of the Holy Spirit.