Posted on 09/20/2025 1:13:27 PM PDT by metmom
“The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, ‘Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house will consume me’” (John 2:13–17).
The Feast of Passover in Jerusalem each year meant big business for Jerusalem-based merchants. They sold animals necessary for the sacrifices at inflated prices to Jewish pilgrims who found it impractical to bring their own from their homes in distant lands.
Also, every Jewish male twenty years of age or older had to pay the annual temple tax (Matt. 17:24–27). But it could be paid only by using Jewish or Tyrian coins, so foreigners had to exchange their money for acceptable coinage. Because they held a monopoly, money changers charged an exorbitant fee.
What should have been a place of sacred reverence and adoration had become a place of abusive commerce and excessive overpricing.
Realizing that the purity of temple worship was a matter of honor to God, Jesus took swift and decisive action. The intensity of His righteous indignation was unmistakable—Christ would not tolerate any mockery of the spirit of true worship.
Ask Yourself
Are there instances in which we have turned the worship of God into something less than it should be—perhaps into something it should never be?
What kind of heart do you intend to bring with you the next time you join with others in the Lord’s house for worship?
Studying God’s Word ping
Christ told us HE became the Temple ... and no more was a blood sacrifice required .... Christ became the one and for all time perfect sacrifice .... anybody claiming different are liars!!!!!
Christ also declared ‘mass deception’ was the first tribulation... and boy is that deception wide and deep.
Also,
Mark 11:15-17
15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
The marketplace was in the outermost court of the Temple, the Court of the Gentiles. My interpretation of the above passage was that Jesus was angry that the marketplace (among other things) was pushing out the only available place the Gentiles had to workship the God of Israel.
Perhaps God wants
“Mercy Not Sacrifice”
Matthew 9:13-—12:7
“My interpretation of the above passage was that Jesus was angry that the marketplace (among other things) was pushing out the only available place the Gentiles had to workship the God of Israel.”
That’s correct. The courtyard had become a noisy, smelly zoo. Not what God intended.
There is two conflicting concepts in the back of my mind and that is what was it that caused the Jews want to kill Jesus. Two things come to the back of my mind. One is he claimed to be God, and up until I read Kenneth Gentry’s “Divorce of Israel”. After I read that book I say what got them more upset then him claiming to God, was the Jews getting a false belief that Jesus was going to destroy the Temple in 3 days. The Temple was their idol, the temple was like their banking and their livelihood. The Jewish High Priest were like Billionaires that control the economy and livelihood of the Jews. There were big time corrupt like many corrupt politicians in our government. It is an unusual belief, not to many people out their belief this. Anyway take my comment for what it is worth, I’m sure it probably won’t be well like on this post.
Your theory compliments this John MacArthur essay.
Jesus turning over the money changers temples happened in the court of the gentiles.
The Pharisees had welcomed a flea market/swindling type atmosphere there instead of a place of prayer and worship. Jesus upset the status quo of the Pharisees.
That makes complete sense to me. People have been protecting their rice bowls for all of humanity, rather than trusting in God.
Who were the money changers in the Bible?
https://www.gotquestions.org/money-changers-in-the-Bible.html
The spirit of the money changers exists still today, phony televangelists in their mansions.
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