My starting point here is a livestock market, of which I have attended a few. But this one wass huge. The temple courts covered a huge area. This was Annas’ Bazaar, numerous stalls paying rent to the High Priest and his family. Money-changers, inspectors of animals for sacrifice, sellers of animals for sacrifice, sheep and oxen, and doves and pigeons for poorer people.

‘from Jewish writings we know that many improper transactions were carried on, to the taking undue advantage of the poor people who came to offer their sacrifices.’ (Alfred Edersheim)

Edersheim also comments that the historical evidence is quite disjointed. Even so the Jerusalem Talmud provides much material of the operation of the Temple-market, indicating that abusive practices had continued for some decades before this incident, and even re-commenced after Jesus’ Ascension into Heaven, only ceasing three years before the destruction of Jerusalem.

The historian Josephus describes Annas (son of Annas referred to here) was ‘a great hoarder up on money.’

The population of the city was swollen at Passover time, as many thousands of Jews, usually scattered across many nations, congregated to make their offerings. They would have arrived some days ahead of the Passover to prepare. The streets and especially the Temple area, would have been congested and noisy. Yet, Jesus’ strong words were heard above the noise. I imagine a sudden and powerful silence, with every mouth stilled.

Jesus’ anger here was not the sudden loss of temper; but carefully measured righteous reaction to deep wrong.  Wrongs with which He was familiar, having visited the Temple many times during His life. (The first half of John’s gospel is essentially a series of visits to Jerusalem and the Temple.) The market-place was no surprise to Him.

The gospel writers add details here (Luke has the smallest content.) See Mark 11.15 and Matthew 21.12.

Jesus drove out those who bought and sold. Their goods, sheep and oxen, were driven away.

Jesus overturned the tables of money changers.

Jesus overturned the seats of those who sold pigeons.

In John, Jesus simply spoke to those who sold doves; not turning over their tables; making a distinction with those who provided animals for the poor. (I am leaving aside the question whether John reports a previous incident, or whether he simply puts the same incident at the start of his gospel.)

Matthew adds the comment that the blind and lame came to Jesus in the temple and were healed. Jesus demonstrated what was supposed to happen there. Mark adds that he was teaching in the temple. Again, this was what was supposed to happen. Here again we see perfectly controlled anger. Jesus did not merely rail at wrong-doing, He demonstrated what He expected of those who followed Him.

The Biblical theme of lament is strong, although much neglected in churches in the west today. Jesus wept, John says, at the grave of Lazarus. He weeps here over the city of Jerusalem. His cry is directed at the city, at the entire people of Israel. Their Messiah had been revealed, as promised for many centuries; He had announced His own arrival in Luke 4, where Isaiah 61 was fulfilled in their hearing. Jesus’ wonderful ministry daily declared His Messiah-ship, as the blind saw, the lame walked, the dead rose, and the gospel was preached to the poor.

But, having come to his own people, they rejected Him (John 1.11)

Luke records a previous lament in 13.34-36 (See Matt 23.37-39), as well as the words recorded in 19.41-44. He saw the city. He wept over it.

Both writers include the word ‘O,’ a word from the depths of the heart. David uses the same word when he heard his (rebellious) son Absalom had been killed (2 Sam 18.33). ‘O my son Absalom!’

And, He cries, ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem.’ When the speaker repeats the name, that speaks of urgency. Like the angel calling ‘Abraham, Abraham’ on Mount Moriah as he was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

So He wept.

Jesus words echo the heart-wrenching lament of Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations. He walks around the wreckage of the city, the ruins of the temple, strewn with bodies of young and old, men, women, and children. Many say that Rachel wept for her children, as Jeremiah himself reported, because they were no more (Jer 31.15).

40 years later that Jesus’ lament, Roman General Titus broke into the same city, destroyed the temple, slaughtering thousands. It happened again!

The first of the three incidents we call the triumphal entry.

Jesus’ arrival into the city was obvious. There were a lot of people and a lot of noise. Palm branches were cast before the ‘King’ who had arrived, fulfilling the words of the prophet Zechariah. Had the people kept silent, we are told, even the very stones would have cried out.

Here were the people sharing Jesus’ joy. He who was anointed with the oil of joy more than His companions (Heb 1.9, quoting Psalm 45.6), was totally comfortable in joyful exuberance.

There is a nod here to David accompanying the ark of God into Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6. They king danced undignified through the streets of the city. There were party-poopers there too, in the person of Michal, Saul’s daughter, who became barren. Would not the nation of Israel, in rejecting Jesus, become dead, like a fig tree cursed!

Aside – Saul’s line, representing the old order, was all but wiped out. Saul and his sons had died on Mount Gilboa (1 Sam 31); later, the sons of Rizpah and Merab (2 Sam 21) were put to death. Only Mephibosheth remained, listed in 1 Chron 8 with the longest genealogy. He became, perhaps, the ancestor of Saul, who was converted to Christ, became Paul, the preacher of grace in Christ. In the midst of judgment and even vengeance, the light of the grace of Christ shines.

It was in the following chapter that David’s heart birthed the idea of a temple, a permanent dwelling place for God. Jesus came to the temple (admittedly the replacement of the original!)

Jesus’ comment concerning stones is significant too. John Baptist had declared that God could raise up stones for Abraham in Luke 2.8. Now, at the climax of Jesus’ ministry and life, He declares that, if His followers were to stay silent, stilling their praise and adoration, those same stones would cry out. The reference to the dead religion of the day is clear.