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

 

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

Isaiah 56 Part III

And the finale of Isaiah 56 is God’s accusation against the wicked. We read in verses 9 – 12

9 Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts of the forest! 10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. 11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain. 12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.”

Israel’s watchmen are referred as blind men lacking knowledge of God. They are wolfs disguised as shepherds devouring the poor, crippled and all the other outcasts. They are shepherds who do not understand the needs of the people they pasture. They are selfish, and make themselves fat on the ignorance and innocence of others.

Let us examine ourselves. Are we like the pompous, religious men of the OT and Jesus’ time who were like ‘the blind leading the blind’. Their thoughts were constantly focused on growing richer and powerful while laying heavier and heavier burdens on the common man.

The above verses clearly shows that God is well aware of the greed and selfish pride of the wicked, pretentious ‘men of God’. There is an underlying threat to these people for denying the outcasts their rightful place in God’s sanctuary. We can safely assume that the Righteous and Just God who extends His hand of salvation to the pariahs of the community will also not hesitate to extend His hand of Judgment to these false shepherds.

Outcasts’ Salvation

The Jewish outcasts included the women, the blind, the lame, the lepers, the eunuchs and the Samaritans. Foreigners or gentiles were another set of outcasts that were not allowed to participate in any Temple services. Verses 3 and 4 again emphasizes the universality of the salvation offered to those who bound themselves to the Lord. They bound themselves to the Lord by trusting Him and lovingly serving him from their heart.(verse 6) Read more

Righteousness to be revealed

Lord Jesus performed a number of healing miracles (it was unlawful to work/heal on sabbaths), particularly on Sabbath days. Why? Read

Salvation for Non-Jews?

Question: Is salvation for the non-Jews (all nations) a New Testament concept? To read the answer click here..