John 2:18 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Then answered the Jews, &c.— A fact so public and remarkable as this, could not but immediately come to the knowledge of the priests and rulers of the Jews, whose supreme council sat in a magnificent chamber belonging to the temple; a fine rotunda, called from its beautiful pavement, Lishcath Hagazith, which stood on the wall of the temple, part of it within, and part of it without its sacred precincts. There seems to be no doubt that the Jews here mentioned were rulers; because we know that the great assembly of the Jewish rulers,—the sanhedrim,—sat in the temple. Christ's driving out the buyers and sellers must undoubtedly have come to their knowledge; and as their office seemed to authorise them to call him to an account, we are sure that their prejudicesagainst him would incline them to do it. The truth is, this affair had the mark of anextraordinary zeal; a zeal nothing inferior to that for which the prophets were famed; and this was the reason why the rulers came to him, desiring to know by what authority he had undertaken singly to make such reformation in the house and worship of God, especially in reference to matters which had been declared lawful by the council, and by doctors of the greatest reputation: and if he had any real authority for doing such things, they required him to shew it them, by working a miracle for that purpose. See John 2:23.