Hmm, I'd never really thought about interpretting that verse quite the way you do. My understanding was simply that Jesus was upset with their charging so much for the animals needed for the sacrifices to God--that it was a necessary service, as they needed animals for the sacrifices, and if they had to travel far, they couldnt' bring them, but that it was how they were selling them for jacked up prices of whatever the market would bear that was wrong that made them like a "den of robbers". I wonder if the people approving the sales in the lobby interpret that verse differently than you, or whether they just selectively listen to the bible?
"make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." there is no clause in the statement.
i don't get "stop having jacked-up prices" out of that I get "stop selling things, in God's house"
if they need animals for their sacrifice, then they should come to the Temple with the sacrifices already in hand.
That's another issue: the church likes to try and make things easy for people all the time, I state they do this to fulfill their own ideas of being 'good.'
Mark 11:17 he says "is it not written 'my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves'"...between that and the line a couple before about overturning the table of the money-changers (who exchange foriegn currency at whatever exchange rate they please) is where I get the extortionary prices ideas from. But I think I see the point you're making, that its not the appropriate place or time. Somewhere along the line, they do need to exchange their foriegn currency and buy some sacrifices...but maybe not in the temple
Somewhere along the line, they do need to exchange their foreign currency and buy some sacrifices...but maybe not in the temple
yeah, that's my point, which I allege is Christ's point, exactly: "not in God's house"
same as it is fundamentally wrong to... honor the pastor, his family, any member of the church, celebrate patriotism... veterans... moms, dads... babies... celebrate, or even focus on, anything other than God, in God's house.
We will be doing one thing, and one thing only in eternity: focusing on, and glorifying God. Church is supposed to be a microcosmic expression of that. Church is not an appropriate time/place for anything other than that.
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there is no clause in the statement.
i don't get "stop having jacked-up prices" out of that
I get "stop selling things, in God's house"
if they need animals for their sacrifice, then they should come to the Temple with the sacrifices already in hand.
That's another issue: the church likes to try and make things easy for people all the time, I state they do this to fulfill their own ideas of being 'good.'
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yeah, that's my point, which I allege is Christ's point, exactly:
"not in God's house"
same as it is fundamentally wrong to... honor the pastor, his family, any member of the church, celebrate patriotism... veterans... moms, dads... babies... celebrate, or even focus on, anything other than God, in God's house.
We will be doing one thing, and one thing only in eternity: focusing on, and glorifying God. Church is supposed to be a microcosmic expression of that.
Church is not an appropriate time/place for anything other than that.
Reply
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