Keraia
Matthew 21

Matthew 21:12

Jesus Cleanses the Temple · Matthew 21:12–17
Read Matthew 21

Translations

Modern
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.
Traditional
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,
Literal
And Jesus entered into the temple and cast out all those selling and buying in the temple. And He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling the doves.
Latin
Et intravit Jesus in templum Dei, et ejiciebat omnes vendentes et ementes in templo, et mensas numulariorum, et cathedras vendentium columbas evertit:

Interlinear

Greek
English
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.

Notes

Matthew 21:12

  • Buying and selling happened in the temple complex, in the Court of the Gentiles.

  • Money changers made profit by exchanging foreign money into the official Jewish currency. Jesus criticized this commercial activity because it dishonored the holiness of the temple (see Mark 11:11–18).

Matthew 21:12–13

The close association of the temple cleansing (see John 2:13–16) and the cursing of the fig tree (Matthew 21:18–19) shows Jesus as the Messiah (God’s chosen one). He confronted Israel and warned that God judges those who reject the Messiah and his message.

Theme notes and profiles

The Stone the Builders Rejected

Events

Parallels

Mark 11:15–19 Luke 19:45–48 John 2:12–25

People

Jesus: The Son of God and Savior of the world

Glossary

Anger Banker, Banking Coins Furniture Gentiles, Court of the Gospel of Matthew Jesus Christ Money Changer Temple

Topics

Covetousness: Money-Changers in the Temple Jesus, the Christ: Drives the Money Changers out of the Temple (In Jerusalem) Jesus, the Christ: Enters the Temple (In Jerusalem) Money Changers: General Scriptures Concerning Money: Changing of, a Trade Prophecies Respecting Christ: His Coming Into the Temple: Fulfilled Sacrilege of the Money-Exchangers in the Temple Temple: Herod the Great's Temple: Jesus Expels Money-Exchangers From The Dove: Impiously Sold in the Court of the Temple the Second Temple: Christ: Purified, at the Close of his Ministry Turtle Dove: Market For, in the Temple