On one occasion Jesus walked into the temple where people were supposed to come near to God but people were in the lobby selling cattle, sheep, and doves at exorbitant prices. They were also unfairly exchanging money, taking advantage of people who had traveled there and would need an animal to sacrifice. Jesus did not promote a peaceful environment or kind business practices. Instead he made a whip and drove the greedy businessmen out of the temple, along with the animals they were selling. Why didn’t Jesus simply provide some teaching on better business practices and explain that it’s possible to be a capitalist and compassionate at the same time? Because he wasn’t Mr. Rogers Jesus. Why did he pull the angry Indiana Jones routine on the merchants in the temple? Because he was a revolutionary leader.
He was a revolutionary leader. You don’t get crucified for being kind. You get crucified for being too radical. And let’s be clear: Jesus’ life wasn’t taken from him because he was too weak to stand up and defend himself. No, he died because he chose to lay down his life. Why? Because it was necessary to advance the revolution. He was strong enough to choose not to defend himself. In fact he was so strong that three days after laying down his life, he defeated death by walking out of his grave.
Because Jesus is a revolutionary, but his was a revolution of love. Revolutions tend to be about changing the power in a certain geographical territory, but the only geography that concerns Jesus is that of a person’s soul. Jesus came to bring a revolution of the heart.
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