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.’”
In our verses for today we see the Lord Jesus exercising His authority in the temple of God with a moral and righteous indignation. Abuses must be purged before righteousness can be established – here, the Light shone brightly on the darkness at hand. I am reminded of Jesus’ Words to Saul turned Paul on the road to Damascus found in Acts. It is Jesus’ desire to turn us from darkness to light:
15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” Acts 26:15-18 (NIV)
As Jesus entered the courtyard area surrounding the temple He immediately directed His attention to those who had corrupted the character of His Father’s house from a place of prayer to becoming a place of commercialism and wanton gain. He drove out those who were buying and selling and changing money - overturning both the tables and the benches. These practices may have perhaps started innocently enough to aid pilgrims who lived in faraway places by providing them their sacrifices. They could more easily bring money with them than their beast yet it quickly turned into a counterfeit godliness filled with worldly gain. The chief priests were now admitting this market into the temple area for filthy lucre. Perhaps it slipped their minds that surely the Lord was in this place. Perhaps they thought they were getting away with something under the guise of godliness. Paul writes in1Timothy of such as these who with corrupt minds think godliness is a means to financial gain:
3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 1 Tim 6:3-5 (NIV)
“Many were making their living from the temple and the sacrifices purchased there. They insisted that in the temple the people could not use money that had been circulating in society, but had to change their money into temple money first, for a fee, and then use the temple money to purchase animals for sacrifice, at inflated prices.” Bible Knowledge Commentary
Upon seeing Jesus’ actions His disciples rightly remembered what had been written of Him in the Psalms helping them to reconcile His actions - the meekness of the Lamb with the majesty and authority of the King. The Word of God and the works of God ever explain and illustrate one another:
9 for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me. Psalms 69:9 (NIV)
Indeed, zeal for His Father’s House consumed our Lord as well as it should us. We are to be ready and mighty in the Scriptures having our memories well stored with its precious truths. It will greatly benefit us in every endeavor and encounter. When we turn our hearts towards Him in His Word and prayer He is drawn to us. He rises to defend and provide for those who enjoy Him. He is a “with us” relational Father Who delights to be with those He loves.
Interestingly, the Lord Jesus also quotes from Jeremiah regarding what the Pharisees were doing to God’s house: “you are making it a den of robbers.” Jeremiah had been sent by God to the Israelites to tell them how worthless their false religion was in His sight. They wrongly believed they could do whatever they desired and, like these Pharisees imagined, they would remain safe to do these detestable practices because they stood in the house which bore God’s Name. Big mistake!
4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” 5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. 9 “'Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, ‘We are safe’--safe to do all these detestable things? 11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching!” declares the LORD. Jer 7:4-11 (NIV)