HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE TEMPLE INCIDENTS
The Biblical record indicates that there were two incidents in which Jesus ravaged the money-changers in the temple. One at the beginning of His ministry and one at the end. Both incidents happened at Passover. It is important, therefore, to understand a little about Passover.
Jews came from many different nations with different currencies.
Once in Jerusalem the currency from their home nation had to be changed to the common currency of Jerusalem in order to purchase sacrifices (pigeons, lambs, etc.).
They also needed to convert their home currency to the unique currency of the temple shekel which was the only coin accepted for the half-shekel temple tax that all Jews were required to pay for support of the temple.
Money-changers were located throughout Jerusalem to accommodate the need to change currencies. Many of them were located within the Court of the Gentiles, which was part of the temple grounds, because the temple is the center of activity for all Jews.
Temple leaders (Scribes and Pharisees) controlled everything that happened within the temple grounds. Moneychangers were allowed to set up their business tables if they paid a fee for the space. They may have also paid a percentage of all transactions to the temple leaders.
Since sacrifices could not be blemished in any way, someone needed to inspect sacrifices that were brought in from outside the temple. There was a fee for that inspection.
People who travelled a distance that was too far to bring a sacrifice from home could purchase a qualified sacrifice on the temple grounds. Temple leaders also controlled that business.
Proceeds from all this business went into the temple treasury that paid for temple maintenance, operations and salaries of temple leaders. It was all under the control of the High Priest who was as much an administrator as a priest.
The High Priest also acted as a judge in the sense that it was the High Priest who questioned Jesus and orchestrated the plan to kill Jesus.
AUTHORS’ NOTE: The above information was found in Chapter 5 of “Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim; 1993; Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)