13 And the passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And he found in the temple the sellers of oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers sitting; 15 and, having made a scourge of cords, he cast [them] all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the change of the money-changers, and overturned the tables, 16 and said to the sellers of doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. 17 [And] his disciples remembered that it is written, The zeal of thy house devours me. 18 The Jews therefore answered and said to him, What sign shewest thou to us, that thou doest these things?
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 2:13-18
Commentary on John 2:12-22
(Read John 2:12-22)
The first public work in which we find Christ engaged, was driving from the temple the traders whom the covetous priests and rulers encouraged to make a market-place of its courts. Those now make God's house a house of merchandise, whose minds are filled with cares about worldly business when attending religious exercises, or who perform Divine offices for love of gain. Christ, having thus cleansed the temple, gave 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; I will permit you to destroy it. He foretells his resurrection by his own power; In three days I will raise it up. Christ took again his own life. Men mistake by understanding that according to the letter, which the Scripture speaks by way of figure. When Jesus was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered he has said this. It helps much in understanding the Divine word, to observe the fulfilling of the Scriptures.