Jesus was not above kicking some butt and breaking stuff if need be. Look, Jesus was no wussy. For example, one of the first snapshots we have of Jesus in John’s account of his ministry was his turning water into wine and cleansing the temple, two things the teetotalers and the timid do not like being in the sacred text.

Check it out in John 2:13-17

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

And here’s Matthew’s account of Jesus’ opening up a can of whup ass: Matthew 21:12-13

12 “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.13 He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer,” but you make it a den of robbers.’”

Let’s break it down, shall we?

First off, please take note of the offense that got Jesus in a bad mood: Religious hucksters had turned God’s house into a cash cow for religious goobers. In other words, it was a clear-cut, irrefutable offense, with empirical evidence, that got Christ’s dander up. Ponder that nugget before you burn down an innocent couple’s grocery store, por favor.

This led, as stated, to Jesus’ going postal on the place. But what I’d like to point out was how Jesus released his rage as an example to us schleps that follow his lead, if and when it comes to dusting up against some true injustice. Are you ready? Well, alrighty then.

Herewith are the various particulars regarding how the Holy One rolled.

1. Jesus made a whip, which screams to me, that he was patient and methodical and it wasn’t belligerent, out of control, frenzied rage he sported.
2. Jesus only vandalized the evil religious hucksters’ stuff that were desecrating God’s house. Please note, he didn’t morph into a crazy vandal.
3. Jesus didn’t steal their goods after condemning their actions. Hello.
4. Jesus had a clear biblical mandate that God’s house was to be a house of prayer and that zeal for its purity drove his legit wrath.
5. Jesus didn’t cleanse the temple incognito. He wasn’t anonymous. He wore no weird mask, or a bandana over his face, or a hoodie and shades. People who do that are nutless wonders. If you’re so bold and so in the right, then like Jesus, represent … stand up and be counted.
6. Jesus didn’t make a living off grievance based temple-tossing. He didn’t form a non-profit that went around making life miserable for everyone he thought sucked. Also, he acted alone, without some massive posse and there are only two examples of him ever engaging in such acts.
7. Jesus never said to his disciples, “let’s burn this bitch down”. Please note, he also didn’t drop the F-Bomb on them as his wrath was bridled.

And that, my little children, is how Christ threw a holy fit. Anything else is … well … uh … un-Christlike and must be repented of and condemned.

Finally, for the slow amongst us who claim Christ as their captain please note in Jesus’s example of holy protest that …

• There was no stealing.
• There was no arson.
• There was no stoking of a phony revolt based on lies. Empirical evidence drove Jesus’ cleansing of the temple.
• There was no unnecessary destruction of property.
• There were no incitements to riots.
• He didn’t threaten to rape and/or murder his enemies’ women and kids.
• And he wasn’t impulsive in his anger and reduced to animalistic destruction.

Jesus was an example on how to deal with egregious wrongs without losing one’s head.

Clash Ministries is here to do two things, namely, put brains and cojones on Christians. Yep, our holy job is renewing minds (Rom.12:1-2) and emboldening hearts (Prov.28:1). Your generosity helps us throttle the enemy by equipping God's people to live bold, wild and free in Him. You are a vital part of this ministry and we could not do this without you. Thank you for your faithful gifts and partnership and remember to always ... stay rowdy!

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Doug Giles is Pastor of Liberty Fellowship in Wimberley, TX, and is the founder of ClashDaily.com​

Follow Doug on Instagram and Twitter @TheArtOfDoug.

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