SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:14
Y hall en el Templo a los que vendían bueyes, y ovejas, y palomas, y a los cambiadores de dinero sentados.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 2:14
Verse 14. Found in the temple those that sold oxen, &c.] This is a similar fact to that mentioned Matt. xxi. 12; Mark xi. 15; Luke xix. 45. See it explained on Matt. xxi. 12. If it be the same fact, then John anticipates three years of time in relating it here; as that cleansing of the temple mentioned by the other evangelists took place in the last week of our Lord's life. Mr. Mann, Dr. Priestley, and Bp. Pearce, contend that our Lord cleansed the temple only once; and that was at the last passover. Calvin, Mr. Mede, L'Enfant and Beausobre, Dr. Lardner, Bp. Hurd, and Bp. Newcome, contend that he purged the temple twice; and that this, mentioned by John, was the first cleansing, which none of the other evangelists have mentioned. Let the reader, says Bp. Newcome, observe the order of events.
"Jesus works his first miracle at Cana of Galilee, ver. 11; then he passes a few days at Capernaum, which bring him on his way to Jerusalem, ver. 12. The passover being near, he goes up to Jerusalem, ver. 13, and casts the traders out of the temple, chap. ii. 15, 16, At the passover he works many miracles, ver. 23. While he is in Jerusalem, which city he does not leave till, chap. iii. 22, Nicodemus comes to him by night, chap. iii. 1, 2. John iii. 2 contains a reference to ver. 23. After these things, Jesus departs from Jerusalem, and dwells and baptizes in Judea, chap. iii. 22. And all these incidents take place before John was cast into prison, ver. 24.
But the second cleansing of the temple happens most clearly during the last week of our Lord's life, after the death of the Baptist, and at a time when it would be absurd to say that afterwards Jesus dwelt and baptized in Judea." The vindication of God's house from profanation was the first and the last care of our Lord; and it is probable he began and finished his public ministry by this significant act.
It certainly appears that John directly asserts an early cleansing of the temple, by the series of his history; as the other three evangelists assert a later cleansing of it. And though the act mentioned here seems to be nearly the same with that mentioned by the other evangelists, yet there are some differences. St. John alone mentions the scourge of rushes, and the casting out of the sheep and oxen. Besides, there is a considerable difference in our Lord's manner of doing it: in the cleansing mentioned by the three evangelists, he assumes a vast deal of authority, and speaks more pointedly concerning himself, than he appears to do in this cleansing mentioned by St. John: the reason which has been given is, In the first cleansing he was just entering upon his public ministry, and therefore avoided (as much as was consistent with the accomplishment of his work) the giving any offense to the Jewish rulers; but, in the last cleansing, he was just concluding his ministry, being about to offer up his life for the salvation of the world, in consequence of which he speaks fully and without reserve. For answers to all the objections made against two cleansings of the temple, see the notes at the end of Bp. Newcome's Greek Harmony of the Gospels, pp. 7-9.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. And found in the temple , etc.] Not in the holy place itself, nor in the court of the priests, where the sacrifices were offered, nor in the court of the women, nor in the court of the Israelites, where the people worshipped; but in the court of the Gentiles, or the outward court, even all that space of ground which was between the wall which divided the whole from common ground, and the buildings of the temple, and which was open to the air; for the whole sacred enclosure, or all within the wall, went by the name of the temple. Into this all strangers might come; and the passover now being at hand, here were those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves : the oxen, or bullocks, were for the Chagigah, or feast kept on the second day of the passover; (see Gill on John 18:28); and the sheep, or lambs, as the Persic version reads, for the passover supper; and the doves were for the offerings of the poorer sort of new mothers: with these they were supplied from the Mount of Olives. It is said f97 , there were two cedar trees on the Mount of Olives, and under one of them were four shops of them that sold things for purification; and out of one of them they brought forty bushels of young doves every month: and out of them the Israelites had enough for the nests, or the offerings of turtle doves; (see Gill on Matthew 21:12); and the changers of money sitting : who changed foreign money into the current coin of the Jews, strangers coming, at this feast, from several parts of the world; and sometimes there was need of changing shekels into half shekels, which, at certain times, were paid for the ransom of Israelites; see the note on the place above mentioned.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-22 - The first public work in which we find Christ engaged, was driving from the temple the traders whom the covetous priests and rulers encourage to make a market-place of its courts. Those now make God's house house of merchandise, whose minds are filled with cares about worldl business when attending religious exercises, or who perform Divin offices for love of gain. Christ, having thus cleansed the temple, gav a sign to those who demanded it, to prove his authority for so doing He foretells his death by the Jews' malice, Destroy ye this temple; will permit you to destroy it. He foretells his resurrection by his ow power; In three days I will raise it up. Christ took again his ow life. Men mistake by understanding that according to the letter, whic the Scripture speaks by way of figure. When Jesus was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered he has said this. It helps much i understanding the Divine word, to observe the fulfilling of the Scriptures.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ευρεν 2147 5627 V-2AAI-3S εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSN ιερω 2411 N-DSN τους 3588 T-APM πωλουντας 4453 5723 V-PAP-APM βοας 1016 N-APM και 2532 CONJ προβατα 4263 N-APN και 2532 CONJ περιστερας 4058 N-APF και 2532 CONJ τους 3588 T-APM κερματιστας 2773 N-APM καθημενους 2521 5740 V-PNP-APM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
14. The temple (ierw). The temple inclosure: not the sanctuary (naox). See on Matt. ix. 5; Mark xi. 16.Those that sold (touv pwlountav). The article defines them as a well-known class.
Changers of money (kermatistav). Only here in the New Testament.
The kindred noun kerma, money, which occurs only in ver. 15, is from keirw, to cut into bits, and means therefore small coin; "small change," of which the money-changers would require a large supply. Hence changers of money means, strictly, dealers in small change. Matthew and Mark use lubisthv (see ver. 15), of which the meaning is substantially the same so far as regards the dealing in small coin; but with the difference that kollubov, the noun from which it is derived, and meaning a small coin, is also used to denote the rate of exchange. This latter word therefore gives a hint of the premium on exchange, which John's word here does not convey. The money-changers opened their stalls in the country towns a month before the feast. By the time of the first arrivals of passover-pilgrims at Jerusalem, the country stalls were closed, and the money-changers sat in the temple (see on Matt. xvii. 24; xxi. 12; Mark xi. 15). John's picture of this incident is more graphic and detailed than those of the Synoptists, who merely state summarily the driving out of the traders and the overthrow of the tables. Compare Matt. xxi. 12, 13; Mark xi. 15-17; Luke xix. 45, 46. 21
