Topical Bible: Covetousness: Money-Changers in the Temple

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Introduction

Covetousness, often understood as an intense desire for wealth or possessions, is a recurring theme in the Bible, where it is frequently condemned as a sin that leads individuals away from God. One of the most vivid illustrations of covetousness in the New Testament is the account of Jesus driving the money-changers out of the temple. This event is recorded in all four Gospels, highlighting its significance in Jesus' ministry and its moral implications.

Biblical Account

The incident of the money-changers in the temple is described in Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17, Luke 19:45-46, and John 2:13-16. In the Berean Standard Bible, Matthew 21:12-13 reads:

"Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. And He declared to them, 'It is written: "My house will be called a house of prayer." But you are making it a den of robbers.'"

Context and Significance

The temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish worship and a place where sacrifices were offered. During major festivals, such as Passover, Jews from all over the Roman Empire would come to the temple to worship. The money-changers and merchants provided a service by exchanging foreign currency for the temple shekel and selling animals for sacrifices. However, this practice had become exploitative, with merchants charging exorbitant prices and money-changers profiting from unfair exchange rates.

Jesus' actions in the temple were a direct challenge to the corruption and greed that had infiltrated a sacred space. By overturning the tables and driving out the merchants, Jesus condemned the covetousness that had turned a place of worship into a marketplace. His reference to the temple as a "den of robbers" underscores the moral degradation that results from prioritizing profit over piety.

Theological Implications

The cleansing of the temple serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers of covetousness and the corrupting influence of money. In 1 Timothy 6:10, the Apostle Paul warns, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." This love of money, or covetousness, can lead individuals to compromise their values and exploit others for personal gain.

Jesus' actions also highlight the importance of maintaining the sanctity of worship and the need for purity in religious practices. The temple was meant to be a place of prayer and communion with God, not a venue for financial transactions driven by greed.

Moral Lessons

The account of the money-changers in the temple teaches several moral lessons:

1. Guard Against Greed: Believers are called to examine their own hearts and guard against the sin of covetousness, which can manifest in various forms, including the pursuit of wealth at the expense of spiritual integrity.

2. Prioritize Worship: The incident underscores the importance of keeping worship spaces and practices free from commercialism and exploitation, ensuring that they remain focused on honoring God.

3. Righteous Indignation: Jesus' response to the money-changers demonstrates that there is a place for righteous indignation against injustice and corruption, particularly when it undermines the worship of God.

4. Holiness in the House of God: The temple, as a symbol of God's presence, must be treated with reverence and respect. This principle extends to the modern church, where believers are called to uphold the holiness of their worship and community life.

Conclusion

The account of the money-changers in the temple is a timeless reminder of the perils of covetousness and the need for integrity in worship. It challenges believers to reflect on their own attitudes towards money and possessions, urging them to prioritize their relationship with God above material gain.

Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 21:12,13
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,
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Luke 19:45,46
And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;
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John 2:14-16
And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
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Library

Sermon for Palm Sunday
... the creatures, and are thus like the money-changers and those ... turned to the greatest
abuses of covetousness, rather than ... vessels to and fro in the temple, as St ...
/.../xiii sermon for palm sunday.htm

John ii. 11
... suited to all maladies, [591] at one time condemning covetousness, after that ... for
He cast out of the Temple those dealers and money changers, and those ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xxiii john ii 11.htm

In Jerusalem when Herod Reigned
... those shops,' or booths, on the Temple Mount, which ... who, in their cupidity and
covetousness, were worthy ... its porches) sat the official money-changers, who for ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter i in jerusalem when.htm

The Three Last Parables of the Per??an Series: the Unrighteous ...
... and accuses them of ignorance, arbitrariness, and covetousness, so that ... To the entrance
of the Temple, but no ... who sit at the corners [money-changers and traders ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xix the three last.htm

The War in Heaven.
... and that worst form of hypocrisy"covetousness which shelters ... buying and selling in
the temple, He made a ... overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and said ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/westminster sermons/sermon xxi the war in.htm

A Traveler's Note-Book
... Yahveh forbade murder, adultery, theft, false witness, covetousness. ... service-book
of the Second Temple is Kuenen's ... and driving out the money-changers; of the ...
/.../merriam/the chief end of man/iii a travelers note-book.htm

Letter cxxv. To Rusticus.
... one side is the Charybdis of covetousness, "the root ... has banished greed out of the
temple; and without ... scattered the money of the money-changers; zealous that ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxv to rusticus.htm