Matthew 21:12
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Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS QUESTIONED AND THE REPLY--THE PARABLES OF THE TWO SONS, AND OF THE WICKED HUSBANDMAN. ( = Mark 11:27-12:12; Luke 20:1-19). (Mat. 21:23-46) By what authority doest thou these things!--referring particularly to the expulsion of the buyers and sellers from the temple, and who gave thee this authority?
Open source ↗21:12-13 The close association of the Temple cleansing (see John 2:13-16) with the cursing of the fig tree (Matt 21:18-19) reveals Jesus as the Messiah who confronted Israel and warned that God judges those who reject the Messiah and his message. 21:12 Buying and selling took place within the Temple complex, in the Court of the Gentiles. • Money changers profited from the exchange of money from other currencies into official Jewish currency. Jesus criticized the commercialism that profaned the holiness of the Temple (see Mark 11:11-18).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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If, instead, one’s offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present a turtledove or a young pigeon.
If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.
and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.
But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he can afford, one to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.
Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Then he must sacrifice the turtledoves or young pigeons, whichever he can afford,
When the days of her purification are complete, whether for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.
On the eighth day he is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, come before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.