Cleansing the Temple

July 20, 2025 Background Scripture: John 2:13 -25; Matthew 21:12 - 17; Mark 11:15 - 19; Luke 19:45 - 48 Lesson Passage: John 2:13 - 25 It is rare that the scriptures present Jesus as becoming indignant because of the actions of those who are considered the people of God. There are many situations recorded in the gospel accounts that we would understand had He become so—especially when it came to the leadership of the Jews. At first glance, the scenario that unfolds in today's lesson seems an unlikely situation for indignation to occur. That makes this incident a learning opportunity for us. Based on the Background Scripture, it appears that this incident occurred twice. John records it as occurring at the onset of Jesus' ministry. The synoptic writers of the gospel record it as occurring towards the conclusion of His ministry. It is likely that the merchants continued to do what they were doing throughout Jesus' ministry. They would not have been easily swayed to abandon their practices since they questioned whether Jesus had the authority to stop them. The Lesson Passage taken from the Gospel of John is Jesus' first public offer of Himself to Israel as their Messiah. This occurred during Passover. As the Passover celebration approached, Jews would travel from miles around to the temple in Jerusalem. The men were required by the Law to present themselves at the temple with a sacrificial offering and a financial tax for the upkeep and service of the temple. It was more convenient for the ones who traveled a great distance to purchase an animal for sacrifice after arriving in Jerusalem. This practice created an economic opportunity for those who sold animals and provided the currency needed for the temple tax (the priests did not accept foreign currency for the tax). Sadly, when there is an opportunity for economic gain, there is also the opportunity to take advantage of the consumer. There appears to have been two trespasses involved that caused Jesus to react as He did. First, the merchants set up their shops on the temple grounds. Although the location was advantageous for the merchants, the shops did not need to be on the temple grounds. The presence of the shops made part of the temple grounds a commercial area. This is the reason Jesus referred to the practice as turning the temple into a house of merchandise. Secondly, some merchants appeared to be making an unreasonable profit at the expense of those who traveled from afar to worship in Jerusalem according to the Law. The travelers without sacrificial animals or the correct currency were at the mercy of the merchants to pay whatever they demanded. Both trespasses interrupted the spirit of worship that should have been present within the temple grounds. As a result, Jesus drove all of them—including the animals from the temple grounds, poured out the money changers' money, and turned the merchants' tables over. The temple held a special place in the relationship between God and Israel. King Solomon ordered the construction of Israel's first temple. When Solomon prayed and dedicated Israel's first temple, he prayed that it would be a place for God to dwell among His people. God specified in the Law the activities that should take place within the temple. Those activities foreshadowed the atoning work of Jesus for all of mankind. There was even a place within the temple grounds specified for Gentiles. Any person that came to the temple should have done so for some form of prayer and/or worship. The merchants appear to have been there to make a profit and not for prayer or the sincere worship of God. It was personal for Jesus; especially during the Passover. The Passover observance foreshadowed Jesus' crucifixion for the sins of the world. Anything that profaned the Passover, or the temple, was spiritual pollution. Therefore, Jesus cleansed the temple. C. Hudson June 26, 2025