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.”
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”
The disciples observed Jesus’ power when the water was changed into wine. The first miracle did not stay private for very long. News of His miracle was spreading. More people were watching Him.
John next records the incident of Jesus being in the temple and overturning the tables of the moneychangers. The Jews had to pay the half-shekel temple tax in the coinage of the temple. Foreign monies were unacceptable and had to be exchanged for the proper coins. The moneychangers charged a high fee for every transaction.
These worshippers also had to offer up animal sacrifices so suitable animals were made available for purchasing. The dealers in cattle and sheep were tempted to charge exorbitant prices for such animals. Some of the poor could not afford even a dove with the high temple prices.
Just before the Passover, every Jewish household spent the day before the feast meticulously going through their house seeking out any kind of yeast or substance that could cause fermentation. They purged and cleansed every such manifestation from their home. It was like spring housecleaning looking for leaven. That was an absolute necessity to properly celebrate the Passover. Yet in a city that was given over to cleansing every house, when Jesus came into the temple - the house of God - He found it filled with clutter, noise, animals, moneychangers and merchandise. No one seemed concerned about it.
If the outer courts were filled with oxen, lambs and doves, there would be no place for the Gentiles to pray and to worship God. What Jesus sees going on in the temple courts troubles Him a great deal! The place of prayer has become a place of profit-taking. Jesus enters the outer court of the temple, fashioning a whip from materials at hand. He then drives them all out of the temple area.
After His death and resurrection, our Lord's disciples remembered that it was written, "Passion for your house will devour me.". What we see is the passion that Jesus has for His Father, for holiness in worship, for the people who are victimized by others who are hypocritically pretending to aid in worship, when they are only after financial profit. Jesus did some further housecleaning in the house of God to get the sin out.
As God’s spirit dwells in our bodies as the new temple of God His zeal for us remains. He calls us to get rid of sin and be Holy unto Him. Where might our Lord be displeased in His temple today? Where might the spirit of the moneychangers be affecting the church?
Dale
