Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 2:15
And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
15. when he had made a scourge ] Peculiar to this account; not in the similar narrative of the Synoptists.
and the sheep, &c.] Rather, both the sheep and the oxen. ‘All’ does not refer to the sellers and exchangers, but anticipates the sheep and the oxen. The men probably fled at once. The order is natural; first the driving out of the cattle, then the pouring out of the money and overturning the tables. The word for ‘money’ literally means ‘something cut up small,’ hence ‘change.’ The common exchange would be foreign money for Jewish, payments to the Temple being necessarily made in Jewish coin.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A scourge – A whip.
Of small cords – This whip was made as an emblem of authority, and also for the purpose of driving from the temple the cattle which had been brought there for sale. There is no evidence that he used any violence to the men engaged in that unhallowed traffic. The original word implies that these cords were made of twisted rushes or reeds – probably the ancient material for making ropes.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
It concerns not us to inquire where our Saviour had the small cords, of which he made his whip; there were doubtless cords enough at hand, taken off from beasts brought thither, though he was himself in no Franciscan habit, as the papists idly dream. But herein was the mighty power of God seen, that Christ, a single, private, obscure person, should without any more noise or opposition drive out the multitude of these hucksters, and overturn their tables. Nor I think (after the consideration of this circumstance) need we inquire by what authority he did this? It was prophesied of him, Mal 3:1, that he should come to his temple; Mal 3:3, should sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver. Christ here, according to that prophecy, cometh to his temple, and begins to purge it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. small cordslikely some ofthe rushes spread for bedding, and when twisted used to tie up thecattle there collected. “Not by this slender whip but by divinemajesty was the ejection accomplished, the whip being but a sign ofthe scourge of divine anger” [GROTIUS].
poured out . . .overthrewthus expressing the mingled indignation and authorityof the impulse.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when he had made a scourge of small cords,…. That is, Jesus, as the Persic version expresses it. This scourge might be made either of thongs cut out of the hides of beasts slain in sacrifice; or of the cords, with which the owners of the cattle had brought them to this place; or with which they had fastened them in it. And it seems to be made, and used, not so much for force and terror, as to intimate, that these persons, the violators of the holy place, deserved the scourge of divine wrath and punishment; as well as to show the miraculous power of Christ in driving such a number of men before him, with so small and insignificant a weapon; for the phrase is diminutive. The reason given by Dr. Lightfoot, and others, why Christ made use of a whip, or scourge, rather than a staff, is, because it was contrary to a Jewish canon d to go into the mountain of the house, or temple, with a staff in the hand; and yet the man of the mountain of the house, or the master of it, who used to go about every ward with torches burning before him, if he found a Levite asleep in his ward e, struck him , with his staff, and had power to burn his clothes.
He drove them all out of the temple; that is, he drove out “the men”, as the Persic version reads; the merchants, the sellers of oxen, sheep, and doves, and the money changers: “and the sheep, and the oxen” likewise; the Persic version adds, “doves”; but these are after mentioned:
and poured out the changers money; off of the tables, or out of the boxes, or dishes, or drawers, or purses, in which it was put:
and overthrew the tables; at which they sat, and on which they told their money.
d Misn. Beracot, c. 9. sect. 5. e Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A scourge of cords ( ). The Latin flagellum. In papyri, here only in N.T. and note Latin l becomes in Koine. is a diminutive of (a rush), old word for rope, in N.T. only here and Ac 27:32.
Cast out (). Second aorist active indicative of . It is not said that Jesus smote the sheep and oxen (note , both and), for a flourish of the scourge would answer.
He poured out (). Second aorist active indicative of , to pour out.
The changers’ money ( ). “The small pieces of money (, cut in pieces, change) of the bankers ( from , clipped, late word see on Mt 21:12).” Perhaps he took up the boxes and emptied the money.
Overthrew their tables ( ). First aorist active indicative of , to turn up, though some MSS. have from , also to turn up.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
A scourge [] . Only here in the New Testament. Only John records this detail.
Of small cords [ ] . The Rev. omits small, but the word is a diminutive of scoinov, a rush, and thence a rope of twisted rushes. The A. V. is therefore strictly literal. Herodotus says that when Croesus besieged Ephesus, the Ephesians made an offering of their city to Diana, by stretching a small rope [] from the town wall to the temple of the goddess, a distance of seven furlongs (i. 26). The schoene was an Egyptian measure of length, marked by a rush – rope. See Herodotus, 2 6. Some find in this the etymology of skein.
Drove out [] . Literally, as Rev., cast out. See on Mt 10:34; Mt 12:35; Mr 1:12; Jas 2:25.
