Logos
Matt. 21:12-16; Isa. 56:7; Jer. 7:11

A temple market, penned animals, an indignant Man, a whip, overturned tables, scattered coins -- the parable in action in Matthew 21 is well known.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke describe the cleansing as part of the week preceding the arrest, trial, and crucifixion.  John 2:12-16 places it at the beginning of Jesus' ministry to stress its inclusiveness.  John also adds several details, most notably the whip.  The account in Matthew is the fullest involving the exclusion of the buyers and sellers and the subsequent healing of the lame and the blind and the praise by children.

Although the event is obviously dramatic, what is its significance?  Is it merely the act of an irate prophet upset by the buying and selling in the outer courtyard of the temple?  Is it primarily a condemnation of worship profaned by market practices?

We may often consider the criticism of holding a bazaar in a place of worship as the central concern, particularly when we note Jesus' strong words of condemnation: "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers'" (Matt. 21:13, NIV).  The reference to robbers is important, but Jesus is doing more than condemning a temple market.  There is little evidence of corruption.  There is no reference to high prices or cheating practices, although the requirement that purchases be in a temple-approved currency may have led to abuses by the money lenders.  The location of the market within the temple may have been inappropriate.  Yet the money changers and the sellers were providing a needed service.  Worship in the temple had to involve animal sacrifices.  These animals had to be available locally, since those traveling for several days for the Passover festival in Jerusalem could hardly be expected to bring cattle or sheep with them.

By invoking two old testament phrases, "house of prayer" (Isa. 56:7) and "den of robbers" (Jer. 7:11), however, Jesus is commenting on God's inclusiveness and on the need for right attitudes towards worship.

Worship is inclusive.  Although there were a number of apparent exclusions, particularly in the initial establishment of worship in Sinai, later developments moved toward greater and greater inclusion.  Isaiah 56:3-8 specifically addresses two groups who had been traditionally excluded from worship in the temple:  foreigners and eunuchs.  Perhaps as a result of Isaiah's words, the temple had been expanded to include a large outer court of the Gentiles.  The temple was meant to be "a house of prayer for all nations" (Isa. 56:7).

Yet it is in this court that we find the money lenders, buyers, and sellers.  Although gentiles were not excluded from worship, the intrusion of a market in the court of the Gentiles was corrupting their worship.  The inner courts for Jewish men and women did not have such activity.   The Gentiles were being robbed of purity of worship.

Worship is attitude.  In fact, the phrase "den of robbers" refers primarily to a right attitude towards worship.  Jeremiah 7:11 is a condemnation of those who presumptuously expect God's protection and safety in the temple despite false beliefs and worship.  Their daily secular behavior contradicts their professed temple worship.

The cleansing of the temple, then, was not so much the removal of a market as it was the removal of barriers to worship.  Those barriers were wrong attitudes towards worship, particularly a presumption that worship in the temple was sufficient to cover up the sins outside the temple and an attitude of exclusion.

Although the cleansing of the temple excluded a group of buyers and sellers, it led to further inclusions.  Immediately afterwards, Jesus performs His only healing within the temple.  In conflict with Old Testament prohibitions, Jesus now includes the lame and the blind, making the temple more fully a house of prayer for all.  The praise of the children highlights the inclusiveness of a house of prayer for all people:  foreigners, handicapped, lame, blind, children.  All are welcome.  The only requirement is a desire to worship.

The cleansing of the temple was a performed parable.  Temple officials probably did not change anything as a result of Jesus' actions.  The next week (if not the next day) the buying and selling of animals probably continued, but Jesus had acted out a parable that applies to us today.  True worship of God requires the right attitude.  True worship of God is inclusive.  The church should be open to anyone who truly desires to worship.  It is a house of prayer for all.

REACT

  1. How can an act of exclusion (chasing out both sellers and buyers) be considered as an act of inclusion?

  2. What prerequisites, if any, should be required for worship?

  3. Who, if anyone, should be excluded from worship in church?  How do the following conditions related to this
      question: age, gender, nationality, race, dress, finances, health (including communicable disease), or
      openly sinful behavior?

  4. Should goods ever be bought and sold in church?  Why or why not?

  5. How do our feelings about tragedy reflect Christ's inclusive love?

  6. How do we reconilce the caution of the Israelite not to associate with Gentiles and the commission to the
      Christian to share God's love with everyone?
 

            by Charles H. Tidwell, Jr, in Collegiate Quarterly, 18.4 (October - December 1995): 66-67.