“Was Christ Violent?”

A women’s Bible study group in Kansas, in their study of Mark 11:15–18 (the cleansing of the temple by Jesus), came across the statement in their study material: “Jesus engages in the only act of violence recorded of Him.” In view of Isaiah 53:9b, “he had done no violence,” they wonder if the statement in their study material is too strong. Was that an act of violence on the part of Jesus? And if so, does that not contradict Isaiah 53:9b?

The incident referred to in Mark 11:15–18 is familiar to all readers, I’m sure. Our Lord was offended by the way in which the temple was being used, and He began “to cast out them that sold and bought” there, and “overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves.” He condemned t hem for making the temple “a den of robbers,” rather than using it as “a house of prayer” as it was intended.

It is not hard to imagine the righteous indignation of our Lord when He saw this sorry spectacle in the temple. It was one thing that this sacred temple should look and smell like a market-place, but even worse, there was fraud and dishonesty evident in the lucrative business being transacted. As sacrificial animals were sold and bought, and as foreign money was exchanged by pilgrims who had come from countries far away (since both the temple tax and certain rites of purification had to be paid in Jewish coin), there was abundant opportunity for cheating and dishonesty, and making a fast profit, often from unsuspecting people.

So the Lord drove them out! According to verse 16, He did not even allow them to carry their merchandise through the temple any more. For there were those who were using the temple as a short-cut from the city to the Mount of Olives.

Now, was this an act of violence on the part of our Lord? Or, more directly, is “violence” the proper word to describe His actions?

According to the dictionary, the word “violence” has a number of meanings. It can mean “physical force used so as to injure or damage; rough, injurious act.” But it also has this meaning: “natural or physical energy or force in action; intensity; severity; great force or strength of feeling, conduct or language.” We tend to think of the word “violence” more in terms of the first of these two meanings, such as “the vandals committed a violent act of destruction, and destroyed innocent people’s property.” That suggests the doing of an evil deed. But “violence” or “violent” is not always used in association with evil, any more than “anger” is always connected with evil. Do we not also say: “That is a violent contrast in colors,” or “I have a violent pain”?

Confronted as our Lord was by these evil things that were taking place in the temple, He was filled with a righteous indignation or anger. He used His physical energy, and used it with intensity, and with strong feeling and emotion, as He over–turned their tables and drove them out. It was not an evil act that He was committing, but He was acting against evil with intensity. And in line with the second definition given above, I believe we may describe that with the word “violence.”

But what of Isaiah 53:9b? Checking the meaning of the Hebrew word used there, we find that it means violence in the sense of “wrong,” such as injurious language or unjust treatment. Our Lord was (and is) not characterized by anything evil or malicious. The point of Isaiah’s words is not to say that Jesus never harshly judged sin, or never reacted against evil with intensity, but that although He never did anything evil or wicked, He was nevertheless to make “his grave with the wicked”—He was to die the physical death of the sinner because He was dying as a substitute for sinners.

Remember, this is the Bible’s glorious message: “Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (II Cor. 5:21).

Bearing shame and scoffing rude In my place condemned He stood, Sealed my pardon with His blood; Hallelujah! What a Savior!