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Matthew 21 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
During the Passover festival, scores of Jews came from all over Israel and the Roman Empire to worship and celebrate. Since many traveled long distances, it was cumbersome to carry with them their animal for sacrifice. Greedy merchants, much like today, saw an opportunity and seized it. They would set up shop on the outer court of the temple to sell animals to travelers.
They also set up a “money changer” which was a currency exchange for travelers who needed to pay their annual tax. The tax had to be paid in Jewish or Tyrian coinage because it was a higher purity of silver. The sinister part of the whole deal was the fees that the money changers tacked on for this currency exchange.
Did you know that Jesus cleansed the temple on two separate occasions? The first is seen in John 2:14-16 and would have taken place early in Jesus’ ministry…
“And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.””
John 2:14-16 NASB
The second is found here in Matthew 21. The most fascinating part of Matthew’s account is how the lame and the blind came to Him immediately after this (small-scale) outburst. I say small because we don’t read of the Roman authorities getting involved. These healings, which took place in the temple, are the only healings recorded by the Gospels in the city of Jerusalem.
Jesus backed up His work with Scripture. After the chief priests and scribes questioned Him, the reply focused on what was written in the prophecies. Jesus was not only teaching humanity God’s heart, but He was fulfilling every Word written about the Messiah. He would do it with grace and truth – as only our Lord could do.