We cannot explain away Jesus beating the money traders in the temple
This happens to be one of the top two most quoted passages, used to contradict pacifism, in any discussions I’ve had with folks. Well, it’s not really ever quoted when you think about it. Usually those posing this passage in the discussion will say something like, “What about when Jesus beat the money traders in the temple?” Or, “Of course Jesus was violent there. He created a weapon and whipped the people in the temple.” I can honestly say I have never had someone from the perspective that self-defense is OK or righteous violence is justified (or is it justified violence is righteous?) present the text of the passage itself.
This is a case where tradition takes over. Personally speaking, I first came across this passage listening to a sermon or teaching of some kind. Someone read it and I heard it. I then read it myself a little later in one of the gospels; John I think. And that was it. Every other time I experienced this passage was from memory, from a paraphrase of some kind. It honestly was not long ago, when I was very young in my pacifist walk, that I was asked about the Temple incident. I decided to look at the text again. Lo and behold. What I read was not what I had remembered.
Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” – Mt. xxi
When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” – Mk. xi
Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” – Lk. xix
It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 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. 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!” – Jo. ii
The text itself dispels the myth. Take a look at the story in John’s gospel, where Jesus forged this mighty, violent, vicious weapon to once and for all thwart the ways of the money changers.
Can’t you just picture him now? Jesus sitting in the corner, sweating and breathing heavy, he’s so ticked off. He’s got his rope bundles and is tossing them together. He’s missing his spots because he keeps looking up at the money changers and having to blow his perm’d blond hair from his ocean blue eyes. Peter and John are standing next to him, on either side, holding their own whips, pounding them into their hips in eager anticipation of the coming events, each one picking their targets. Jesus is still sitting there finishing the last knots and swearing under his breath. The sweat is falling heavy now, making his fingers slip on the ropes. His breathing getting faster as his heart pounds stronger. The adrenaline starting to rush to the brim. He tells Peter and John to stay back. “I’m gonna take these folks behind the woodshed. You guys better stay out of the way. They just opened up a large can of . . .”
He tied some rope together into a makeshift whip. For what? To get the cattle out of there. To the money changers? He turned over their tables. To those selling doves? He ordered them to get out.
What’s missing from this story? From all four? The violence. The men being beaten. This version of Jesus who is showing us that he is not a pacifist, or is not against the use of violence at times. Christ sent them away. There was no malice, no violence, no injury to any one physically. Their pride and comfort are another issue.
This is a myth that has developed more so out of legend and presuppositions than from reading the text. The Christian pacifist is not having to rationalize their beliefs and practices to coexist with this violent outburst from Christ. We don’t need to work around the text. Reading the passages we see the text is quite irrelevant to the discussion of whether or not we must live a nonviolent life in imitation of Christ. When I think about possible nonviolent responses in certain situations, I never think about this passage. Not because its difficult in some way; but because it has no bearing in the conversation. Until someone can put forth a reasoned statement on how this passage shows a violent event, something contra pacifism/nonviolence, then, in the best Adam Savage voice I can muster, I’m going to have to call this myth Busted.
