13 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover Feast. So Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courtyard he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves. Others were sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So Jesus made a whip out of ropes. He chased all the sheep and cattle from the temple courtyard. He scattered the coins of the people exchanging money. And he turned over their tables. 16 He told those who were selling doves, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered what had been written. It says, “My great love for your house will destroy me.”
18 Then the Jewish leaders asked him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “When you destroy this temple, I will raise it up again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken 46 years to build this temple. Are you going to raise it up in three days?” 21 But the temple Jesus had spoken about was his body. 22 His disciples later remembered what he had said. That was after he had been raised from the dead. Then they believed the Scripture. They also believed the words that Jesus had spoken.
23 Meanwhile, he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast. Many people saw the signs he was doing. And they believed in his name. 24 But Jesus did not fully trust them. He knew what people are like. 25 He didn’t need anyone to tell him what people are like. He already knew why people do what they do.
Read John 2:13-25 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
Two times in Jesus’ ministry, we read about Him chasing people out of the temple. During the first time He threw people out of the temple, Jesus says an interesting phrase that is important for us to remember. While we often focus in on the second time Jesus cleared the temple (which happened during the week He was crucified), there is a unique quality that make’s John’s record of this temple cleansing important for us living today.
On coming up to Jerusalem and the temple for the Passover feast, Jesus enters the temple. “In the temple courtyard he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves. Others were sitting at tables exchanging money. So Jesus made a whip out of ropes. He chased all the sheep and cattle from the temple courtyard. He scattered the coins of the people exchanging money. And he turned over their tables.” (v. 14-15)
When reading this, we are quick to jump to the other gospels to look for an answer. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record Jesus’ quotation from the Old Testament where He says, “It is written that the Lord said, ‘My house will be called a house where people from all nations can pray.’ But you have made it a ‘den for robbers.’” (Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46)
We are quick to point out that dishonesty drove Jesus to clear out the temple, but these three gospels happen at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John’s gospel shares a different reason Jesus gives for this early-in-His-ministry temple cleansing.
John tells us in His gospel that Jesus told His reason to those selling doves. John says that Jesus said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” (v. 16)
Were the merchants in the temple being dishonest in John’s event? Probably, but here, Jesus does not mention anything to make us think this was His reason. Jesus’ reason for being upset is that these people were “turning [the temple] into a market.” (v. 16)
Jesus was upset by the commerce that was happening in the temple courtyard. This wasn’t outside of the temple, but on property that was owned by the temple and it would have been the first thing visitors would have seen when entering the temple. People who would be coming to pray and worship would have to weave their way through the crowds of merchants to simply find a quiet place to be with God.
Does Jesus hate commerce? Absolutely not when it is done in an ethical way, but in this passage we can find a key idea present for His actions here.
When we look at what God has done for us, and what Jesus has done for us, these are gifts we have been given. Life and salvation cost us nothing. God is a God who gives first, and if we choose to return, then we can choose to do so.
But commerce is all about exchange. Exchanges cost something. We give some money and we then get some item, object, or service. Commerce does not reflect God, but it does reflect society and social interactions.
Jesus is upset with the commerce in the temple because it was pulling people’s focus away from God. It was bringing what was common, ordinary, and typical of every day of the week into God’s home among people and implying that there is nothing distinguishing it from any other place one could go.
In a sort of similar way, churches today fill the role the temple and synagogues played in the first century. Churches today are places where we can go when wanting to feel closer to God. I wonder if we should pay more attention in our own lives and churches on this idea of distinguishing the common from the holy, and society’s commerce from God’s priceless gifts for us.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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