The Cleansing of the Temple

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The Cleansing of the Temple

By: Jim Crews

 

Do you sometimes get angry at things that are going on in the world that are evil? Jesus did too. 

John 2:13-25

Under Jewish law, all males were required to travel to Jerusalem three times a year for special feasts.

Deuteronomy 16:16-17

Sacrifices had to be made and offerings given, but it wasn’t always practical to ship animals or food all the way to Jerusalem.

Deuteronomy 14:23-26

So instead, they would buy their sacrificial animals when they got to Jerusalem. What started as a matter of convenience turned into a money making operation.  In Jesus’ time, the Jews had made a rule that the Temple would not accept non-Jewish funds, so all foreign currency had to be exchanged prior to giving to the temple.  It was also a rule that all sacrifices had to be purchased with Jewish coins. Moneychangers would exchange foreign coins for Jewish coins – for a fee. Merchants would sell sacrificial animals, but would charge more than the going rate.  If this wasn’t bad enough, these operations were moved into the courtyards of the temple itself.
This showed the approval of the Jewish religious leaders. Some historians even believe that the priests were renting space to the merchants. Jesus came upon this scene early in his ministry. He made a scourge, which is a set of knotted ropes,  and drove the moneychangers, merchants, and animals out of the Temple courts. He overturned their tables, pouring coins on the ground. Doves were in cages, so he ordered the merchants to take the doves away. He justified his action by alluding to Jeremiah. Jeremiah 7:11

The Jews in Jeremiah’s day lived sinful lives and then thought they could offer worship to God and be saved while in their sins. Jeremiah 7:3-11

The disciples saw His actions and recalled a prophecy.

Psalms 69:9

We see from this that anger is not wrong, but uncontrolled anger is wrong. We are told as Christians to be slow to anger. 

James 1:19-20

 

We are told to be angry, but do not sin because of that anger.
Ephesians 4:26
 

 

Jesus was justified in his anger. Of course the Jews didn’t see it this way. They wanted to know what right Jesus had to drive the merchants out. The interesting thing here is that they recognized Jesus’ actions as those of a prophet because they asked for a sign. It hints at the fact that they knew they were doing something that God didn’t like. Jesus’ reply was purposely confusing.

John 2:19

Standing on the Temple grounds at the time, it is understandable that the people thought Jesus was speaking of the physical temple, but that temple took crews of men 46 years to build. The thought of one man rebuilding it three days was ridiculous

John tells us that Jesus was talking about his death and resurrection, but even his disciples didn’t understand until after he arose.

John 2:21-22

What is also interesting is that three years later, people still remembered what Jesus said.

Mark 14:58

Mark 15:29

It irritated them.

Jesus’ anger wasn’t out of character for him. He was angry at the Jews’ stubbornness.

Mark 3:5

He scolded the Jews for their hypocrisy.

Matthew 23:13-36

God has the right to be angry with sinners.

Romans 2:5-6

That wrath will be shown on Judgment Day. 

II Thessalonians 1:7–9

But as often happens after being corrected, people return to their sins. Three years later this same scene is repeated.

Mark 11:15-18

The details this second time are slightly different. The second time, Jesus quotes both Isaiah and Jeremiah. 

Isaiah 56:7

Jeremiah 7:11

He prevents people from using the Temple grounds as a shortcut for carrying goods. There is no challenge to Jesus’ authority this time, only anger.

Malachi prophesied that the Messiah would appear in the Temple in anger and that he would purify the people so that they could properly worship God.

Malachi 3:1-3

Have you thought about that? Paul said that we are temple of God.

I Corinthians 6:19-20

The Corinthians had problems with sin. They allowed a sexually immoral man to worship with them.

I Corinthians 5:1-2

This impacted the congregation there and its worship.

I Corinthians 5:6-7

They were told to give no support to sin.

I Corinthians 5:9-11

They were reminded that you cannot serve God while in sin.

I Corinthians 6:9-11

You cannot be joined in sin and joined with Christ.

I Corinthians 6:15-17

 

And the conclusion is that you cannot bring sin into the temple.

I Corinthians 6:18-20

Why? Because you’ll face the wrath of the same Lord who drove out the merchants. We should not try bringing the world into the church.

Philippians 3:18-20

We must be holy.

I Peter 1:13-17