Before the Great Fire of...
Illustration
Before the Great Fire of London in 1666, it is said that the old St. Paul's Cathedral was used as a place to make business transactions. It was also used as a shortcut for people in a hurry. They would simply walk through the church, even when worship was taking place, to avoid going around the block. This practice led to the nicknaming of the nave of St. Paul's as "St. Paul's Walk."
In the same way, the Temple in Jerusalem was often no more than a "house of trade." What was even worse, the moneychangers not only did business in the Temple, but they were notorious for cheating the poor people. When a person had to offer a certain sacrifice demanded by the law, the animals for that sacrifice usually had to be purchased at the Temple. It was very inconvenient, for example, to bring a goat or a turtledove ninety miles from Nazareth to the temple. The priests then who had a monopoly could charge exorbitant rates for the animals to be sacrificed. The sacrificial worship had been reduced to a business transaction.
When Jesus saw what was happening, he drove the moneychangers out of the Temple, poured out their coins, and overturned their tables, saying, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade."
In the same way, the Temple in Jerusalem was often no more than a "house of trade." What was even worse, the moneychangers not only did business in the Temple, but they were notorious for cheating the poor people. When a person had to offer a certain sacrifice demanded by the law, the animals for that sacrifice usually had to be purchased at the Temple. It was very inconvenient, for example, to bring a goat or a turtledove ninety miles from Nazareth to the temple. The priests then who had a monopoly could charge exorbitant rates for the animals to be sacrificed. The sacrificial worship had been reduced to a business transaction.
When Jesus saw what was happening, he drove the moneychangers out of the Temple, poured out their coins, and overturned their tables, saying, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade."
