Jesus drove out the money changers because of graft and corruption, as temple merchants exploited the poor with inflated prices for sacrificial animals.
Les Feldick teaches that the money changers charged the poor roughly ten times what they should have paid for necessary sacrificial animals, and because the poor could not go elsewhere, they were trapped. This illegitimate business was a form of stealing from the underprivileged, which provoked Jesus to anger and caused Him to overturn the money tables.
Romans 2:21 — This verse exposes the self-righteous religious leaders who condemned stealing while themselves stealing from the poor, which Les ties directly to the money changers' exploitation.
In Romans 2:21 Scripture asks, "That thou preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?" The question exposes religious teachers who were guilty of the very sins they denounced. As Jesus stood near the temple, He lamented, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem" (Matthew 23:37). He also warned that of the temple complex, "there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down" (Matthew 24:2). The Bible does not record the full economic reason for the temple cleansing in these passages, but the pattern of corrupt religious leadership is clear.
Les Feldick explains that the money-changing business in the temple was not even legitimate. The merchants knew the poor could not go out and barter for or buy the necessary sacrificial animals elsewhere, so they forced the poor to buy at the temple and charged them exorbitant prices, probably ten times the fair value. This graft and corruption made Jesus angry, and He overturned the money tables. Les connects this to the self-righteous Pharisees and religious leaders who, underneath their pomp, would steal from widows and the underprivileged. He points out that the temple remained the center of Jewish life even into the book of Acts, and that this corrupt system persisted until God prompted the Roman army to destroy the temple, ending temple worship altogether. Jesus' prophecy that not one stone would be left upon another was fulfilled literally as the Romans dismantled the temple stone by stone.
Les Feldick teaches that the poor could not go out to some other place and barter for or buy the necessary sacrificial animals. Because the temple had a captive market, the money changers could charge them inflated prices—perhaps ten times more than would have been fair. That is why Jesus reacted in anger.
Les describes the priests of Israel as often being known for stealing from widows and the disenchanted and underprivileged. He says they had pomp and self-righteousness, but underneath they would do anything they could get away with. In the temple area, Jesus pointed out their gross wrongdoings even as they thought they were so religious.
Les notes that Jesus predicted that the temple would be thrown down, leaving not one stone upon another. The Romans later dismantled it stone by stone, partly because of rumors of gold between the building blocks. Les teaches that God prompted this destruction to make it clear that believers are no longer under the Law and temple worship is no longer valid.
Why Paul Persecuted the Early Church — Galatians Chapter 1
He didn't care whether they were young or old, or whether they were men or women. If they had embraced Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah, Saul's attitude was, they are not worth living. They are nothing but a threat to my religion. Now you come back to Galatians, and the poor man never got over that.
Direct Explanation: Exploitation of the Poor
Les explains that the money changers charged the poor about ten times the fair price for sacrificial animals, and that Jesus overturned their tables because this graft and corruption made Him angry.
Temple and Law Context
Les shows that during Jesus' earthly ministry the temple and priesthood were still the God-given place for approaching God, which makes the money changers' abuse of that system even more serious.
Setting: Temple Corruption
Les describes the temple area during Passover and how Jesus confronted the religious leaders' gross wrongdoings, though they considered themselves religious.
Temple Destroyed, Law Ended
Les teaches that God prompted the Roman army to destroy the temple, confirming that believers are no longer under the Law and that the corrupt temple system was over.
Temple Still Operating in Acts
Les points out that the temple remained the center of Jewish life even after the resurrection, showing that the corrupt system Jesus confronted continued for a time.
Priests' Monetized Corruption
Les recounts the priests taking Judas's blood money to buy the potter's field, illustrating the religious leaders' continued greed and corruption with temple money.
Prophecy of Temple's Destruction
Les explains Jesus' prophecy that the temple would be dismantled stone by stone, which the Romans fulfilled—an end to the corrupt temple institution.
Romans 2:21: That thou preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Les quotes this verse to indict the religious leaders for stealing from the poor while preaching against stealing.
Matthew 23:37: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Spoken as Jesus stood in the temple area, expressing His lament over the city and its corrupt religious leadership.
Matthew 24:2: Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.
Jesus' prophecy that the temple system, marked by corruption, would be totally destroyed.
No. Les Feldick says they charged about ten times more than necessary for the sacrificial animals, taking advantage of the poor who could not buy elsewhere.
Les explains that it was not legitimate business but graft and corruption. The temple merchants exploited the poor, and Jesus responded by overturning their tables.
Jesus prophesied that it would be thrown down stone by stone, and the Roman army fulfilled that prophecy. Les teaches that God prompted its destruction to mark the end of the temple system and the Law.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Persecuted the Early Church — Galatians Chapter 1