“Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.””
Mark 11:15-17(NASB)
The religious people of Christ’s day had turned the Temple from a place of worship into a place of business. People set up booths or tables in the gentile (outer) court. The moneychangers were there because all tithes had to be paid in the local currency and people traveling from out of the area would have to have their money exchanged. The moneychangers were taking advantage of this by using dishonest rates. Secondly, there were tables set up or the sale of sacrificial animals, many of which were tainted and did not meet the Levitical standard of purity. Finally, the business activity was so prevalent that it kept the Gentiles from being able to worship. They could not enter the Temple itself and could only worship in these outer courts. As Jesus entered the temple He sin-lessly expressed His Righteous indignation by driving the moneychangers and vendors out and rebuking them.
Questions for application…
Why was Christ angry at the temple “business”?
Why did the moneychangers set up in the Gentile court?
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