Note this is notes from a message about Jesus cleansing the temple. I believe some great insight into the story.
Open with leading up to the story of Cleansing the Temple
Jesus enter Jerusalem
Mat 21:1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 “And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.'" 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!"
10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"
11 So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."
This all ended at the temple.
There was a joy that went forth on this day. There was great euphoria for the Lord.
Jesus enters the temple Matthew 21:12 - (also found in Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48John 2:13-16,
Enters the First time and then goes home
"And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve" (Mark 11:11).
Enters the Second time and cleanses the temple
(12) Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
Twice in Jesus ministry did Jesus enter the temple and cleanse it. Around three years earlier we find in John 2 that Jesus entered the temple at the beginning of His ministry.
Mark 11:16 and he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the temple.
Money Changers – What did the moneychangers do?
The moneychangers served an important function within the temple. They exchanged a person's foreign coins for a fee into coins that were acceptable within the temple. In many ways they were similar to a currency translation in foreign countries where foreigners have to translate their currency for a fee into the currency of the country they are visiting.
Only the half-shekel coin of the temple was allowed as atonement money, which the priests in the temple used. Those Jews coming from foreign lands with foreign currency or those that had Roman coins had to have these coins changed by the moneychangers. This was one of the largest revenues for the temple.
Why did Yahshua confront the moneychangers?
The moneychangers were one the most powerful sects in Israel, for they raised a great deal of money for the Temple. The Pharisees sect was a lover money (Lk. 16:13) The moneychangers had a monopoly on the half shekel and buying and selling in the sanctuary. Thus, they could charge what they wanted for those coins.
The moneychangers were much like the modern day bankers, especially the Federal Reserve Bank, today, who has a monopoly on creating money out of nothing and charging interest on it.
When Yahshua the Messiah entered the Courts of the Gentiles in the Temple, He saw that the moneychangers had setup a commercial operation of buying and selling within the temple. This contradicts the purpose of the temple as a house of worship, prayer and praise to Elohim (Mt. 21:13).
Problem – They set up in the Gentile market. So what they were saying was that Gentiles were second citizens. There was a place for them to worship yet they also used it for business. Gentiles could not come into the inner temple.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Ro 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Problem 2 – They would charge exorbant fees to those who needed to change money. Some have even estimated it to be up to 300%. Here is what bothers me, this means that there may have been some who could not offer up their sacrifice because the could not afford.
God has never put a price on salvation. He has never put a price on healing. He has never put a price on coming to Him. Yet they put a price on God.
Yet Paul tells us that there is no
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Dove Sellers – They sold the animals to the people. You could imagine that young man bringing his sacrifice to the temple for the first time. He takes his money to the money changers and they charge him a high fee. He takes his lamb to the priest and the priest finds something wrong. So he goes to buy another and there they are selling him an animal not as good yet higher priced. This was a racket.
Jesus overturned the tables, took a whip and chased the people out.
Actually they got off good. Later on in the New Testament church when someone tried to exploit God for their own gain they were killed. Ananias and Sapphria in Acts 5:1-14
(13) And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" (Isaiah 56:7)
First of all notice whose house it is. This is God’s house. We are God’s temple.
1Co 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
(14) Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
When we remove that which was hindering it opens up the door for healing.
Mat 9:23 When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
Luke 5:17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
(15) But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant (mad, beside themselves).
Why? Because their religious system had been violated. Because they were losing their influence. Because Jesus was getting the glory.
(16) and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"
(17) Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
