If jesus was so peaceful, why did he overturn the moneychangers tables in the temple and how large of an?

Question

entourage would he have needed to do so?

Wouldn't this have started, in the least, a minor riot?

sure;y there were Roman guards all around the place protecting Pilate's interests....

Answer 1

If Jesus was supposed to bring peace on earth, why the heck was there there so much bloodshed surrounding him?

Oh... by the way. In Judiasm today, there is no money handled or collected on the sabbath in temples. In christian churches, however, they pass the plate.

Answer 2

Yes it did start anger toward Him--not necessarily a riot though. It also started a following of people who were tired of the "mess" of animals, etc. in the temple. (Can you imagine animals--and their filth--in church!)

Why do you think He was crucified? The religious leaders of that time were also the political leaders...

By doing this, He stood up for what was right. People still get punished for standing up for the truth. It doesn't make it any less important though does it? If we don't stand up for what is right--we can't expect anyone else to either.

He didn't need an entourage. It only takes one person to do something that others aren't prepared for.

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Addition:
I don't know if you've ever had a "pet" or raised any animals. If you have, you understand that there is a huge difference in taking an animal that you have NO attachment to and offering it for a "sacrifice"--and taking a cute, darling, lamb, dove, etc. that you have raised from birth and sacrificing it.

One is only a money transaction (easy and simple without emotional tie/attachment).

Don't you imagine that the other--taking something you've raised and sacrificing it--would strike at your very innermost being? If you've put your blood, sweat and tears into raising a lamb etc. and making sure it stayed healthy/pure enough to sacrifice...? Then, step by step taking it to the temple--struggling with your emotions all the way...That's why it was called a "sacrifice".

The moneychangers were "shortchanging" God...if you will...in more ways than one. Not only were they exchanging money (and making a huge profit) they were also taking away the very heart/emotion of the sacrifice that was meant to point to Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. These people were "self-employed" and not one of "Pilate's interests".

As He was turning the tables Jesus said, "My house is a house of prayer (emotions should be involved when you talk to God) but you have made it into a den of thieves..."
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Answer 3

Jesus was angry because the moneychangers had set up a business operation to basically steal from the faithful - actually, it helps to get some historical perspective on this one - yes - a book outside of the Bible.

Moneychangers and the priests had a racket - faithful could only buy animals that were ritually pure if they didn't bring their own animal. They had to purchase the animal with the money of the temple. They could only get temple gold if they changed the money from home into temple gold. Of course, they received pennies on the dollar so to speak.

This is what angered Jesus - that the priests were allowing the flock to be plucked, so to speak

Answer 4

He did not have an entourage to do it. He was not so happy with the way the moneychangers were doing the job. They were basically profitting in a temple dedicated to God. He did not like that and so he got angry as any of us would. He tossed some tables around and told them in no uncertain terms how the temple was to be treated. Would you like it if someone treated a sacred place to you this way?

Answer 5

Because religion is about the worship of God, NOT about swindling people out of their money and making profit.

He was angry that instead of the temple being a place of peaceful worship, it had been turned into a center of commerce and swindling businessmen; not at all what it was supposed to be. I think he probably felt ashamed that God's temple was being used to scam people.

One can draw a parallel between this incident and the Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century.

The Catholic Church had a habbit of making up stupid concepts such as "limbo" and "indulgences" to make LOADS of money.

According to them, depending on how many times you sinned in your life, you would get "x" amount of time in "limbo", a place between heaven and earth. Like a jail, you would have to spend years there before entrance into heaven.

Then there was the "indulgences". They were sold at massive costs, and the Church said something like...

"This piece of paper reduces your time in limbo. The more pieces of paper you buy, the less time you spend! Only $99.99!"

So eventually, a man called Martin Luther got really pissed off and started a revolution, thus began the Christian Civil War, which ended the money-scamming reign of Catholisim.

One might say he "tipped the tables".

