Wisdom for Our Church from Christ's Cleansing of the Temple
The Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 21:10-16
Sermon by Rick Crandall
(Prepared December 20, 2022)
INTRODUCTION:
*Please open your Bibles to Matthew 21:10. Last time we studied the Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday. Rather than ride on a warrior's horse, Jesus rode toward the city on a donkey's colt. This was well known evidence that He came to bring peace to God's people. And the Jews thought their promised Messiah King would come as a glorious hero who would destroy their Roman conquerors.
*But the Jews got the timing wrong on those Old Testament prophecies. It was less than a week before the cross, and the people lining the streets of that crowded city did not understand our urgent need for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. They did not understand that Jesus came as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. So, they cried out, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" But later that week, many of those same people cried out, "Crucify Him! -- Crucify Him!"
*They did not know that Jesus is the eternal, only begotten Son of God, who humbled Himself to become a man and die on the cross for us. So, vs. 10-11 tell us that, "When He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?'' So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.'' Mark 11:11 also tells us that on that first Palm Sunday, "Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve."
*The next day Jesus went into the temple and cleansed it of those who had turned it into a "den of thieves." That's our focus in today's Scripture, and it's important, because the Lord's cleansing of the temple has some vital lessons for our church. Please think about this as we read Matthew 21:12-16.
BACKGROUND:
*Jesus cleansed the temple twice. The first time was at the beginning of His ministry. John 2:13-16 gives a good report of the first cleansing:
13. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.
15. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables.
16. And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!''
*Now we are at the end of the Lord's 3-year ministry, and Matthew 21:12-13 says:
12. Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves.
13. And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'''
*Before we explore what this temple cleansing means for our church today, we need to look at some important background information.
[1] FIRST: PLEASE NOTICE THE SCENE.
*This Scripture took place in Herod's temple in Jerusalem, and it was a sight to behold. Work began before Jesus was born, and had been going on for 46 years when Jesus first cleansed the temple. Ten thousand skilled workmen were employed for the task.
*The actual temple building itself could have fit inside of a baseball infield. That was pretty surprising to me. But the large structures all around the temple, like the storerooms, porticos and courts built by King Herod filled an area that could hold 25 football fields! This temple was built of white marble and covered with heavy plates of gold in front. Rising high above its marble-covered courts, the temple looked like a snow-covered mountain.
*We call it Herod's temple, because it was built under the command of Herod the Great. And just as Jesus prophesied, this temple was totally destroyed by Roman troops under Titus during the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. (1)
[2] THAT'S THE SCENE. BUT ALSO NOTICE THE SIN.
*We see the sin in vs. 12-13 where:
12. . . Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves.
13. And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'''
*The Lord's cleansing of the temple did not take place in the small temple building itself, but in the outer court called the court of the gentiles. John Phillips explained that the temple "area was divided into four courts. Coming in from the east and moving toward the sanctuary itself, a visitor would successively pass through the court of the gentiles, the court of the women, the court of Israel, and the court of the priests."
*People of all other races and nations had to stop in the court of the gentiles. Only Jews could go farther. Signs were posted in Latin and Greek warning Gentiles not to go any farther under penalty of death. And with their usual contempt for the gentiles, that's where the chief priests chose to set up tables for the money changers and dove merchants. The Lord’s heart was greatly disturbed that "the place of prayer for all nations" had been turned into a "den of thieves." (2)
*Again, vs. 12-13 tell us that:
12. Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves.
13. And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'''
*In vs. 13 Jesus quoted from two Old Testament Scriptures. First, from Isaiah 56:7, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." That was God's will for His temple, but quoting Jeremiah 7:11, Jesus said those corrupt religious leaders had made it into a "den of thieves."
*But how were the people being cheated? One way was through the temple tax. The huge temple facility was very expensive to maintain. Plus there was a staff that included police officers who protected the temple grounds, and carried out judgments of the Temple Court of Law. So based on Exodus 30:13, every male Jew over 20 years of age had to pay an annual temple tax of one half-shekel. The value of the tax was equivalent to two day's pay for a working man. And the temple authorities had power to seize a man's belongings if he failed to pay.