All. Referring to the animals. The A. V. makes the reference to the traders; but Rev., correctly, “cast all out – both the sheep and the oxen.”
Money. See on ver. 14.
Tables. Wyc., turned upside down the boards. See on Luk 19:23.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when he had made a scourge of small cords,” (kai poiesas phragellion ek schoinon) “And when he had made a lash out of ropes,” an emblem of wrath, rather than the instrument of wrath, having been incensed by what He had personally seen going on in the temple court area, at the very entrance to the temple proper. Our Lord made it clear that He was moved with indignation, and meant to be obeyed, there and then.
2) “He drove them all out of the temple,” (pantas eksebalen ek tou hierou) “He expelled, literally drove them all (together) out of the temple area,” that is the unscrupulous merchants, the traffickers in money and sacrificial animals. The lowing of cattle, bleating of sheep, cooing and flapping of doves, cry and haggling of profiteering merchants and customers mingled with a few devout prayers, was a burning insult to the sense of honesty and justice of our Lord.
3) “And the sheep and the oxen,” (ta te probata kai tous boas) “Both the sheep and the oxen,” which ran from the area, to the exits, under the thunder of His condemnation and lifted scourge. There was violence in the area with men shouting, cursing, rushing from place to place, to hold on to their goods, as Jesus cleared out the place.
4) “And poured out the changers money,” (kai ton kollubiston eksecheen ta kermata) “And he poured out the coins of the exchangers or money-changers,” with His own hands. Their intolerable rate of “shake-down” exchange, of even the shekel or half shekel of temple tax, required of every Jew, was an insulting abuse, a criminal act of dishonesty that incensed our Lord to reprimand such behavior in this, His most dramatic public gesture.
5) “And overthrew the tables;- (kai tas trapezas anetrepsen) “And he overturned the tables,” or upset the tables, the bankers’ tables, and with them, the activities of that day for the wicked commercializers; Our Lord here rebuked those who had sinned “before all,” that others might also fear, 1Ti 5:20. He also did this on one other occasion, Mat 21:12; Mar 11:15; Luk 19:45.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(15) And the sheep, and the oxen.For this read, both the sheep and the oxen. The change is of only one word, but it gives an entirely different sense. The driving out with the scourge was not of all (men) and sheep and oxen, but of all, i.e., both sheep and oxen.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Scourge Not mentioned in the second cleansing.
Drove them Striking the cattle with the scourge; giving the doves to their owners; and terrifying and driving the men from the court; dealing with each class according to its nature. Meantime the rulers of the nation and the keepers of the temple, as if spell-bound and dumb-struck, retreat in confusion, or look on with a strange and tame submission.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he made a scourge of cords and cast them all out of the Temple, both the sheep and the oxen, and he emptied out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these things out of here. Do not make my Father’s house a house of business”.’
Note that His emphasis here is on removing the offending animals from the Temple area. His whole emphasis is that of turning the court into a place of prayer. So He makes a small scourge (no weapon or stick was allowed in the Temple) and drives out the animals, tips over the tables of the moneychangers, and then says to those who were selling doves (for sacrificial purposes) ‘Get these out of here. Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace’. Note that even in His prophetic anger His compassion and self-control are shown for He does not act in a way that will harm the doves, and He does not attack the men. His intent is to empty the Temple of the commotion resulting from the trading.
The whole picture is one of spontaneous action as a result of the impact that the scene has made on Him, quite unlike His studied purpose in Mark, where He first goes in and surveys the Temple (Mar 11:11) and then later carries out His planned action, concentrating solely on those involved and ignoring the cattle and sheep, and being concerned especially about the dishonest practises taking place. (It is one thing to accuse people of making a noise in church, it is another to accuse them of stealing the collection).
Theoretically the activities of the traders might have been seen as justified, as they made it convenient for worshippers, but to Jesus it meant that concentration was diverted from the main purpose of the Temple, that of meeting with God, and it showed disregard for the Gentiles who came to worship, and indeed for the Temple itself. It raises for us a question that we should ask ourselves. Do some of our church activities come under the same heading?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 2:15. A scourge of small cords, It has been very justly observed, that this circumstance, seemingly slight, is inserted to shew that the instrument could not have been the cause of so wonderful an effect.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
Ver. 15. And when he had made a scourge ] Here he put forth a beam of his Deity; while, as another Samson, he lays heaps upon heaps (yet without bloodshed) with the jaw bone of an ass. Zeal is attended by revenge, 2Co 7:11 .
