When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.
It wasn't just commercial activity. Money changers were charging a fee to buy shekels which people could use to buy an animal to sacrifice at the temple. Jesus was mad because the idea of inserting yourself as a middleman to extort money from people seeking salvation was basically blasphemy.
Also lots of "well, you're animal isn't really pure enough. But you're in luck because we happen to have a few High Priest Certified^tm^ animals right over here. We'll just take yours on trade and you can pay the difference!" (then resell the perfectly good sacrificial animal to the next poor pilgrim who comes along)
Yeah, that dog you came in with? It's really only 75% dog. You need 100% dog grade dog, now with extra bark, or your sins, I know this dude and he's going to make your sins not fall off the truck this year. I neeeeed that extra dog. Make with the extra twenty five percent dog please.
Sorry that's what comes to mind when you say my animal needs to be more pure. I'm not claiming it's clever, or funny, just that it's blasphemous woo
And of course that's WHY he got crucified. He interfered with the most profitable business of the times: religious extortion. He did it in a way that was tremendously popular. The combination of popular policy and action that undermines the rich for the benefit of regular people is always the greatest fear of the rich. They're always willing to kill to protect their position.
This. But also a degree of expedience played a role too. Rome had twisted Judea (and, eventually, Galilee) to such a degree that the temple leadership was willing to let Rome crucify a guy like Jesus because it kept Rome from taking more. People like Pilate were looking for excuses to bring the hammer down on the citizens of Judea. Passover was often a flashpoint for insurrection (a bunch of oppressed people huddled together, all brought together by the unifying story of that time their God raised up a dude to lead them against their first oppressor--the festival was primed for any number of would-be "messiahs" to rise up and eventually try something against Rome, which led to intense crack-downs and, at times, mass crucifixions). So Rome backed the cultural and religious authorities into a corner, turning them into the sort of people who'd gladly hold sham trials to get rid of a guy who might bring more trouble down on their heads.
One of the interesting things I've found while reading through is that while there's a lot of minor sins mentioned once each in the old testament (like mixed fiber clothing) the one commandment that is mentioned more than any other, like almost word for word with every repeat is keeping the Sabbath. And many of those repeat mentions also specify that it applies to your workers / servants as well. Even if they're not also Jewish, it's a sin for you as the Jewish person to not give them their rest day. Idk I just found that super interesting especially in this modern context of modern US Christianity flavored capitalism.
WHOSE property matters. Jesus busted up the property of the people causing the problem. Too often I see this as justification for burning cars in the street.
41 Comments
JasonDJ@lemmy.zip · 84 pts · 130d
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
--Jesus Christ.
ceenote@lemmy.world · 64 pts · 130d
Like they care what Jesus said or did.
BossDj@piefed.social · 3 pts · 129d
The vendor was probably trans
BoJackHorseman@lemmy.today · 32 pts · 129d
Is it really protesting the government if you take the government's permission before protesting?
While the same government arms protestors and supports destruction of property in other countries
lena@gregtech.eu · 11 pts · 129d
robocall@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 130d
Did he do that?
ajmaxwell@lemmy.world · 75 pts · 130d
You bet your ass he did.
https://biblehub.com/john/2-15.htm
dvlsg@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 129d
Supposedly he took hours to make the whip. Plenty of time to premeditate on that destruction.
ajmaxwell@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 129d
That's my favorite part. Spent the afternoon braiding a whip, probably mumbling to himself "Ohhh, these sons of bitches about to experience Wrath"
robocall@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 129d
I guess I could read John to understand the context.
Rugnjr@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 50 pts · 129d
He's mad that people are selling stuff in the temple when it should be holy (and commercial activity is NOT holy)
Hacksaw@lemmy.ca · 45 pts · 129d
It wasn't just commercial activity. Money changers were charging a fee to buy shekels which people could use to buy an animal to sacrifice at the temple. Jesus was mad because the idea of inserting yourself as a middleman to extort money from people seeking salvation was basically blasphemy.
FrChazzz@lemmus.org · 29 pts · 129d
Also lots of "well, you're animal isn't really pure enough. But you're in luck because we happen to have a few High Priest Certified^tm^ animals right over here. We'll just take yours on trade and you can pay the difference!" (then resell the perfectly good sacrificial animal to the next poor pilgrim who comes along)
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 129d
Yeah, that dog you came in with? It's really only 75% dog. You need 100% dog grade dog, now with extra bark, or your sins, I know this dude and he's going to make your sins not fall off the truck this year. I neeeeed that extra dog. Make with the extra twenty five percent dog please.