*The collection was highly organized every year, and carried out in the month of Adar that overlaps our March. They announced in all the towns and villages that it was time to pay the tax. On the 15th of the month, booths were set up in each town and village, and the tax was paid at the booths. If the tax wasn't paid by the 25th, it could only be paid directly at the temple in Jerusalem. And that's where the vast majority of Jews from other lands paid it, since they went to Jerusalem for Passover. The problem was that the tax had to be paid in silver shekels, so almost all of the visiting Jews had to exchange their money. There was a fee for the exchange, and that very profitable business led to a lot of fraud.
*The dove selling business was far worse. William Barclay explained, "It was easy enough to buy animals for sacrifice outside the temple. But they all had to be inspected by temple officials to make sure they were without blemish, and most of those doves were rejected. So, that money was wasted, and the doves bought in the temple stalls cost almost 20 times more! It was a terrible way to cheat God's people, and the temple authorities approved of it all. (3)
*The leaders' abuse of God's temple and people was an ugly, repulsive thing to God, so in vs. 12 Jesus took drastic action. He "drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves." Then in vs. 13, Jesus made a drastic accusation: He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'''
[3] THAT'S THE SIN. BUT CHURCH, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THE SUPERIORITY OF GOD'S TEMPLE TODAY.
*Herod's temple gives us a wonderful comparison between the Old Testament and the New. Under the Old Testament, God was almost unapproachable. His glory rested on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies in the temple. But the temple area was divided by walls.
*The first wall held back people of other races and nations: the Gentiles. They could only to the go the outer court of the gentiles The second wall held back the women and children. The third wall held back Jewish men. Only priests could go farther. Last was the veil in front of the Holy of Holies. Only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies, only once a year, and only by the sprinkling of blood to protect him from death.
*Church: The veil in front of the Holy of Holies was no ordinary curtain. It was 4 inches thick. But when Jesus died on the cross, God tore that curtain in two from top to bottom. God was showing us that the door to Heaven and to Him was opened through the cross of Jesus Christ.
*I love the story of the pastor who was telling the children how this curtain miraculously split open. And a little boy asked, "How big was the hole?" The preacher replied, "Big enough for anyone to get through." Big enough that is for anyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. So now through the cross of Jesus Christ, we can have instant access into the throne room of Heaven, and the constant presence of God's Holy Spirit living on our hearts. (4)
*Under the New Testament, Christians, we are the temple of God. That's why in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul asks Christians, "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."
*Just as Jesus cleansed the temple in Matthew 21, He wants to cleanse our hearts. And the New Testament is infinitely superior to the Old Testament. We don't have to go to our Father's house in Jerusalem to worship God. As believers, we are our Father's house! We are the temple of God!
*Now, our church is still a special place, and Hebrews 10:25 tells us that God surely wants us to gather here for worship. But this building is not the house of God. Christians: We are! And if this building were completely swept away by a tornado tomorrow, our church would still exist. The church is not the place. It's the people. But there are some important truths in this Scripture that we can apply to this place.
1. FIRST: GOD WANTS OUR CHURCH TO BE A PLACE FOR PRAYER.
*Again in vs. 13 Jesus said, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'" God surely wants our church to be a place for prayer. He calls us to pray, commands us to pray, urges us to pray, and encourages us to pray.
*In Jeremiah 33:3 God says, "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." And in Philippians 4:6-7 God says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
*Why do we pray? Because God loves for His people to pray, and because God is able to answer our prayers. God's Word reminds us of this truth in vs. 14. There "the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them."
*The blind and the lame came to Jesus: The blind and the lame, the hard cases, the impossible cases. "The blind and the lame came to Jesus, and He healed them!" Jesus Christ can do impossible things, because all good things are possible for God, and Jesus is the eternal Son of God who became a man to die on the cross for our sins!
