Discussion about this post

User's avatar
GrannysKnitting's avatar

but you can't hold them responsible because ... i can't even right now with these asshats

Expand full comment
Keith Taylor's avatar

If you regard him not as divine but as a mortal man with a few flaws like everybody... it's possible to view that flogging-out-the-moneychangers thing as a big tactical blunder. They operated in the outer court of the temple, not in the holy precincts, and what they did was necessary under the superstitions - sorry, the sacred laws - of the time. Roman money carried graven images, and not just any graven images, but faces of the Roman emperors who were blasphemously (by Jewish standards) referred to as divine. Therefore, the Roman coinage had to be converted into temple shekels to buy the doves and lambs offered in sacrifice.Without doubt the money-changers robbed people blind on the exchange rate.Nevertheless, Jesus (if the story is even true) started a disturbance in the temple that could easily have escalated into a riot. That's probably why the temple police didn't arrest him. They didn't dare. If the trouble spread beyond the temple, the Roman garrison might be called out to quell it, and blood would have run in the gutters.The temple police didn't forget, though, and neither did the priests. That was probably when they decided, "This maniac has to go, or what'll he do next? He might really provoke a bloodbath next time."

Expand full comment
248 more comments...

No posts