“And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold the doves, ‘Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!’ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house has eaten me up’” (John 2:14).
Men especially often justify fits of anger by referring to this passage. They like to say that even Christ lost His temper—and “I’m like Him that way.” But He didn’t have a fit of rage that day. Those who observed the scene asked Him, “What sign do You show since You do such things?” They understood that like the ancient prophets, Jesus was making a point. He was demonstrating on behalf of His Father in heaven God’s fury over the abuse of the holy temple. It was not a place for merchants to make a profit.
Zeal, in Greek zekos, means hot enough to boil over. When one is zealous, it shows on his face. Such a passion looks as if he is on fire. Often in the Old Testament the Lord Almighty reminds Israel that “I the Lord your God am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5). He won’t abide compromise when it comes to worship. He refuses to share with false deities the glory due Him, nor will He tolerate those who would use faith in Him for their own purposes. The temple and the church are not the place for profiteers.
Our Lord was furious at the racket that took place in the courtyard. It was Passover, a time when pilgrims came from all parts of civilization to attend the feast. The Talmud demanded that each Jew pay his own temple tax. Foreigners had their country’s currency considered unclean. They had to exchange them for Jewish coins. The moneychangers were charging a day’s wage for the exchange. We call it “scalping” nowadays.
Those who brought animals from home to be offered as a sacrifice to the Lord took them to the inspectors. The pilgrims wanted to bring to the Lord a gift in appreciation for a safe journey and as gratitude for the joyous experience of praying at the holiest site on the earth. Nothing with a blemish was permitted to be offered to God. The temple inspectors were sure to discover some defect on the dove or sheep that disqualified it as worthy to be slain on the altar. So the animal brought from home, prayed and wept over by the loving owners, would be rejected out of hand. The only recourse for the worshipper was to pay the high price for those sold by the officials. We all know the feeling when forced to deal with public “servants,” as they are called. How much worse when they are part of the religious administration. Our Lord felt their anguish and frustration. Jesus is demonstrating that intense reality. He could not and would not pass by with a wave and a cluck of the tongue at the abuse of worship in the temple.
What a great irony, then, that He would be accused and put to death for a lack of love for God’s temple. He warned them that God would not be pacified when sin thrived. The temple existed in order that all Jews could have the opportunity to cleanse their souls and open their hearts to recognize that He is the long-awaited messiah. As the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed ages before Him, the temple is not an object of veneration itself, but the means by which God’s people could discover Him in their hearts and turn their souls to Him.