*Why do we pray? Because God is able to answer our prayers, and because God cares. We see Jesus' compassion where He healed the people in vs. 14. We also see His compassion many other places in the New Testament.
*In Matthew 14:14, Jesus "saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick." In Matthew 20, blind Bartimaeus and another man cried out to the Lord for help. So in Matthew 20:34, "Jesus had COMPASSION and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him."
*Also, in Luke 7:11-15, Jesus:
11. . . went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.
12. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
13. When the Lord saw her, He had COMPASSION on her and said to her, "Do not weep.''
14. Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise.''
15. And he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
*God will not always heal us, but He always has compassion on hurting people who come to Him. So we pray, because God loves for His people to pray, because God is able to answer our prayers, and because God cares.
2. GOD WANTS OUR CHURCH TO BE A PLACE FOR PRAYER. HE ALSO WANTS IT TO BE A PLACE FOR PRAISE.
*God's Word reminds us of this truth in vs. 15-16:
15. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!'' they were indignant
16. and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?'' And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?''
*Think about why the Lord thought those children's praise was perfect. Mostly it's because their praise flowed naturally out of childlike faith. It's the kind of true faith Jesus stressed in Matthew 18:2-3, when He "called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.'"
*Their praise was also perfect because it was honest and heartfelt. It wasn't done just out of duty. It was done out of devotion. Personal contact with Jesus had changed everything! So they cried out, "Hosanna!" That word means "Save us!" "Oh, save us!" "Save us, I pray!" Gray and Adams said that "Hosanna" was also a heartfelt cheer. A shouted demonstration of welcome and goodwill. They called it a "holy hurrah," along the same line as "God save the Queen!" in England. (5)
*You see, the children were excited about Jesus. And we should be excited about our Lord and Savior! Praise the Lord! How long has it been since we've praised the Lord with the same kind of excitement we see in these children?
3. GOD WANTS OUR CHURCH TO BE A PLACE FOR PRAISE, AND A PLACE FOR PEOPLE.
*Verses 15-16 remind us that the chief priests and scribes wanted nothing to do with Jesus -- or with the common people for that matter: But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!'' they were indignant, and said to Him (to Jesus), "Do You hear what these are saying?''. . .
*William Barkley explained the elitist attitude of rulers like these: "The reaction of the chief priests and Pharisees was contempt. They called ordinary, simple people the 'People of the Land,' who were beneath contempt. To marry a daughter to one of them was like exposing her bound and helpless to a beast."
*Barclay also quoted the arrogant religious leaders of the day saying this about the common people: "'Six things are laid down about the People of the Land: Entrust no testimony to them, take no testimony from them, trust them with no secret, do not appoint them guardians of an orphan, do not make them custodians of charitable funds, and do not accompany them on a journey.'
*It was forbidden to be a guest of one of the People of the Land, or to entertain such a person as a guest. It was even laid down that, wherever it was possible, nothing should be bought or sold from one of them.
*In their aristocratic snobbery, and spiritual pride, the chief priests and Pharisees looked down in contempt on ordinary people. Most of them had this negative attitude about Jesus: 'Nobody who is spiritually and academically of any account has believed on Jesus. Only ignorant fools accept him.'" (6)
*This was the religious leaders' attitude toward the Lord and the common people in the temple that day. But Jesus cared about the people. Verse 14 reminds us that our church is a place for hurting, needy people: "Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them."
*Verses 15-16 remind us that our church is also a place for children. In vs. 15, the children were crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!'' And in vs. 16 Jesus quoted King David from Psalm 8:2 saying, "Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise."
*Our church is a place for children. And our church is a place for anyone who will trust in the Lord with child-like faith.
*One of my greatest joys as a pastor has been leading children to the Lord. And one of the most memorable times was a 7-year-old boy named Ryland. Ryland had been talking to his dad for several weeks, and that little boy was seeking the Lord with all his heart.