The changers’ money ] Gr. small money, , in minuta frusta concidere.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15. ] The were probably the rushes which were littered down for the cattle to lie on. That our Lord used the scourge on the beasts only, not on the sellers of them, is almost necessarily contained in the form of the sentence here: the . . being as it stands with and , merely epexegetical of , not conveying new particulars. So that it should be rendered as in A.V.R., “He drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen.” ( is the aor., not the resolved form of the imperfect: cf. Aristoph. Nub. 75, and see Lobeck’s note on Phryn. p. 222.) It has been imagined, that He dealt more mildly with those who sold the doves, which were for the offerings of the poor . But this was not so: He dealt alike with all. No other way was open with regard to them, than to order them to take their birds away.
This cleansing of the temple was in the direct course of His manifestation as the Messiah. Immediately after the prophetic announcement of the Forerunner, Mal 3:1 , is that of the Lord’s coming suddenly to His temple, and purifying it . This act also answers (but like the fulfilment last mentioned, only in an imperfect and still prophetic sense) to the declaration of the Baptist “Whose fan is in His hand,” &c., Mat 3:12 .
His proceeding was not altogether unexampled nor unauthorized, even in an uncommissioned person: for all had the right to reform an abuse of this sort, and the zealots put this right in practice. The disciples by their allusion in Joh 2:17 seem to refer the action to this latter class.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
made a scourge = plaited a whip. Occurs only here.
of = from. Greek. ek. App-104. Not the same word as in verses: Joh 21:25.
small cords = rush-ropes. Greek. schoinion. Only here and in Act 27:32.
drove . . . out = cast out. Not the same event as in Mat 21:12, Mat 21:13. Mar 11:15, Mar 11:16. Luk 19:45, Luk 19:46.
them all = all: i.e. the animals, both the sheep and the oxen and the sellers.
and = both,
changers. Greek. kollubistes (from kollubes, a small coin). Occurs only here.
money = small coin. Greek. Plural of kerma. Occurs only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15.] The were probably the rushes which were littered down for the cattle to lie on. That our Lord used the scourge on the beasts only, not on the sellers of them, is almost necessarily contained in the form of the sentence here: the . . being as it stands with and , merely epexegetical of , not conveying new particulars. So that it should be rendered as in A.V.R., He drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen. ( is the aor., not the resolved form of the imperfect: cf. Aristoph. Nub. 75, and see Lobecks note on Phryn. p. 222.) It has been imagined, that He dealt more mildly with those who sold the doves, which were for the offerings of the poor. But this was not so: He dealt alike with all. No other way was open with regard to them, than to order them to take their birds away.
This cleansing of the temple was in the direct course of His manifestation as the Messiah. Immediately after the prophetic announcement of the Forerunner, Mal 3:1, is that of the Lords coming suddenly to His temple, and purifying it. This act also answers (but like the fulfilment last mentioned, only in an imperfect and still prophetic sense) to the declaration of the Baptist Whose fan is in His hand, &c., Mat 3:12.
His proceeding was not altogether unexampled nor unauthorized, even in an uncommissioned person: for all had the right to reform an abuse of this sort, and the zealots put this right in practice. The disciples by their allusion in Joh 2:17 seem to refer the action to this latter class.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 2:15. , a scourge) Admirable zeal!- ) of several cords: for so scourges were formerly made. Moreover there was no material which inflicted less lasting hurt on the body than this. Nor is it said, that He inflicted a single blow upon the men: He accomplished His purpose by the terror [which He inspired].
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 2:15
Joh 2:15
and he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers money, and overthrew their tables;-When Jesus came to the temple to attend this Passover feast, he found this traffic shamelessly carried on within the sacred limits of the temple. Indignant, he made a whip of small cords and drove all the animals out. He poured out the money of the changers and overturned their tables. Jesus was now teaching. His authority, to some extent, was recognized.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
he drove: Joh 18:6, Zec 4:6, 2Co 10:4
Reciprocal: Lev 19:30 – reverence Zec 14:21 – no more
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
MY FATHERS HOUSE
And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple. The zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up.
Joh 2:15-17
Though in the actual letter of the thing we, perhaps, are not liable to incur the condemnation of these guilty Jews, yet, let us never forget that, before God, the inner life of thought is as real life as the outer life of action.
