Cleansing of the temple

10. March 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Our text for today is as follows: 

Matthew 21: 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.’” 14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. 16 ”Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?” 17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.  

Yesterday, we left off with the triumphant entry into Jerusalem by Jesus.   Once Jesus enters into the city the first thing that he does is go into the temple and get rid of the corruption that was taking place there.  The text says that he drove out all who were buying and selling and overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those who were selling doves. 

As we have been studying, this event took place shortly before Passover where Jews were required to make the pilgrimage to the temple at Jerusalem to honor this required ordinance and celebration.   Jews traveled miles and miles from home and many were not able to bring the sacrifices with them that were required so they had to buy the sacrifice when they came into the city.   Also, the temple tax had to be paid with a certain type of currency and money had to be converted to the proper currency to pay the temple tax.  Jews living in other lands were of course naturally carrying the currency of their land and when they got to Jerusalem.   

The merchants and moneychangers took advantage of the people.  They had sat up in the temple and were selling doves which were used for the sacrifices at prices way higher than they were worth and the moneychangers were charging exchange rates that were higher than it should.  They were robbing the people.  Jesus came in and saw it and ran them and then quoted a passage in Isaiah which states that “my house shall be called a house of prayer.”   

 Before Jesus went to the cross, he cleaned up the “house of God.”  He let them know that God’s house of worship was designed for prayer and not as a place of extortion.   The text goes on to say that Jesus healed many at the temple and children came to him and cried out Hosanna to the son of David.  Hosanna means save now or blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  When the religious leaders heard this praise being given to Jesus they were indignant and asked Jesus what he thought about their comments of praise to him.   Jesus brilliantly responded that have you not heard that from the lips of children has praise been ordained.    How perfect.   How innocent and pure the praise is that comes from children.   Jesus then leaves them. 

Tomorrow, we will continue with our study leading up to the last days of Jesus on this earth. 

God Bless!!!!!!!  Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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