John 2:14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And found in the temple— Moses, in Deuteronomy 14:24-25 from considering the necessity of the Jews resorting to the capital of their country, and the inconveniences which would attend the driving the cattle which were to be offered, and could be offered only there, gave them liberty, under the direction of Jehovah, to carrymoney with them, and purchase their victims on the spot. When, therefore, the Jews were dispersed among all nations, this injunction seemed not only convenient and prudent, but even necessary; and therefore it was appointed that those animals which were used in sacrifices, should be sold without the temple near the gates. This institution whichwas so convenient, was in process of time turned into abuse; and the market was at length kept in the very court of the Gentiles, the only place which was allotted to the Gentiles to worship in. The noise of the cattle, and the hurry of the place, were great obstacles to worship, especially when we consider that the numbers who thronged this court, amounted at one passover to no less than 3,000,000; when, according to Josephus, no less than 256,500 victims were offered. But the abuse did not rest here; for it is generally supposed that the priests let out this part of the temple for profit; and that the sellers, to enable themselves to pay the rent of their shops and stalls, demanded an exorbitant price for their commodities. Nay, it is said, that the priests and Levites very often sold the animals which they had received for sacrifices, to the dealers in cattle at a lower rate, that they might sell them again with profit; so that the same sacrifice was often sold to different persons, and the spoils or gains of the sacrifices were divided between the priests and the salesmen. In order to expedite this traffic, there were money-changers at hand, who gave the Jews of foreign countries the current money of Judea, in lieu of the money of the countries whence they came; and for this service they took a premium, which upon the whole became very considerable. Thus was the temple profaned by the avarice of the priests, and literally made a den of thieves. When our Lord viewed this scene of iniquity, we need not wonder at his indignation; for it was a zeal, which shewed his high regard to religion, and his implacable enmity to vice; while at the same time it illustrated the character given him by the prophet Malachi 3:1.