For many years the great temple of God in Jerusalem was the place where people who believed God came to praise Him. It was the only place where animals could be sacrificed, as God had said must be done, because of sins.
God had given directions for all that was to be done there, for the work, the dishes to be used, and all else. Many of those laws were in the books of Exodus and Leviticus, and men, called priests and scribes, were to instruct the people and see that all was done as God had directed.
Thieves
The temple was large, with rooms and courts and lots of space. Instead of keeping it in the order told by God and to honor Him, men used it as a marketplace to buy and sell for their own profit, and not only that, they were dishonest in their dealings.
Some men sat at tables where, for a fee, they would change the Roman or other coins of the people to the temple money, as no other could be used in gifts for the temple. One gift was always a certain small coin (Ex. 30:13-1613This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord. 14Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord. 15The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls. 16And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls. (Exodus 30:13‑16); Ex. 38), but the men who made gain by this had no right in the temple (Psa. 15:55He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15:5)).
At the time Jesus was on earth, many men of Israel lived in other countries and came to the temple at the feast time, so at those times a great number of doves, sheep, goats and cattle were needed for sacrifice. There were many coins to change, and the selfish men had plenty of business.
Jesus saw the wicked dealings of the men and told them the words of God, “My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer.”
But He said they had made it “a den of thieves.” His words tell how very wicked they were, and He sent them from the temple.
The True Sacrifice
The priests and scribes were willing for the dishonest selling to be done. So they were more angry than ever at Jesus when He stopped the men. It was only a few days after this that Jesus became Himself the great sacrifice for sins by His death on the cross. And no more animals for sacrifice were required by God, as these verses tell: “Nor yet that He [Christ] should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with the blood of others; ... but now once ... hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:25-2625Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:25‑26)).
“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb. 10:3-123But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:3‑12)).
The offerings of the animals had to be done over and over, whenever a person sinned and also on special days. The people were so careless about their sins that the men in the temple sinned even with buying and selling the animals and were not honest.
But the life of the Lord Jesus was so precious, He suffered only once for sin, and all who believe in Him may know their sins forgiven. The cleansing of the temple teaches us of the holiness of God, and selfish and wrong acts in work for Him dishonor Him as much now as then.
Further Meditation
1. What were the different kinds of sacrifices that the people offered?
2. Who could offer sacrifices in those times?
3. You would find Christ as Seen in the Offerings by R. F. Kingscote to be an excellent source of meditation on the different kinds of offerings in the Old Testament.