“You know, there’s a time when Jesus flipped tables…” A friend said to me as he vented his frustration at work. As we placed our coffee orders, he ranted on about storming into his boss’s office to “flip some tables.” “Do you know why Jesus flipped tables,” I asked. “Because he didn’t put up with **** , ” he replied.
We’ve all felt like this at times. However, there remains a misunderstanding of Jesus’ behavior in this incident. Referencing this story to validate angry behavior is a slippery slope of poor reasoning. To justify destructive anger, you must discard Paul’s counsel to avoid “fits of rage” or James’ insight that “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” (Galatians 5:19-20, James 1:19-20).
So why did Jesus flip tables, and why is this incident recorded in all four gospel accounts? As you’ve probably guessed, context is everything, and it offers clarity to this Biblical text.
First, Jesus claimed the temple was His “Father’s House.” He was clearly stating that He was and is the Son of God. (John 2:13-16)
Second, His frustration was with the evolved system of extortion, which benefited temple merchants. Centuries had passed since the first principles of sacrifice were handed to the Jews by Moses. With each passing generation, religious rulers made sacrificing increasingly difficult. Penitent Jews came to the temple and purchased a means to atone for their sins. However, they had to buy sacred offerings with temple currency. The exchange rate from Roman to temple currency had a tacked-on fee, which exhausted the meager means of low-income families. Families also faced the burden of buying overpriced lambs, birds, or grain for sacrifice. These two transactions made accessing forgiveness a costly transaction.
Though religious leaders may have had good motives in ensuring sacrifices were held to the letter of the law, their zeal overrode the practicality of accessing forgiveness. The temple leaders were ideally to aid congregants in making peace with God, but they had found a way to make this sacred process difficult and financially profitable for themselves. This is why Jesus flipped their tables.
What does this mean for you today? As Jesus revealed in John 2:13-16, a change came with His advent into the world. He was the embodiment or temple of God.
In this story, He predicted how His temple would be destroyed and raised in three days. In accordance with this New Testament truth, Paul revealed how you are also a temple in which God resides. (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:16-19, Ephesians 2:21). Knowing this, your behavior becomes vital. When interactions are tainted with frustration and anger, you are taxing people’s perception of God. They will view Him as harsh and difficult when you behave harshly. When you fail to address anger, malice, hatred, and other emotionally exhausting behaviors, you will turn seekers away from Jesus.
The next time you feel the urge to spiritualize uncontrolled anger, remember your emotional immaturity could be the trade table that keeps others’ from accessing God. I’m not saying you can’t struggle with the flaws of frustration. But I am offering a reality check that your behavior defines how others see God.
One last thought, the notion that people shouldn’t evaluate God based on your behavior is often given as an excuse for broken behavior. This excuse undermines the entire point of redemption. Throughout the Old Testament, God hoped for a people who would represent Him clearly to the world. In the New Testament, Jesus offers the Holy Spirit to His disciples as the One who gives power to become witnesses of His nature. When you stop pursuing the goal of emotional maturity and maintain a tradition of making it difficult for people to see God through you, it indicates that you may be the one whose table Jesus came to flip.
For a few passages on dealing with anger, see the lists below:
- Scriptures about anger management
Proverbs 29:11, Proverbs 4:23, Luke 6:31, Philippians 4:6, Galatians 5:22, 23, Romans 12:21, Ephesians 4:27 - Scriptures about the consequences of anger
James 1:19, 20, Proverbs 15:18, Romans 12: 19
Proverbs 14:17, Titus 1:7, Romans 2:5 - Scriptures about anger and forgiveness
Colossians 3:17, 1 John 2:1, 2-1 Peter 2:23 , Ephesians 4:31-32 , Leviticus 19:17-18, Ephesians 2:1-5, 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 - Scriptures about the source(s) of anger
James 4:1-2, Galatians 5:19-20, Proverbs 22:24-25, Ephesians 6:4, Psalm 37:7-8, Proverbs 15:1
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