One day Jesus went to the temple. The temple was a very special place where people prayed to God. But when Jesus went in, he saw something he didn’t like at all.
There were many people who had set up tables. They sold things and exchanged money. It was noisy, and there were animals everywhere that people were selling. It was as if the temple was a marketplace and no longer a quiet place for peace and prayer.
Jesus felt in his heart that God was not happy about this. He wanted the temple to be a place where people could talk to God in peace. Then Jesus became very sad and also a little angry, like when you see someone break something you like very much.
In a firm voice, Jesus said: “Let the temple be a house of prayer! But you have made it a marketplace!”
Then Jesus began to overturn the tables of the merchants. The coins rolled across the floor, and the merchants stared at him in surprise. He wanted the temple to be a place for God again, a place of rest and love.
The people were amazed. Some were surprised, and some understood that Jesus only wanted the best for them. They saw that Jesus really had the peace of God in his heart.
Message of history
God wants us to have places where we can talk to Him in peace. He wants us to create places of love and peace.
Bible passage
The passage in which Jesus drives the merchants out of the temple can be found in Matthew 21:12-13:
“And Jesus went into the temple [Gottes] and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple; and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the stalls of the dove-dealers, and he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer.'” but you have made a den of robbers out of it!”
