January 26, 2022 — “Fly off the handle” (John 2:13-17)

“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:13-17

“Fly off the handle:” Handmade axes in the United States’ pioneer days weren’t always the crowning achievements of technology and craftsmanship. Occasionally, a particularly poor design would result in the head unexpectedly zooming off its handle. Many people found this an apt metaphor for passionate bursts of rage.

Many look at the event in the Temple the day Jesus arrived and drove out the money changers as a moment where he flies off the handle. It is true that Jesus was angry with the way the Temple had been turned into a market place – instead of a place where people could worship the Father. But, a closer look at the event shows us that Jesus did not fly off the handle, he took his time to weave together the cords, perhaps saying to himself over and over again “Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” – until he finally moved slowly through the Temple, driving the people out.

The anger we feel when we see the wrongs of our society, when we see the way people are treated, or when we become angry when we see how G-d is being removed from our society, well, this anger is righteous anger. Sometimes, we need to act, in righteous anger, to say to the world, “We too, have a zeal for the Father, and the Son.”

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, we do not like to fly off the handle, but sometimes we lose our tempers. Help us to find our peace in your presence. Amen.

Pastor Dave