Money changers and merchants

Question: Why there were money changers, and other merchants in the Temple and why did Jesus become so violently angry with them? Ref. Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers, and the seats of those who sold doves.(Mark 11:15)

Answer: The Passover was almost at hand, and each year Jews from all over the World came to take part in the Passover Festival, and to pay their Temple taxes.  Those from foreign lands had to have their money changed into the Temple currency, because it was the only money accepted to pay for the purchase of sacrificial animals, as well as pay for their taxes.

The inflated exchange rate enriched the money changers, and the exorbitant prices of animals made the merchants wealthy.  Further, their stalls were set up in the Temple’s Court of the Gentiles, frustrating the intentions of the Non-Jews who had come to worship God as well. (ISAIAH 56:6-7 ) 

Jesus became angry because God’s House of Worship had become a place of extortion, and a barrier to Non-Jews who wanted to worship there as well.  Jesus went on to say, “Is It Not Written, My House Shall Be Called A House Of Prayer For All Nations? But You Have Made It A Den Of Thieves.”  Mark 11:17