I want you to put this picture in your mind’s eye. Jerusalem is normally a “very busy-active city” with a lot of coming and goings…and a lot of pilgrims, both then and now.
Passover made it an even more lively affair. The population of the city would actually quadruple as Jews made the pilgrimage for this “most important festival” of the year.
Remember there was a requirement that each Jewish man make 3 pilgrimages to Jerusalem a year.
The city limits were actually expanded to include all of the surrounding towns and villages so as, to include all of the various pilgrims within the city limits-proper.
Streets, alleys and by-ways were packed shoulder-to-shoulder-with-people with teaming groups of people.
The crowds would have included Roman soldiers, religious zealots, knife-men, priests, children, religious fanatics, wonder workers, magicians, hell-raisers, gentile salesmen, Pietist’s, the curious and animals of all kinds, sizes and shapes.
The walkways were covered with people and with dung. It was an exciting time to be “in the city.”
I am pretty sure that you have not heard about the “House of Annas” before. Annas was the high priest, his son-in-law, Caiaphas was also the high priest. Their religion allowed for only one high priest at a time.
One was pulling “all the strings” from behind the scenes. That would be Annas. The older man, and former High Priest and father-in-law…
His “house” was actually called the “House of Annas”…and as long as he was alive, he continued to pull-all-the-strings. Annas was the owner of a great part of the “sale stands” for animals and of the money-changers’ business.
It was a known fact that the sales frequently occurred at exorbitant prices, sucking the last copper coin from the worshippers, especially from the poor and the naïve peasants.
It was the “House of Annas” that had slowly converted religion into “big business,” slowly over time.
When he was the ruling High Priest, he transferred the selling of animals from the markets on the Mount of Olives, to the actual court of the Gentiles. This was only a recent innovation to guarantee a temple monopoly on animals offered for sacrifice. Many individuals disagreed with it!
The Pharisees objected – but with a Sadducee majority, he was able to win the day. Politics and religion made good bedfellows for Annas.
It was called the “Royal Portico.”
Four rows of pillars divided the great columned hall into three long aisles. Each pillar was 27 feet high, slightly higher than this church roof. The pillars were so wide, that three men, standing with arms outstretched – could just barely encircle a single pillar.
The tops of the pillars were carved with rows of leaves and the ceiling with leaves and flowers.
This is where the money-changers’ tables stood and the traders had stalls and wall-to-wall cages to sell animals and birds for sacrifice.
You could thank “the former High Priest” – Annas for all of these innovations.
Later Jewish traditions even remembered the place as being called “the Bazaars’ of the sons of Annas.” So, even after Annas perished his family continued to rake in funds from the annual High Holy Day celebrations. Nice!
The amount of money they took in and all the greed and avarice apparently made it all worth it. Annas and family were wealthy beyond belief.
This was so not a bake sale, an Easter Breakfast, a cookie sale or a craft fair to pay current bills and to survive. This was so much more. There is a difference. This was personal. And there were other bankers and money lender-families involved, besides. It was kind-of-a-competition-between-families. They were called “the elite of Jerusalem.” It was all about them and their personal security and well-being.
They did not care about the poor. They had no real concern for the pilgrims. The bottom-line was their own personal well-being.
I have no trouble with Jesus’ actions. I applauded his taking a stand…and making a statement. He did not sit idly on the sidelines.
So what if he became a little unhinged…and some furniture got tossed around and money was flung into the air and people were forced to duck for cover? I think the screaming at the top of his lungs was appropriate. Unfortunately nothing changed…that is until after the Romans came in and leveled the Temple to the ground in 70 of the Common Era. After that, the sacrificial system died out…and the Temple was no more.
And Johns’ Gospel – captures the moment of Jesus’ cleansing for us!
Amen.