Greater than the temple

Matthew 12:5-6 - Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are guiltless? And I say to you, "Something greater than the temple is here."

So the obvious answer is Jesus himself, yes? This is true. It is also true that the presence of God is also there. These are easy to understand interpretations and need no comment - only a reminder of that truth.

Yet, what if, something else is greater than the temple? What if Jesus is referring to himself and god and people? The temple is in reality a building, a pile of stones - man-made. It is a symbolic pile of stones, but a pile of stones nonetheless. What give the temple its symbolism - God's presence. Who is there to witness this presence? God's creation. People, made in the image of God (or put another way - God's representatives on earth). Following after the previous verses, Jesus is saying that people are not only more important than God's Law. We are also more important than the temple itself. We are greater than the temple because we built it! It is an artifact.

Taking this further, he is saying that the institution of the temple is less important than people. This hits us hard in the 21st century. Try talking to people about selling their church building. Try telling people that doing church differently is possible. Try making even a small change in church governance. We idolize that which we create. Unlike God. God loves - God knows when change is necessary and is continually calling us to such. Yet, we are afraid. We like the comfort of "the way it's always been." We find it hard to change our attitudes even toward institutions that no longer work for us.

Such change starts with recognizing the place these institutions should have in our lives. Below God, below people, below God's creation. Many of us have switched the order unconsciously and it hurts to be reminded.

How have I switched the order of my priorities out of whack?
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