The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 21 Part 2 Jesus Powerfully Cleansed His Father's Temple

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Matthew 21:4-6  All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5  Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6  And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7  And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8  And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

We saw how prophecy concerning Jesus Christ was literally fulfilled when He entered Jerusalem. 

A great multitude of people went on before Jesus and followed after Him.

The timing of this event is important.

Jesus entered Jerusalem on the very day that the Passover lamb was to be separated and observed, to ensure it meets all the qualification of this holy sacrifice.

Five days later, Christ would be crucified just as the Passover lamb would be slain to atone for the sins of the people.

The Bible clearly states, in all four Gospels, that Jesus was crucified on preparation day (See Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14,31). 

According to this timeline, Jesus was killed in AD 30, and the day of preparation was Passover Friday, on Nisan 14 according to the Jewish calendar.  

The fact that Jesus was killed on Passover harmonizes well with 1 Corinthians 5:7, which calls Christ “our Passover lamb.”

Psalm 118:25-26  Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26  Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. 

We noted that the word "Hosanna" means calling upon Jehovah to "save now" or to "help now."

Hosanna is a word associated with calling upon God to save us or help us at a particular moment of great crisis.

The Psalmist followed his cries of Hosanna with the blessing of "he" that cometh in the name of the LORD, which refers to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

In a general sense those who minister the Word of God to us in the name of the LORD, are certainly a blessing and encouragement.

But this is a Messianic text that anticipates the triumphal entry of Israel's Messiah through the gates of Jerusalem.

Thus, the Psalmist had great hope that Jehovah would indeed save and help His redeemed people.

The reason all Jerusalem was moved is because of a vast multitude shouting for help and salvation with psalms of praise, when Jesus came through the gates.

In like manner, the multitude going before Jesus cried out to God for salvation, deliverance and mighty help.

The multitude shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David", a title reserved for the king of Israel who was a direct descendant of King David.

All of these events connect with John the Baptist who announced Jesus as "The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (See John 1:29; 36).

Matthew 21:10-11  And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11  And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. 

Remember that Pharisees and scribes followed Jesus, trying to catch Him or His disciples doing something wrong. 

They loved the traditions of men because their loyalty was to dead rabbis rather than to the living Word of God.

Pharisees and scribes knew about Jesus' teachings and miracles, but most of the people in and around Jerusalem did not know Him.

Thus, Matthew tells us that all the city was moved. 

The word translated "moved" is a metaphor that describes an agitated mind, an overthrow of normal things or a state of trembling. 

It would be like 9/11/2001, where people's minds were perplexed, agitated and thrown into turmoil over the attacks upon America.

Jesus' triumphal entry represents a defining moment in Israel's history as well as for the world at large.

All the people asked "Who is this?"

Some followed Christ out of curiosity, others belittled His person and the spiritual leaders of Israel were openly hostile and hateful toward Jesus.

Most people were ignorant of Christ and blinded by the rabbi's false teachings and wrong expectations about Messiah's coming.

Israel's King came meekly to them riding on an ass and the colt of an ass whereas most expected a military Messiah who would raise a mighty army and defeat Rome.

John 1:11-13  He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

John's gospel states that concerning the Jewish people, Jesus "came unto His own, and His own received Him not."

Thus, most Jews did not believe and receive Jesus as the Christ, their long awaited Messiah.

However, everywhere that Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom, there were some who did believe the gospel and received Him as Lord and Savior.

People were born again not by dead traditions of rabbis but by gospel power of the living God unto salvation (See Romans 1:15-17).

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, 13  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. 

When Christ came into Jerusalem, He did not enter the court as a King.

He came first into the temple of Jehovah, for the kingdom of heaven and of God is first of all, a spiritual one. 

It is a kingdom from above and not of this world; therefore it is in holy things that Jesus rules, and in the temple of God where He exercised authority. 

What did Jesus do when He entered the holy temple, the house of God?

He immediately expelled all the merchants, money changers and those who sold sacrificial animals.

This was not the first time that Jesus cleansed the temple.

John 2:13-22  And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; 16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. 17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. 18  Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21  But he spake of the temple of his body. 22  When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. 

John recorded Jesus' first miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana.

Shortly after, Jesus attended a feast in Jerusalem with His family and disciples.

Jesus found people in the temple conducting business in violation of God's law.

He made a scourge or small whip and drove them all out of the temple. 

Then Jesus poured out all the money and overthrew the tables of moneychangers.

