And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus didn't just enter the temple; he "began" to drive people out, signaling this act as the start of his public ministry within the temple precincts. This wasn't a spontaneous outburst, but a purposeful, prophetic declaration of God's intended purpose for the sacred space.
And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just days after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Jesus enters the temple and finds it has become a marketplace. Enraged by this desecration, he drives out the merchants and money changers, asserting that God's house should be a place of prayer, not commerce. This act of defiance sets the stage for his conflict with the religious authorities who will soon seek his death.
Jesus, the gentle healer, the one who wept over Jerusalem, unleashes a powerful fury. What sparks this righteous anger?
When Jesus entered the temple, He didn't just walk through it; He took action. The Scripture says He 'began to drive out those who sold.' This wasn't a gentle suggestion; it was a forceful, decisive act. This event, often called the 'cleansing of the temple,' reveals Jesus's passionate zeal for the sanctity of God's house.
A House of Prayer, Not a Marketplace
The traders were there for profit. They were selling animals for sacrifice and exchanging money, making the temple court a busy marketplace. Jesus saw this not just as an inconvenience, but as a desecration. He was reclaiming the temple as a place solely for prayer and worship, a sacred space for communion with God.
This wasn't just any action; it was a divine declaration. How does this event mark a new phase in Jesus's mission?
Some scholars point out that Jesus 'began' this ministry in the temple. This wasn't just a spontaneous outburst; it was the intentional commencement of His Messianic work in Jerusalem. By cleansing the temple, Jesus was asserting His authority as the Messiah, the one appointed by God to restore true worship.
Authority Displayed
His actions demonstrated that He was not just another teacher or prophet, but someone with the divine right to purify and reclaim the sacred space. This act set the stage for His teachings and confrontations with religious leaders in the days that followed.
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Understand the original words
hieron · Greek Noun
The sacred dwelling place of God on earth; in the New Testament, it serves as the locus of worship, which became corrupted by commercialism.
This action wasn't a spontaneous outburst, but a deliberate, prophetic act that marked Jesus' final week in Jerusalem and signaled his authority over the Temple.
c. 27 AD
Jesus begins public ministry
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples throughout Galilee.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus enters Jerusalem for Passover
Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, hailed as a king by the crowds, just before the Passover festival.
c. 30 AD
Jesus cleanses the Temple
Jesus enters the temple and drives out merchants and money changers, condemning the desecration of the holy place.
c. 30 AD
Jesus teaches daily in the Temple
Following the cleansing, Jesus spends his days teaching in the temple courts, drawing large crowds.
c. 30 AD
Plot to kill Jesus
The chief priests, scribes, and rulers, threatened by Jesus' popularity and teachings, begin plotting to have him killed.
This passage is the parallel account of Jesus cleansing the temple, providing a fuller description of the event and Jesus's declaration about His house being a house of prayer.
Mark 11:15Mark's Gospel also records this event, emphasizing Jesus's righteous anger and His quoting of Scripture to justify His actions.
Isaiah 56:7Jesus directly quotes this prophecy in the temple, showing that His cleansing of the temple fulfilled God's intention for it to be a house of prayer for all nations.
Jeremiah 7:11Jesus also alludes to Jeremiah's prophecy, comparing the corrupted temple to a 'den of robbers,' highlighting the severity of the religious leaders' failings.
Luke 19:41-44This preceding passage shows Jesus weeping over Jerusalem just before entering the temple, underscoring the spiritual blindness that led to the temple's misuse and the coming judgment.
pooleLuke 19:45: "And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;"
Ver. 45,46. We have met with this before more fully: See Poole on "Matthew 21:12" . See Poole on "Matthew 21:13" . See Poole on "Mark 11:15" , and following verses to Mark 11:17 .
barnesLuke 19:45: "And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;"
See the notes at Matthew 21:12-13 .
Jesus didn't just enter the temple; he "began" to drive people out, signaling this act as the start of his public ministry within the temple precincts. This wasn't a spontaneous outburst, but a purposeful, prophetic declaration of God's intended purpose for the sacred space.
Just days after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Jesus enters the temple and finds it has become a marketplace. Enraged by this desecration, he drives out the merchants and money changers, asserting that God's house should be a place of prayer, not commerce. This act of defiance sets the stage for his conflict with the religious authorities who will soon seek his death.
Just days after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Jesus enters the temple and finds it has become a marketplace. Enraged by this desecration, he drives out the merchants and money changers, asserting that God's house should be a place of prayer, not commerce. This act of defiance sets the stage for his conflict with the religious authorities who will soon seek his death.
"And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold," — Jesus didn't just enter the temple; he "began" to drive people out, signaling this act as the start of his public ministry within the temple precincts. This wasn't a spontaneous outburst, but a purpo…
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Last reviewed October 2026