Separation of Politics and Religion?

This week a lesson from our pastor:

On Monday, during the last week of Christ's life, he entered into the Temple, going up the stairs through the Hulda gate and up another flight of stairs to the platform on which the Temple was built. It had to be one of the most magnificent experiences in the lives of these Galilean disciples.

Imagine their surprise, then, when Jesus did not look about with awe but instead marched straight to the portico and without warning started flipping over the tables of the moneychangers. Jesus did not separate politics and religion.

In Jesus’ day there was no such separation in the popular mind, either. That’s more of a modern phenomenon, compartmentalizing life into specific parts that should never intersect with one another. While the Temple was the symbol of Israel’s religious devotion and worship, it was also the symbol of government and commerce. The high priests were more than just religious leaders, they were also agents of the government—appointed by the king or, by the time of the first century, the Roman emperor. The priests were usually chosen from among the wealthy aristocracy, which meant that they would remain loyal to the government because their own pockets were getting filled. To that end, the Temple (like many ancient temples) also acted as the national bank. Money flowed into the Temple as Jewish males both in Israel and around the world paid a Temple tax for its upkeep and operation. More importantly, the Temple was also the central repository for all the taxes that Rome collected. From there the tribute would be sent to the emperor, while any excess was assumed to be a bonus paid to the collecting officials.

So here was the ambiguity of the Temple—the symbol of worship on the one hand and the symbol of injustice on the other. It is this ambiguity that Jesus attacks.

So where is the ambiguity in the life of modern day Christians?  In what places do we worship God and any other places serve the powers of economic oppression?  Bankruptcy, home foreclosures, and the number of people being driven to poverty are increasing daily.  Truth is that what we are seeing in our culture is the very real emergence of economic slavery. People are being enslaved by crushing debt under which they can find no way out.

I really believe that’s where God is calling us as  a church.  Our vision can no longer be small—to simply be a nice worshiping community of nice people.  We must be willing to confront the economic forces that are turning the table on so many of God’s people.