Sorry that's what comes to mind when you say my animal needs to be more pure. I'm not claiming it's clever, or funny, just that it's blasphemous woo
Hacksaw@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 128d
And of course that's WHY he got crucified. He interfered with the most profitable business of the times: religious extortion. He did it in a way that was tremendously popular. The combination of popular policy and action that undermines the rich for the benefit of regular people is always the greatest fear of the rich. They're always willing to kill to protect their position.
It's a universal lesson.
FrChazzz@lemmus.org · 2 pts · 128d
This. But also a degree of expedience played a role too. Rome had twisted Judea (and, eventually, Galilee) to such a degree that the temple leadership was willing to let Rome crucify a guy like Jesus because it kept Rome from taking more. People like Pilate were looking for excuses to bring the hammer down on the citizens of Judea. Passover was often a flashpoint for insurrection (a bunch of oppressed people huddled together, all brought together by the unifying story of that time their God raised up a dude to lead them against their first oppressor--the festival was primed for any number of would-be "messiahs" to rise up and eventually try something against Rome, which led to intense crack-downs and, at times, mass crucifixions). So Rome backed the cultural and religious authorities into a corner, turning them into the sort of people who'd gladly hold sham trials to get rid of a guy who might bring more trouble down on their heads.
INeedANewUserName@piefed.social · 71 pts · 129d
Lawnman23@piefed.social · 9 pts · 129d
I don’t know why, but this came to mind(way cooler,honestly):
Aurenkin@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 129d
Check out his cross
psx_crab@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 129d
Dude is into kinky stuff.
FrChazzz@lemmus.org · 29 pts · 129d
One of the few things that winds up being included in all four gospels.
Apytele@sh.itjust.works · 19 pts · 129d
One of the interesting things I've found while reading through is that while there's a lot of minor sins mentioned once each in the old testament (like mixed fiber clothing) the one commandment that is mentioned more than any other, like almost word for word with every repeat is keeping the Sabbath. And many of those repeat mentions also specify that it applies to your workers / servants as well. Even if they're not also Jewish, it's a sin for you as the Jewish person to not give them their rest day. Idk I just found that super interesting especially in this modern context of modern US Christianity flavored capitalism.
homes@piefed.world · 9 pts · 129d
The version in John is the best, though
theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 20 pts · 129d
How does this apply to gift shops most mega churches have how is that not exactly what Jesus in this meme is against?
ayyy@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 129d
It’s not just maga churches. For example the Notre Dame in Paris is like 60% gift shop and bitcoin tithing kiosk.
lookingforanALFpolycule@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 129d
Unless those shops sell flesh, Jesus’s words don’t really apply to that. He called the priests who practiced slaughter for money “violent robbers”
UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 130d
No sweat, though. He promised to rebuild it in three days
MousePotatoDoesStuff@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 129d
And then there's that one time time Bostoners turned the Atlantic Ocean into a teapot.
eskimofry@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 129d
That's like saying the guillotine must not inconvenience the head of the rich
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 129d
He didn't destroy the property, he just rearranged it.
Kacarott@aussie.zone · 7 pts · 129d
Carpentry to interior designer. Not so crazy when you think about it
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 129d
His business is tables. Tables is his business. Jesse Tables is his name.
eddiemunsterbetterwatchhisbackbearoftheisle@europe.pub · 2 pts · 128d
Kind of how you rearrange the atoms in the tools of oppression when you burn them down
PaintedSnail@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 129d
WHOSE property matters. Jesus busted up the property of the people causing the problem. Too often I see this as justification for burning cars in the street.
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 4 pts · 129d
Jesus was the property owner, he was running off squatters.
amniote@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 129d
Temples were also banks / fiscal offices in those days. The conflict is imagined, unless maybe early class analysis.
Pacattack57@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 129d
Yes that’s why Jesus got mad lol
DMCMNFIBFFF@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 129d
rationalwiki:Jesus
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR ( The Temple - 1973 60fps ) HD
https://youtu.be/WjR6nHhc6Rg?list=RDWjR6nHhc6Rg&t=114 (cued)
Youtube comment:
"This is the most biblically accurate scene in the film. I know Jesus screamed at them in falsetto!"
minorkeys@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 129d
Then stop making it a necessity, to redress grievances.
amniote@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 124d
Read 'Temples, tithes and taxes' by religious scholar Marty Stevens. Impressive scientific book on intersection of religion & economics.