John 2:14. In the temple He found those selling oxen, sheep and doves, and the money changers, sitting there.
When, on this arrival in Jerusalem, I found that people scarcely dared enter the temple because of all the livestock and their sellers, this disgraceful state of affairs finally began almost to consume Me. For at times an ox would become wild, injuring people and damaging objects consecrated to God. Almost everyone who visited the temple often found the stench and noise unbearable, and not infrequently lost all his necessary possessions there. Peter and Nathanael said to Me, ‘Lord, have You no more lightning and thunder? Just look! The poor people are weeping outside the temple. They come from far away to give glory to God, but cannot get in at all because of all the oxen and sheep crammed into the temple. Many who managed to enter and leave only with difficulty and danger complain that they were completely robbed there and almost suffocated by the stench! Ah, this is far too wicked and evil! Such outrageous abuse must be stopped at any price, for it goes far beyond Sodom and Gomorrah!’
An unfamiliar old Jew overhears these words, approaches and says, ‘Dear friends, you do not know everything. Three years ago I myself was a common servant in the temple, and I learned of things there that made me shudder to the bone!’
I say, ‘Friend, keep it to yourself, for I know everything that was going on there and has happened. But be assured: the measure is full, and this very day you shall see God’s power and wrath at work. Move away from the temple gates for a while, however, so that you are not injured when God’s power shortly drives the desecrators out of the temple. Afterward they will no longer dare commit such a desecration.’
The Jew then went away praising God, for after these words he took Me for a prophet. He went to his company and told them what he had heard from Me. The company, consisting of several hundred people, young and old, rejoiced and began loudly praising God for having again raised up a mighty prophet.
John 2:15. He made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple, together with the sheep and oxen, poured out the money changers’ money and overturned their tables.
But I said to Peter, ‘Go over there to the rope maker, buy three strong cords from him and bring them here!’ Peter did so immediately and brought Me three strong cords. I quickly braided them together and thus made Myself a strong whip. With this whip in My right hand, I said to all who were with Me and to My disciples, ‘Come into the temple with Me now and be witnesses, for God’s power and glory shall now once again prove themselves in Me before your eyes!’
After these words I naturally led the way into the temple. As I went, everyone drew back, and those following Me had a clear path behind Me; the floor, however, was full of dung and filth.
On reaching the last entrance hall of the temple, where the foremost dealers in oxen and sheep had set out their livestock for sale on the left, while the money changers occupied the right side throughout all three halls, I stood on the steps of the gate. In a voice as powerful as thunder I said, ‘It is written: My house is a house of prayer, but you make it a den of murderers! Who gave you the right to desecrate God’s temple in this way?’
But they shouted, ‘We paid the high priest dearly for our right and are under his protection and the protection of Rome!’
I say, ‘You are indeed under such protection, but God’s arm is against you and your protectors. Who will protect you from it when it is stretched out over you and your protectors?’
The sellers and money changers say, ‘God dwells in the temple, and the priests belong to God. Can they do anything against His counsel? Whomever they protect, God protects too!’
In a very loud voice I say, ‘What are you saying, you senseless desecrators? The priests still sit in the seats of Moses and Aaron, but they no longer serve God; they serve mammon, they serve the devil. Their right and your right is a right of devils and never, for all eternity, a right from God! Therefore get up this instant and clear the halls, or it will go badly for you!’
Then they began to laugh and said, ‘Just look at the impudence of this common Nazarene! Throw him out of the temple at once!’ They then rose and tried to lay hands on Me.
At this I raised My right hand with the whip of cords and began swinging it over their heads with divine might. Whoever the whip struck was immediately seized by the most violent, almost unbearable pain; the same happened to the livestock. In an instant a terrible howling arose from people and animals. The livestock fled violently, knocking down whatever came into their path, and the sellers and buyers likewise fled with dreadful cries of pain. But I overturned all the money-changing stalls and scattered all the money lying on them; the disciples also helped Me with this work.
John 2:16. To those selling doves He said, ‘Take these things away, and do not make My Father’s house a house of trade!’
I then entered the temple, where many dealers in doves were still waiting for buyers with their cages full of doves of every kind and species. Because these dealers were generally poor and were not actually seeking profit, and because selling doves in the temple was already a long-standing practice, although in earlier times customary only in the first forecourt, I merely admonished these poor people and said, ‘Take these things outside, and do not make My Father’s house a house of trade; the outermost forecourt is the place for such things.’ These poor people then also left without objection and took their old place in the outermost forecourt. In this way the temple was now cleansed.
John 2:17. His disciples afterward remembered that it is written, ‘Zeal for Your house has consumed Me.’
But since this cleansing caused a great stir, the disciples secretly feared that the priesthood would soon have the Roman guard arrest us as agitators and that we could scarcely escape the most shameful calling to account and punishment; for it is written, ‘Zeal for My house has consumed Me.’ But I said to them, ‘Do not worry!
Look out into the entrance halls, and you will see how busily the servants and priests are gathering up the money changers’ scattered money and slipping it into their bags! On account of those who suffered losses, they will probably ask us by what power we did this. Secretly, however, it will suit them very well, for the deed brings them about a thousand bags of gold and silver, which they will never return to the owners. They are also too busy now and have no time to call us to account. Nor will they readily hear a complaint in this matter; likewise, those who suffered losses, having been taught a very sharp lesson, will not readily bring a complaint against Me so soon. So remain quite calm.
Zeal for My house will indeed consume Me before these people, but not for a long time yet! At most, some Jews present here will ask Me who I am and by what power I did such a thing, and will request a sign of authentication from Me. But I already know that this must happen, and it will pose no danger to us. Just look toward the curtain; some are already standing there who presume to question Me about it in their very own interest. But they shall also receive a proper answer at once.’