Adopt a Temple Theology (Mark 11:12-18)

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it. 15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers." 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. Mark 11:12-18

A Brief Overview of the Temple Within Scripture

Through Jesus’ expression of righteous anger by overthrowing the tables in the temple, he demonstrated how important it was for the temple to be kept holy. How does this apply to us today? We must adopt a temple theology. Let me explain. Throughout the Bible, God dwells in various temples. Once Israel was established as his people, he dwelt in a tabernacle and then a permanent temple. Both were earthly representations of God's heavenly three-room. Before Israel's temple, there was the temple of the Garden of Eden. It was God's dwelling place, a space for mankind to interact with and worship God. Sin destroyed the Garden temple, and Israel's temple has now expired. Today, though, we have the temple of the church—not a building, but the collection of God's people. We are his house. Speaking of believers collectively, Paul said:

1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV) — 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? And speaking of believers individually, Paul said: 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (ESV) — 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. We must embrace this temple theology—as individuals and collectively as a church, we are the new temple of God. He dwells in and with us. And, just as Jesus was looking for signs of life and fruitfulness when he visited the temple that day, he looks for fruit in us today.

Leaves vs. Fruit

When Jesus came to the fig tree, he wanted fruit, but he found leaves. When he came to the temple, he wanted honest prayer, but found religious activity that had nothing to do with God. There was no heart devotion or worship. They were busy with all sorts of things, none of them having anything to do with God, and most of them in contradiction with God's kingdom. Jesus is looking for true devotion, not spiritual busy-ness.

Take vs. Give

When Jesus came to the temple, he wanted to find people giving to God and their fellow man. He wanted worshipers to pour out their hearts and sacrifices to God. And he wanted the poor, the traveler, and all nations to find a warm welcome and help in their worship. Instead, Jesus found takers. Rather than give, they took from God and their fellow man. Jesus is looking for us to live as givers, not takers.

Self vs. Others

When Jesus came to the temple, he wanted to find God's people doing all they could to become a house of prayer for all nations. He wanted them to reach out to the highways and byways, welcoming every nationality and ethnicity into his holy house. Instead, Jesus found an ethnocentric nationalism, a wall of hostility between the Jew and the Gentile. Rather than welcome the nations, they had ostracized them. Jesus is not looking for us to behave with prejudicial exclusivity, but with gospel-saturated inclusivity. He wants us to focus on others, not the self.

Hustle vs. Prayer

When Jesus came to the temple, he wanted to see a space dedicated to solemn worship and joyous praise. Instead, he found the court filled with the hustle and bustle of business and trade. He had wanted them to dedicate their temple for worship, but they ran around at a frenetic pace. Jesus is not looking for us to hustle our way through life, but pray our way through life. He wants us to have rhythm and pacing, worship and prayer, built into the fabric of who we are. Through each of these examples, we can see how important it is to God that we adopt a temple theology that seeks to serve Jesus first.