*I went through the plan of salvation with Ryland. We talked about how serious our sin problem is, but how much God loves us anyway. We talked about how Jesus Christ came to die on the cross for our sins, how He rose again from the dead, how Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with us, and how we must place our faith in the Lord to be saved.
*Ryland only had one question, and it was a good one. He didn't understand the word "faith," and he wanted me to explain it to him. The best way I can understand faith is trust. Faith is putting your trust in God. And it helped a whole lot that Ryland was standing right in front of his dad as we talked about it.
*I am sure that the Lord gave me the idea to ask him: "Do you trust your dad?" "Sure," he answered. "Well, trusting God is kind of like that. What if your dad told you to fall back right now, and he said, 'It will be okay Ryland, because I'll catch you,' Would you do it?"
*Ryland firmly answered, "Yes." Then I explained: "You can't see your dad. But you heard him tell you, 'It's okay.' And he said he's going to catch you. Well, we can't see God right now, but He has spoken to us in His Word. He told us that He loves us and sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He told us that Jesus rose again from the dead, so we can trust him to forgive us and give us eternal life. We can let our whole future fall on Jesus Christ."
*Then I asked Ryland if he wanted to trust in Jesus as His Lord and Savior. And he said, "DEFINITELY!" Ryland went the distance that night! He called on the name of the Lord. He prayed to receive Jesus. He opened his heart to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
CONCLUSION:
*Our church is a place for children like that. And our church is a place for anyone who will trust in the Lord with child-like faith. Have you done that? We pray for you and everyone else to put their faith in Jesus Christ. And we praise God every time someone does. That makes sense because God wants our church to be a place for prayer, a place for praise, and a place for people.
*Put your trust in the Lord. Open your heart to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus will forgive your sins and give you His eternal life. The Lord will also come to live in your heart and make you part of the spiritual temple He is building today. He will also make you part of the Family of God, and be your best friend forever. Call on Jesus to save you now, as we go back to God in prayer.
(1) Sources:
-INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA - "IV. The Temple of Herod" - James Orr, M.A., D.D., General Editor - Published in 1915, 1939; public domain.
-Got Questions: What was Herod's temple? - https://www.gotquestions.org/Herod-third-temple.html
(2) Adapted from EXPLORING THE GOSPELS: JOHN by John Phillips, Kregal Publications, Grand Rapids - "Jesus And The Building" - John 2:13-17 - Downloaded to "Bible Study 6" from Olive Tree Bible Software, Inc.
(3) Adapted from:
-BARCLAY'S DAILY BIBLE STUDY SERIES - NEW TESTAMENT by William Barclay - Revised Edition - Copyright 1975 - First published by the Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh, Scotland - The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - "The Temple Tax" - Matthew 17:24-27 - https://bibleportal.com/commentary/section/william-barclay/the-temple-tax-matthew-1724-27
-BARCLAY'S DAILY BIBLE STUDY SERIES - NEW TESTAMENT by William Barclay - Revised Edition - Copyright 1975 - First published by the Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh, Scotland - The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - "The Scene In The Temple" - Matthew 21:12-14 - https://bibleportal.com/commentary/section/william-barclay/the-scene-in-the-temple-matthew-2112-14
(4) "Preparing for Easter Sunday" - "Dynamic Preaching" email 03/13/2002
(5) Gray & Adams Bible Commentary by James Comper Gray and George M. Adams - Volume 4, p. 112 - Zondervan Publishing House - Grand Rapids, Michigan - Originally published as Bible Encyclopedia and Museum in 1903 by F. M. Barton)
(6) Adapted from BARCLAY'S DAILY BIBLE STUDY SERIES - NEW TESTAMENT by William Barclay - Revised Edition - Copyright 1975 - First published by the Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh, Scotland - The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - "Unwilling Admiration and Timid Defence" - John 7:45-52 - https://bibleportal.com/commentary/section/william-barclay/unwilling-admiration-and-timid-defence-john-745-52
