Christ Church Rockville Lenten Devotion

Zech. 9:9-12 1
Tim. 6:12-16
Zech. 12:9-11, 13:1, 7-9
Matt. 21:12-17

Matthew 21:12-17
This scene from Matthew’s gospel depicts Jesus’ actions upon entering Jerusalem for the Passover, and crystallizes all of his work as God in history. Jesus upends the status quo of religious and cultural institutions, violently condemning the distorted system of temple sacrifices, originally the foundation of Mosaic worship. Once honoring God the Almighty, sacrificial temple business had devolved to enrich temple elites, financiers, and livestock brokers. All but doves and pigeons were priced out of reach of the poor. The common people had no choice but to participate, if they were to be faithful, and their faith was unquestioning. These were among the “little ones” mentioned elsewhere in Matthew, whom Jesus treasured, and likened to children in their simple faith and pure love of God. In the hinge of this passage, Jesus heals the blind and lame who come to him. His “wonderful” deeds offend leaders of the temple, and they stand off. These men are blind to the work of God, spiritually crippled, unable to walk in God’s way. But even these are ultimately within Jesus’ dominion. He comes to upend earthly powers and refresh the world. By and in himself, he is the means, the Great Healer of the world, the Reconciler of all people to God. The children sing his praise, “Hosannah, save us!” The babes know: Jesus is Savior of the World.

— The Rev. Margaret C. F. Pollock

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