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In this prayer, Jesus addresses the Heavenly Parent with tender concern for his disciples. “I have kept them safe. None of them were lost except the one destined for destruction, so the scripture might be fulfilled.” I don’t know about you, but I’d like to see a little grieving over the loss of Judas, one from the inside circle.
I wanted nothing to do with this fight. It was messy, and it was dramatic, and I didn’t feel like being called in as a witness to what happened. My life was not messy. It was not dramatic. It was simple and organized and untainted with these sorts of dirty streaks.
The safe (and isolated) reading of this story interprets Jesus’ actions as a pious defense of the sanctity of the Temple space. In this reading, the problem is that prayer space has been invaded by noisy secular economic activity. If the sellers will take their business elsewhere, the problem will be solved, so Jesus chases them out. He cleanses the Temple.
The Quakers have a saying: “If you want to start a conflict, talk about peace.” . . . Jesus’ commitment to peace doesn’t stop at halting violence between violent groups; it seeks to reveal even the small ways in which we live violently towards each other, towards ourselves. And this is offensive not just to violent power, but to us all.
The Beatitudes do not promise distant well-being and success; they celebrate the reality that God is already acting to deliver us. They are based not on the perfection of the disciples but on the coming of God’s grace, already experienced in Jesus.
To live in the light of this truth requires us to reflect upon how we, ourselves, wish to be treated. It asks that we think about our place in the world. Are we worthy of love, of forgiveness, of kindness? Do we deserve to be treated with respect?