Well, see ya,

Phil

Answer 6

Jesus was no wimp or milque toast, He did not NEED anyone to help Him do anything. MOST times, Jesus chose to be patient & compassionate...but He was NO WIMP!

Sheeesh, with three words from Jesus, "Come out Lazarus" a man dead and buried for four days walked out of the burial tomb, alive, well, and with no smell of death/the grave about him.

A man possessed of a "legion" of demons was freed, when Jesus looked at the man, then simply said, "Go and do not return!" And the demons FLED.

When hundreds of armed Roman soldiers came for Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and Jesus and his disciples were surrounded by them. The head of the soldiers said that they came for Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus stepped forward, away from the disciples and said, "I am He!" and every one of the armed soldiers were hurled to the ground with just the force of the truth that Jesus spoke.

The moneychangers is the temple were not of Pilate, nor guarded by Pilate's roman soldiers, (not that it would have mattered) but these were priest/synagogue members who set up shop and/or allowed people to set up shop inside the sacred temple grounds of God's house.

Jewish law/practice back then still required sacrificial offerings to be made to God Almighty,,. (God said that the sacrificial offering had to be first-born or first-fruits, pure and blemish free). Some people, the very poor, did not have a flock or vineyards for an offering, so they took whatever money or possessions they had to the moneychangers, and the moneychangers charged them outrageously for a dove, a lamb, etc., and the people seeing the beautiful white doves and white healthy lambs on display, paid the price to insure that they offered God Almighty the very best that they could. Now the moneychangers had cages of dead and dying birds & animals that were hidden away and these poor replacements were what the moneychangers gave to the priests to use instead, and the priests were given a % of the moneychangers money to offer these poor dead things instead of the expensive ones he showed to people & made people pay for, after they had walked/travelled long distances just to be obedient and offer up their sacrificial offering to God in one of His temples.

Add to this, the priests allowed gambling on the temple grounds for a % of the take; the priests also allowed all kinds of crafts, household items, religious/non-religious artifacts, and services to be pandered and sold on the temple grounds for a % of their profit.

That is why Jesus said, "This is God's house and you have DARED to defile it and turn it into a den of thieves."

And my friend, Jesus Christ is Almighty God in human form. He could have with a sigh destroyed the entire place.
Jesus did NOT need help.

Jesus Christ himself...ALONE cleared the people, their tables, and their products out of the temple grounds in minutes.

The very force of His controlled fury alone was enough to rid the temple of the descecration. They did not argue, they did not attack, they ALL fled.

Answer 7

By that time, Jesus was known for performing miracles which had awed, inspired, yet frightened alot of people. Seeing this man in a rage probably had people running away. The moneychangers were an abomination to the Lord which Jesus took exception to. He didn't take an uzi to them, he just chased them away.

Answer 8

Jesus said in Matthew 10:34 that he didnt come to send peace, but a sword. A Sword is truth. Truth sometimes brings division. He overturned the table in the temple because they were defiling His Fathers house and making a mockery of it. God is not to be mocked.

Answer 9

The reason Jesus turned the moneychangers tables over, was because
they were conducting business in the Temple. He did it by himself. How
would you feel if you were in church and a lot of people came traipsing
through with animals and set up stalls in your church. Would it not upset
you? It would me because it is God's House. I hope I explained it so that
you can understand.
Added: How would you feel if a bunch of people came traipsing through
your house with animals, etc. Think about that. Wouldn't it make you really
angry?

Answer 10

LOL it is obvious you have never felt a righteous anger... when Jesus saw the moneychangers and animals and magicians etc.,. in HIS FATHERS HOUSE , I don't think an army could have withstood His power! Remember, Jesus wasn't "just a man" He was God's Son, sharring all the Power that God had.

Peace :)

Answer 11

Jesus got angry as it is perfectly normal and His reasoning was rightous to get those out of His Father's house who were there defiling it..Now if you were married say that you are, and a stranger came into your home and was messing around with your wife, would you be mad and cast the man out? God is no different, He is angry with the wicked everyday..And Still is called the "Prince of Peace!"