Sometimes we read about some of the things God does and think, “that’s not fair.” And I understand that feeling. Even when I know that fair isn’t the standard, I still sometimes wonder.

Sometimes, however, there has been clear and fair warning.

Jesus gets off the donkey at the end of the parade and walks to the area surrounding the temple. People were running money-changing services for the people from across the known world making pilgrimages to the temple. People were selling the animals needed for offerings. It was a spirituality service, but apparently pursued with profit in mind.

Jesus preferred a prophet motive. He turned the tables upside down, without warning it seemed. But as he walked along tossing tables, he was quoting two noted writers, Jeremiah and Isaiah.

Jeremiah had walked into the temple one day, centuries earlier, and quoted God, saying:

Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.

Although it took awhile, Jesus was following up on the warning.

As to what the place was supposed to be for, Jesus repeated words Isaiah wrote, again quoting God, said:

these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.

Jesus is making a clear claim to his right to protect this space, both by action and by quotation.  He is also making clear that taking a long time to act isn’t the same as ignoring what is happening or not acting at all.

Sometimes we confuse ‘hasn’t hurt me yet’ with ‘never going to hurt me.’ These vendors may have learned differently.