Jesus' Kind of Extremism

Rembrandt's, "Christ Drives Money Changers"

Holy Week for Jesus started with a statement of extremism - his unique kind of extremism. Jesus enters Jerusalem, goes to the temple, and trashes the money changers who are positioned in the temple courts.
       Jesus' extremism strikes at the heart of idolatry, in this case the idol of money and material things.
       Much of the Church in the West skims over this first act of defiance by Jesus as he begins the most difficult, arduous week of his life.
       The Western Church (i.e. many Christians) picks and chooses which "moral high ground" we will take - sexuality and the right to bear arms are two of them (an odd pair if you ask me). Other idolatry, such as greed and materialism, is much more taboo for many of us.
       Jesus seems quite comfortable addressing these taboo issues - perhaps that is why the gospel writers recount Holy Week beginning with him overturning the tables of the money changers.