Matthew 21:12-13 - Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'"

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN."

Matthew 21:12-13

Commentary

When people came to worship at the temple (under the Old Testament Law), they needed animal sacrifices, wood, oil, and other items. Stalls were set up at the temple to sell these necessities, but since these objects sold for temple currency, the people needed to exchange their money. The temple, designed as a house of prayer, had become a marketplace where money changing and bargaining took place.

Thomas Nelson, I. (1997, c1995). Woman's study Bible . (Mt 21:12). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Did you know?
Roman coins and other forms of currency were deemed unacceptable for temple offerings because they contained pagan symbols on the coins.