Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:12-17

Historical Context

The Temple was the epicenter of Jewish culture, religious practice, and community. It would be like mixing the town center with the church all while sprinkling in social events. The temple Solomon built was destroyed by the Babylonian Empire in 586 BC, which was later rebuilt by Ezra in 20 BC. During Jesus’s earthly ministry, the Temple was further restored under Herod the Great. The restored Temple was impressively large (360,000 square feet), and much of the financial efforts of the community went towards this, eventually, the Temple became incredibly wealthy.¹ During this time, there was a level of corruption that resulted in people selling animals at ridiculously inflated prices to Jews making the pilgrimage to the temple (as high as 20 times more expensive).

Many Jews traveled far enough to the point where taking an animal with them the whole pilgrimage seemed impractical. The result was that they would exchange money and purchase animals once at the Temple. There were moneychangers as well, who would take the pagan currency used outside the Temple and exchange it (at high rates) for more permissible forms of currency.² This was especially disheartening because those buying animals at the Temple were doing so to make offerings to the Lord as a form of confession and worship. By charging such high prices, the moneychangers and vendors were taking advantage of Jews who were at the Temple to try to serve and honor the Lord.

This is actually the second time Jesus cleanses the Temple. The first is seen in John 2:1317. In this account, Jesus had gone from the wedding in Cana to Capernaum and then to Jerusalem. At the Temple, Jesus made a whip of chords (John 2:15), which sent the sellers (along with their sheep and oxen) out of the Temple. He then overturned the vessels holding the money, dumping it out, and flipped the tables over. This theatrical scene seemed to have a two-fold purpose. Firstly, it obviously cleared the corruption from the Temple, at least for a moment, which reminded God’s people of the purpose of the Temple in the first place. The temple was to be a place of repentance, reverence, and worship. The second purpose for Jesus’s actions had a prophetic emphasis to it. This comes straight from the text. When the Jews who watched in shock asked Jesus why He did that, He responded, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19).

Looking at Mathew 21:12-17, Jesus cleanses the Temple again, but this time with a different emphasis. The two cleansings seem to bookend Jesus’s Earthly ministry since the former was at the start of His ministry and the latter was right after the triumphant entry. Jesus would be killed less than a week after His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. After the first Temple cleansing, Jesus foretells His resurrection but after the second Temple cleansing, Jesus says, said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:13). After this, Jesus begins healing people of various ailments resulting in children shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:15). While both cleansings of the Temple proved Jesus’s desire for pure and true worship, the first cleansing had a prophetic nature, the second cleansing seemed to confirm that Jesus was who He said He was.

A significant fact about the layout of the Temple was that the outer courts were where the Gentiles could come and pray. In fact, the Gentiles were not allowed any further into the Temple than this location. This was also where the money changers and vendors set up shop. Not only were they price gauging, but they were most likely distracting the Gentiles who were trying to pray, hence why Jesus states, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.”

Devotional Reflection

The selling of overpriced goods prohibited worship for the Jewish people, who were just trying to honor God. But it also prohibited worship for the Gentiles. Selling the goods in the portion of the Temple that was meant for outsiders (Gentiles) to come in and pray surely did not make a very good first impression on the Gentiles, who were likely still trying to figure out who God was. The integrity of sacred spaces can affect worship.

1. What does this passage tell us about God’s character?
2. Based on Matthew 21:12-17, what does Jesus expect worship to look like?
3. There are a few times when Jesus gets angry during His earthly ministry. Is there a common theme for these instances? (Mark 3:5, Matthew 3:7)

Personal Application

Jesus cleanses the Temple, a place where the community gathers to worship and honor God. Scripture tells us that after Jesus died and was resurrected, those who believe in Him are Temples of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19).

1. That said, considering your own Temple, what are some areas in our lives that need “cleansing”?
2. What are some things that distract you during worship?
3. How does consumerism compete with worship in today’s world?
4. What does Righteous anger look like in your own life? What does destructive anger look like in your own life?

Prayer

Jesus, help me to worship you with a pure heart. Help take away the things in my life that distract me from You.

 

¹ Burge, Cohick, and Green 68-70

² https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/matthew/matthew-21.cfm?a=950012