MERCHANDISE IN THE TEMPLE

John 2:13-16

13 And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

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For a period of four hundred years, the Israelites served as slaves in Egypt. The Egyptians made life cruel and miserable for the Israelites and in the fullness of time, God sent them a deliverer in the person of Moses.

Moses is perhaps the greatest man that ever bestrode the earth were we to assume that Jesus Christ was more than a man. Through his ministry, the Passover was established. Ever since his time the Jews celebrate this festival once every year. It is the greatest event in the life of the Jew.

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I t is the wish of every Jew irrespective of whichever country they reside to participate in this festival in Jerusalem, therefore they troop in to Jerusalem in large numbers to celebrate the Passover. They not only arrive with their families for those of them who could afford it, but also come with foreigners who haven got a pre-knowledge of this event also choose to participate.

The most important of all the events in this festival is in the sacrificing of animals to atone for the sins of the people as they choose to make their peace with God. The animals used for such sacrifices include bulls, sheep and doves. It all depends on the financial capabilities and the size of each family present.

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Now many of the foreigners and foreign Jews arrive with foreign currencies to Jerusalem. These money must be converted to local money for effective usage. In those days there were no banks or Bureau de changes as we know them today to assist in these monetary conversions.

Also the animal market was quite a distance from the temple. To promote the ease by which the foreigners can perform their operations in the financial market so as not to miss any part of the rituals, the financial experts among the clergy of that day met and decided to create a very conducive atmosphere by which financial transactions can proceed  with relative ease.