It may seem puzzling to us why Jesus reacted so strongly to these things, however, there are some historical realities to consider.

Jesus cleansed the temple of the money-changers and sellers of merchandise because they polluted God's house of prayer with business transactions.

At that point in history, Judea was under Roman rule and Roman coins were universally used for most transactions. 

However, God's law required that every man pay a temple tax of “half a shekel” which was a Jewish coin (See Exodus 30:11–16).

It was convenient to have money changers present to exchange Roman coins for temple shekels.

Money changers provided this service but demanded a fee for each exchange. 

Because tens of thousands of people came to the great feasts, changing money was a highly profitable business.

Money changers often defrauded poor people who exchanged Roman coins and were guilty of oppressing them.

According to the Law, two doves or pigeons were required to be offered in sacrifice (See Leviticus 14:22). 

A lucrative business selling sacrificial animals sprang up, resulting in the sellers charging worshippers exorbitant prices. 

Zechariah 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. 

This Messianic prophecy is rightly applied to Christ. 

John's gospel tells us that the Spirit of God was given to Jesus without measure, without restriction.

Thus, the Spirit of God in Christ caused Jesus' zealous response to those who polluted and corrupted the Temple.

Malachi 3:1-3  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

John the Baptist is the forerunner for Jesus and the kingdom of heaven.

Messiah was to appear suddenly in His temple and although this prophecy has a future final fulfillment at the Day of the LORD judgement, yet, Christ previewed what it will be like.

Messiah will come with purifying fire that will burn and purge out all uncleanness. 

Jesus did just that when He cleansed the temple of money changers and profiteering merchants.

Psalm 69:9  For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. 

Psalm sixty nine is drenched in Messianic prophecy and this text also applied to the burning zeal of Christ for His Father's house.

Matthew 21:13  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. 

Jesus referred to the Old Testament scriptures that said the house of Jehovah is known for holiness (See Psalm 93:2).

Jesus referred to Jeremiah who said that Jehovah saw how Israel made His holy house into a den of thieves (See Jeremiah 7:11).

Jesus referred to Isaiah who said that The LORD's house was known as a house of prayer (See Isaiah 56:7).

There is a good message here for Christ's church today. 

Many churches employ a business marketing model and tailor their ministry to the research results.

Thus, a casual approach to God is used because people felt more comfortable with a God who is more like them, yet scripture says our God is a consuming fire (See Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29).

Casual worship and secularized music replaces singing hymns and psalms, yet scripture says that Nadab and Abihu died by fire because they did not worship God the way that He specified (See Leviticus 10:1-2; Colossians 3:16-17).

A false gospel is preached that says you can be "born again" and live like you always lived, yet scripture says that if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation and his life is radically altered (See 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Jesus confronted the corrupt practices permitted by a corrupt priesthood. 

God tells us to be holy because He is holy and this remains out calling today (See 1 Peter 1:13-25).

Jeremiah 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 

Jesus demanded that the religious leaders stand to account for minimizing scripture and following corrupt traditions of men.

 

Jeremiah pleaded with God's redeemed people that they would stop and examine the path of life that they were on.

Jesus taught that there are only two paths. One is filled with people who love the world and live for self and that broad way leads to eternal condemnation.

The other way is the narrow, God pleasing way that leads to eternal life with God in heaven (See Matthew 7:12-14).

Jeremiah 7:23  But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

This is the gospel from the Old Testament. 

God says "Obey my voice, walk in my ways, and it will be well with you and I will be your God." 

Isaiah 2:5  O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. 

Isaiah gave another word inviting a sinful people to repent and turn to God. 

What God wants for each Christian is that we walk in His light together.

1 John 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

All the apostles wrote about God as light and that we must choose to walk as children of light.

If we claim to be a Christian but we walk in the dark ways of sin and the world, then our profession of faith is false.

Isaiah 30:20-21  And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: 21  And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. 

It is never too late to call upon Jesus Christ with repentant faith.

Even when it seems that God is far from us, our ears can hear "a word behind us saying this is the way; walk in it."

These texts indicate that Jesus forcefully called attention to sin in His Father's house that was being tolerated by the religious leaders.

Jesus showed that in each generation, believers will have to take a stand for God's truth even though we may suffer for doing so.

We must ask God to show us the old paths, the safe paths marked out by His Word.

This leads to the good way where we find rest for our souls.

Which path are you traveling today? The broad path of worldliness, sin and living for self?

Or, the way marked by holiness and a desire to honor God all the days of this life?

Bob