Jesus Drives the Money Changers from the Temple

Bible Study Lesson from Matthew 21:12-17

In Bible times the people came from all over to worship in the temple at Jerusalem. So, foreign currency exchange was needed as it is in many countries today. The money changers were taking advantage and becoming rich by shortchanging the patrons with the rates they gave. Jesus became angry at this practice and we can see His frustration in this passage.

12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.

13 "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'"

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.

15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.

16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.

"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,

" 'From the lips of children and infants

you have ordained praise'?"

17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Jesus Drives Out the Sellers

Many people think of this scene as the temple being a marketplace. And, to an extent, it was. But, there is much more to this story than buying and selling, or exchanging currency.

Selling Sacrifices

When people traveled long, hard distances to reach the temple of Jerusalem, they found it difficult to bring an animal or dove with them on this long journey. So, vendors would supply the sacrifice to these travelers.

The merchants were selling these sacrifices (at outrageous prices) to the Gentiles who had many times come from long distances to worship God and to hear the message. In order to buy the sacrifices they had no choice but to use local currency.

Enter, the money changer.

Rate of Exchange

To add insult to injury the money changers were not always honest when calculating the currency exchange rates and so the "customers" were often cheated. All this was taking place right outside the temple of God!

House of Worship?

These money exchange areas and sacrifice booths were set up by the venders - the yard became so full that the Gentiles were crowded out of the temple. They were unable to worship because of the hustle and bustle of "doing business" by these money changers and merchants.

So, Christ was not just upset with the buying and the selling and the cheating. He was angered at the fact these cheaters were hindering the worship of God.

Nothing should interfere with prayer and worship.

Love in Christ

- Bob

Matthew 20:17-19 - Jesus Tells about His Death the Third Time