Jesus entered the temple courts 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. “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.'” Matthew 21:12-13
“It is the messianic King, the Son of David. He enters the temple in a confrontational mood, and His initial actions must have been perceived as the beginning of the literal revolution He was expected to bring. In the temple precincts, and especially during the major festivals, provision was made for pilgrims to purchase animals and birds for sacrifice. Money changers exchanged Roman currency for Tyrian coins, which alone could actually be used in making offerings or paying the temple tax. Jesus was not against these practices in principle, which were necessary for the functioning of the sacred cultus, but only the stationing of them in the temple area, probably in the court of the Gentiles. No comment is made on the fairness of prices or rates of exchange, which are again not Jesus’ concern. The issue simply concerns turning the temple precincts into a place of business.”
Donald A. Hagner in Matthew 14-28 (WBC 33b; Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995) 600.
On Passion Week Monday, Jesus cleanses the temple of the merchants and moneychangers. What just happened? The temple authorities allowed merchants and moneychangers in the precincts, likely in the name of convenience and so revenue flowed into the temple. In so doing, the focus of the square footage was lost. It was supposed to be a place of prayer for people to make their offerings and meet with God, to grow in faith and dependence on Him. With this cleansing, as Hagner reveals, Jesus closed the place of business and re-opened the place for prayer.
If Jesus visited your church or mine, would He find that we had turned local church ministry into a business or would He celebrate it as a place of prayer? It happened to the temple at the time of Jesus and happens today. If you feel that things need to be set right in your church or ministry, confront the issue like Jesus did. Head on. It might mean putting to work hoarded funds that belong to God so your church returns to a place of dependence on Him. It could be ceasing business that distracts from gospel ministry, or something else. Don’t wait for him to overturn your tables.
It’s been awesome to minister in Sioux Falls this weekend. Today I have meetings at the seminary (pictured above).