The Temple is Not a House of Merchandise - John 2:16

John the apostle shared how Jesus turned water into wine, and he wrote, “went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables”, and in chapter two and verse sixteen of his book, John shared how Jesus said, “make not my Father's house a house of merchandise” where we read:

And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things from here;

make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.

The verse reads, “And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things from here;” John began with the words, “And he said unto them that sold doves” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed to the people who were selling and bartering small birds such as doves or pigeons”, “take these things from here” which means “remove and carry away these doves from the sacred place”. John shared how Jesus told the people who were bartering in “small birds” to remove them from the “temple”.

The verse goes on to say, “make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.” John continued with the words, “make not my Father's house” which means “do not provide, produce or render Jesus' Father, God's, dwelling place” “a house of merchandise” or “an abode or dwelling place belonging to and emporium, mart or marketplace”. John shared how Jesus demanded that the people “doing business” within the “temple” not make His “Father God's” dwelling place like a marketplace.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn what Jesus said to the people who were conducting business within the “temple”. He not only demanded that they remove the “doves” from the “temple”, but also told all the people within the “temple” they were not to make His “Father God's” “sacred worship place” a “dwelling place like the market”. No doubt Jesus was angry with the people who were attempting to merchandise those who desired to have a personal relationship with God, and anyone who was impeding their ability to relate to Him was addressed by Jesus. God's house, the “temple” or “church”, is not to be a place where “merchandising and business” is conducted. Jesus said His Father's house is to be a “house of prayer” (See Mathew 21:13), and any “business” conducted within God's “sacred places” should never prevent any person from coming to Jesus who is willing to forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life.

Next time John shares how Jesus', “disciples remembered … the zeal of your house has eaten me up”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".