The Jerusalem Temple in the time of Jesus was built as a series of spacious courts for visitors to worship within. Each court got progressively more exclusive, from a place where anyone was welcome to the Holy of Holies where God abode and only the High Priest could enter once a year. The outermost court was the Court of the Gentiles, about 750 square feet, and open to all who would come. It was paved with beautiful multi-colored stone, and surrounded by tall, stately columns. Visitors could enter through several gates. King Solomon had opened this court to non-Jews. During the time of Christ, pilgrims from Palestine and all over the Roman Empire were welcome to visit. Anyone who was drawn to know about Yahweh, anyone who was seeking the truth, anyone who was simply curious, could visit this magnificent structure built to the glory of the God of Israel, and even find the equivalent of tour guides to take them as far as their gender, ethnicity or religious affiliation would allow. At the center of the court was another enclosure with warnings posted in Greek and Latin: "No foreigner is allowed within the balustrades and embankment about the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will be personally responsible for his ensuing death."
The Outer Court, or the Court of the Gentiles, became a very busy place. Not only did the pilgrims and visitors seeking the truth fill it, but merchants, both Jews and Gentiles, began to set up their booths for Temple business--the selling of animals and birds for sacrifice and the conversion of currency. Then the overcrowding became a problem.
2:13 And the passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2:14 And he found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
2:15 and he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers' money, and overthrew their tables;
2:16 and to them that sold the doves he said, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.
It was not the actual "business" going on that was a problem to Jesus. He did not condemn what was necessary for the goings-on of Temple worship. The
place was the problem. They were set up for hustle and bustle in what had been created for the place of prayer for all the nations.
56:6Also the foreigners that join themselves to Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast my covenant;
56:7 even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
Even if all the merchants and money changers had been honest (and they weren't) they were hindering those who were not Jews from finding the One True God whom they sought. Imagine trying to pray and seek God in such a place! The merchants and moneychangers were keeping people away from God in God's own house! They did not only rob people in the natural, but also robbed people in the spirit.
Jesus' actions of clearing the Temple's Outer Court were very symbolic--He was announcing the end of this exclusive sacrificial system. As He prepared to become the final sacrifice for the sins of all people, Jews and Gentiles, He symbolically cleared away the chaos for which there would no longer be a need.
2:18The Jews therefore answered and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
2:20 The Jews therefore said, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days?
2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
2:22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he spake this; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
This point was made even further when, at the moment of Jesus' death on the cross, the veil of the Temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the compound was torn apart from top to bottom. Jesus symbolically removed those "Keep Out" signs and replaced them with a welcome mat. Where the Temple courts had been progressively more
exclusive, the real Temple of God became all-
inclusive for "whosoever believed."
9:1 Now even a first `covenant' had ordinances of divine service, and its sanctuary, `a sanctuary' of this world.
9:2For there was a tabernacle prepared, the first, wherein `were' the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the Holy place.
9:3And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of holies;
9:4 having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein `was' a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
9:5 and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat; of which things we cannot now speak severally.
9:6 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services;
9:7but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people:
9:8 the Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle is yet standing;
9:9 which `is' a figure for the time present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect,
9:10 `being' only (with meats and drinks and divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.
9:11 But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,
9:12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.
9:13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh:
9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
9:16 For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him that made it.
9:17For a testament is of force where there hath been death: for it doth never avail while he that made it liveth.
9:18 Wherefore even the first `covenant' hath not been dedicated without blood.
9:19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses unto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
9:20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded to you-ward.
9:21 Moreover the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry he sprinkled in like manner with the blood.
9:22 And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.
9:23 It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
9:24 For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us:
9:25nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own;
9:26 else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this `cometh' judgment;
9:28 so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.
No longer is anyone confined to an outer court away from God. He has invited all to come into the Holy of Holies through the Blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Amen
2:16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade."