12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. (Matthew 21:12-13 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Our blessed Saviour having entered Jerusalem, Observe, his first walk was not to the palace, but to the temple, and his work there was to purge and reform: all reformation of manners must begin first at the house of God. Our Lord’s business was to reform the temple, not to ruin it. Places dedicated to the service of God, if profaned and polluted, ought to be purged from their abuses, not pulled down and destroyed, because they have been abused.
But what was the profanation of the temple, which so offended our Saviour?
Answer, Within the third or outward court of the temple, there was a public mart or market held, where were sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and such things as were needful for sacrifice: many of the Jews coming an hundred miles to the temple, it was burdensome to bring their sacrifices so far with them; wherefore order was taken by the priests, that sheep and oxen, meal and oil, and all other requisites for sacrifice should be had for money close by the altar, to the great ease of the offerer. Nothing could be more plausible than this plea. But the fairest pretences cannot bear out a sin with God; therefore our blessed Saviour, in indignation at so foul an abuse, whips out these chapmen, casts down their tables, and vindicates the honour and reputation of his Father’s house.
Learn thence, That there is a reverence due to God’s house, for the owner’s sake, and for the service sake. Nothing but holiness can become that place, where God is worshipped in the beauty of holiness.
Observe lastly, The reason which our Saviour gives for this act of his; for, says he, It is written, My house shall be called an house of prayer. Where by prayer is to be understood, the whole worship and sevice of Almighty God, of which prayer is an eminent and principal part. That which gives denomination to an house, is certainly the chief work to be done in that house.
Now God’s house being called an house of prayer, certainly implies, that prayer is the chief and principal work to be performed in his house; yet must we take heed that we set not the ordinances of God at variance one with another; we must not idolize one ordinance, and villify another; but pay an awful respect and regard to all the institutions of our Maker.