I. We, who are necessarily so much material, and so mixed up with material things, can scarcely conceive how a perfectly spiritual being can look on things on this earth.But, remember, a spirit deals with spirit; and therefore God, I would almost say, deals more with the spirit of peoples minds than He does with that which, being outward, is tangible and visible to creatures like ourselves. And, to a spirit, thoughts, affections, feelings, are almost really more seen than that which is outward and substantial. Therefore, thoughts in this house are as real to our heavenly Father as any act can be. And if a man or woman should come to this house, and, while apparently listening to a sermon or even, perhaps, when on their very knees in prayer, should think of worldly transactions, if their thoughts should go to their business, to matters of loss and gain, then those people, though they do not actually, with their hands, pass the material substance, yet their thoughts being thus gone after it, those thoughts are as verily guilty before God as were those actions of the market-men in the Temple at Jerusalem, because they are as real in the sight of a spirit. And which of us must not be brought in guilty? If, when within sacred walls, to think of secular transactions be so reprehensive in the sight of God, which of us is not brought in guilty before His omniscient eye?
II. But it is not only in the letter that we are to study this passage, we ought to look at it rather in its spirit.Now, in the spirit of it, the first thing that strikes us is the love which Christ had to the Churchthe Church commonly so called; to the actual building. He made His first visit there, and, as we know, spent most of His time there when in Jerusalem; and even in His last holy week He spent most of His days there, even though He spent His nights in the house of Martha. How dear to Christ was His Fathers house! Such a housethough not so simpleas the one in which we are now assembled. And what a blessed thing is sympathy with the mind of Jesus! Do you love to be here? So did Christ. You could not have much of the mind of Christ, if you did not love these holy courts. There are some who think it a very indifferent matter whether they attend their church or no; who think and speak as if to read and pray at home was the same as engaging in the public service. But He, Who had the Spirit without measure, did not do so! He, then, who has most of the mind of Christ, is he who loves most the house of his God.
III. But it was not only the house that He loved, He was anxious for the purity of its worship.
Rev. James Vaughan.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Joh 2:15. And making a scourge of cords, he drove them all out of the temple-courts, and the sheep and the oxen. The scourge was made for the expulsion of the animals, but by it Jesus also declared His purpose to the traders themselves. The words show distinctly that it is with the men that He is dealing; but He drives them from the sacred place by banishing the instruments and means of their unholy traffic. In a figurative sense Messiah was said to come armed with a scourge. Rabbi Eliezer was asked by his disciples: How should a man live to escape the scourge of the Messiah? He answered: Let him live according to the law and in love towards men.
And poured out the changers money, and overthrew the tables-the counters on which the bankers placed their heaps of change.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Joh 2:15-17. And when he had made a scourge of small cords , of rushes, rather, which he found strewed on the ground. This circumstance, seemingly slight, was inserted to show that the instrument could not be the cause of so wonderful an effect as is here mentioned. He drove them all out Namely, out of the court of the temple; both the sheep and the oxen Though it does not appear that he struck even them, much less any of the men. But a terror from God, it is evident, fell upon them. And poured out the changers money Upon the ground; and overthrew the tables At which they were sitting. And said to them that sold doves, Take these things hence Greek, , the cages wherein the pigeons were exposed to sale, pointing to them. Make not my Fathers house a house of merchandise Make not the temple, which is dedicated to the worship of God, a place for carrying on low traffic. It is remarkable, that the guilty persons did not offer to make the least resistance; probably, a consciousness of guilt restrained them, or the wonderful things which Jesus had performed at this festival, though not recorded, with the influence of Christs miraculous power on their minds, made them afraid to resist him. Nevertheless, in the apprehension of the disciples, he exposed him self to great danger, by turning out a body of factious men, whom the priests and rulers supported. On this occasion, therefore, they called to mind, Psa 69:10, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up Imputing their Masters action to such a concern for the purity of Gods worship, as the psalmist of old was animated by. The truth is, it certainly was an evidence of a very extraordinary zeal indeed; a zeal nothing inferior to that for which the prophets were famed.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 15. And having made a small scourge of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables.
This scourge was not an instrument, but an emblem. It was the sign of authority and of judgment. If it had been a matter of performing a physical act, the means would have been disproportionate to the end, and the effect would be even more so to the cause. The material use of the scourge had no place. The simple gesture was enough. , all, includes, according to many (comp. Baumlein, Weiss, Keil), only the two following objects connected by , all, bothsheep and oxen. But it is more natural to refer to , the sellers, which precedes, and to make of the following words a simple apposition: He drove them all out, both sheep and oxen. The design of the , as well as, is certainly not to indicate by a lifeless disjoining of parts the contents of the word all, but to express the sort of bustle with which men and animals hastened off at His command and at the gesture which accompanied it. He overturned, with His own hand., money-changer, from , nummus minutus. , singular taken in the collective sense.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Verse 15
A scourge of small cords; as an emblem, not an instrument, of authority. Such a scourge, as a weapon of offence against numbers, would be useless; so that the buyers and sellers are to be understood as yielding, not to force, but to the authority which Jesus assumed as a prophet–an authority always held by the Jews in the highest veneration.