Third Sunday of Lent Year B 3rd March 2024
Lectionary Readings: Exodus 20 v1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1 v18-25; John 2 v13-22.
The wonders of God and the goodness of his Law.
Psalm 19 is one of many attributed to King David. In the opening verses David is marvelling at the way God speaks of his love for us, not in words, but via creation.
“The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done.
Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next.
They don’t speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice.
Yet their message reaches all the earth and it travels around the world.” (v1-4)
David then acknowledges that God also speaks to us via scripture.
“The Law of the Lord is perfect; it gives us new life.
His teachings last forever, and they give wisdom to ordinary people.
The Lord’s instruction is right; it makes our hearts glad.
His commands shine brightly, and they give us light.” (v7-8).
David goes on to say “Worshipping the Lord is sacred.” (v9a).
This theme is picked up in this week’s gospel reading, in which Jesus is taking to task the unscrupulous traders who had turned the temple courtyard into a market place. Jesus was also exposing the hypocrisy of the temple leaders who profited from the licences they sold to traders permitted to operate within the temple precincts.
There was a good profit to be made out of the poor who came to the temple to worship in response to God’s love for them and in obedience to the Law of Moses. Far from making worship easily accessible to ordinary people, the temple leaders insisted on the use of Jewish rather than Roman coins, exchanged at rates which ensured them a healthy profit. These ‘temple’ coins were then used to buy birds and animals deemed fit for sacrifice by the temple authorities.
Jesus was angry with the way in which temple leaders sanctioned the exploitation of ordinary people. Those, who considered themselves to be ‘leaders of the people’, were distorting the word of God (the Law of Moses) for their own advantage. They were also paying ‘lip service’ to God’s commandments, as evidenced by their lack of compassion, justice and mercy.
Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, talks of the way God had vindicated the teachings of Jesus and shown the so called ‘experts in the Law of Moses’ to be fraudulent fools. “Didn’t God show that the wisdom of this world is foolish?” (v20). Paul knows this to be true, he used to be one such ‘expert’!
Paul uses ‘the message of the cross’ as a symbol of God’s wisdom. God did not allow evil to destroy truth, goodness and beauty. Paul argues that the resurrection of Jesus is proof of God’s power and wisdom. Paul suggests that those who follow the way of Jesus, though they may suffer along the way, will be safe in the love of God.
David concludes his psalm by saying, “By your teachings, Lord, I am warned, by obeying them I am greatly rewarded.” (v11). “Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you Lord, because you are my mighty rock and my protector.” (v14).
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.