猶太人的逾越節近了,耶穌便上去耶路撒冷。在殿院裏,他見了賣牛、羊、鴿子的,和坐在錢莊上兌換銀錢的人,就用繩索做了一條鞭子,把眾人連羊帶牛,從殿院裏趕出去,傾倒了換錢者的銀錢,推翻了他們的桌子;給賣鴿子的人說:「把這東西從這裏拿出去,不要使我父的殿宇成為商場。」他的門徒就想起了經上記載的話:「我對你殿宇所懷的熱忱,把我耗盡」。猶太人便問他說:「你給我們顯什麼神蹟,證明你有權柄作這些事?」耶穌回答他們說:「你們拆毀這座聖殿,三天之內,我要把它重建起來。」猶太人就說:「這座聖殿建築了四十六年,你在三天之內就會把它重建起來嗎?」但耶穌所說的聖所是指他自己的身體。所以,當他從死者中復活以後,他的門徒就想起了他曾說過這話,便相信了聖經和耶穌說過的話。
若望福音 2:13-22
在今天的福音中,耶穌來到聖殿,看到販賣牲畜和兌換銀錢的商人,激烈地把他們連同牲畜趕出去。
為何人們要在聖殿進行那些商業行為?那是因為猶太人要在聖殿祭獻犧牲和繳納殿稅。為了方便人準備犧牲以及兌換繳納殿稅所需的錢幣,商人索性在聖殿範圍擺賣。當時的人覺得這樣做沒問題,所以當耶穌責斥他們時,他們反要耶穌顯神蹟,去證明祂有權柄做這些事。
聖保祿在讀經二這樣說:「你們不知道,你們是天主的宮殿,天主聖神住在你們內嗎?誰若毀壞天主的宮殿,天主必要毀壞他。」(格前 3:16-17)耶穌當天為聖殿變成商場而激起義怒,比起用石建成的聖殿,祂更在乎我們每一個人,更不願意我們遭到毀壞。願我們靠祂的力量,走成聖之路。
Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
John 2:13-22
In today's Gospel, Jesus found in the temple area those who sold oxen and sheep, as well as money-changers. He drove them out of the temple area at once.
Why did people buying and selling in the temple area? Because the Jews had to offer sacrifices and changed money for paying the temple tax. So the merchants were there to provide such services. People at the time did not think there was anything wrong with this arrangement. That is why when Jesus rebuked them, they asked Him for a sign to prove His authority.
In the second reading, St. Paul says: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person". (1 Cor 3:16-17) Jesus was outraged when He saw the temple had become a marketplace. Compared with the temple built by stone, Jesus cares about us so much more, and does not want to see us destroyed. Let us rely on His power to strive for holiness.