First Cleansing: - John 2:13-22
Second Cleansing: - Matt 21:12-13

Jesus cleansed the Temple two times during His ministry. The first time is recorded by John's gospel and took place at the beginning of His ministry.

The second time is recorded in each other synoptic gospels and took place near the end of His ministry, the day after His triumphal entry.

There seemed to be a divine purpose in these two incidents taking place at the beginning and end of His ministry.

In the first cleansing Jesus was able to proclaim His true authority and to announce His identity as the Messiah. He also was able to announce and clearly show that He would not compromise with evil.

By the cleansing of the Temple He earned the bitter hatred of Annas and Caiaphas. The second cleansing announced the end of His ministry by bringing about His arrest and trial. About a month before the Passover the moneychangers would open their booths.

Each Jew had to pay the Temple Tribute of the half-shekel. When the pilgrims began to arrive in Jerusalem, the moneychangers would move within the Temple. They generally charged about twelve percent for the exchange of Jewish coins for the various foreign coins. The annual revenue of the Temple from this source was about seventy-five thousand pounds.

Under Annas, the ex-High Priest, a market was established in the Temple for the sale of sheep, oxen, doves and pigeons. These animals had to be inspected by examiners who charged
exorbitant fees.

Sometimes a lamb or dove was sold for five or six times its value. The whole business was a system of graft and was a terrible desecration to the Temple.

When Jesus looked upon this awful desecration, He was filled with righteous and wrathful indignation. He takes a few pieces of cord and weaves and plaits them into a whip. He drove out the sheep and oxen from the Temple court. Then quick as a flash he overthrew the tables of the moneychangers.

When we understand the anger and opposition that was stirred up, we can see the tremendous miracle that took place. This was a supernatural act. There was something about the appearance of Jesus that caused the whole crowd to be afraid of Him.

From the natural side we might remember that this was a very popular act for the people hated these markets and would
approve and applaud what was done. Undoubtedly it caught the moneychangers by surprise
and they did not have time to organize opposition.

It is to be expected that this act would soon be challenged. His enemies were careful not to antagonize the public.

They come to Him with cunning trying to set a trap for Him. "What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?" In other words they asked for the badge of His authority.

Jesus did not walk into the trap but answered, "Destroy this temple, and
in three days, I will raise it up." Jesus referred to His own body for He knew that the hatred He had stirred up by this act would cost Him his life.

At His trial His enemies changed His words and quoted Him as saying, "I will destroy" (Mark 14:58) and "I can destroy" (Matthew 26:61).

Jesus did not say this; He said, "You destroy this temple…"

In the application there are a few lessons that we may learn from this incident in our Lord's ministry:

1. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost and must never be desecrated. Christ's attitude will be the same towards the person who desecrates his body as His attitude was towards those who desecrate the Temple.

2. A definite stand must always be taken against sin. There can be no compromise.

3. If we are filled with the Holy Ghost, our reaction to sin and corruption in the professing church should be the same as Christ's