Luminary Church – “Jesus and the Money Changers”

LUMINARY CHURCH

“Jesus and the Money Changers”

Sermon by John Paul Mitchell

April 15th, 2010

Copyright 2010 John Paul Mitchell www.facebook.com/luminarychurch

Luminary Church – “Jesus and the Money Changers”

Welcome to Luminary Church! For first time listeners, my name is John Paul
Mitchell and I founded this church to carry the Light of Truth into all the world.
This is the third week in a series of talks about money and corruption in the world.

In the first talk, we discussed how the world banking cartel lends money to people
to entrap them in a nightmare of financial shackles, and to further the banker’s
agenda to acquire more power and corrupt the entire world.

In the second talk, we closely examined how taxes are unethical and against the
Lord’s commandment, “Thou shall not steal!” Furthermore, in last week’s sermon,
we learned how Jesus really opposed both the Jewish Temple taxes and the
Roman Poll taxes. Unfortunately, his stance on taxation probably was a leading
cause to his trial, fatal penalty, and widely publicized death.

And for today’s sermon, we’re going to get right into the thick of examining,
“Jesus and the Money Changers.” This is one of the most vividly remembered
events in Jesus’ entire ministry; next to the crucifixion and resurrection
appearances.

I’m going to read you a short story from my 2008 book, “No More Taxes”:

After spending a few days with family, friends, and disciples in Capernaum,
Jesus set out for Jerusalem. Upon arriving, he took a select group of
disciples, including Peter – his personal bodyguard – to the Jewish Temple.

Immediately upon entering the sanctuary, the Rabbi revolutionist took a

bundle of cords. He created a whip and fiercely struck the floor near the
moneychangers. He continued whipping the thick cords until priests,
merchants, and Jews began to run and scatter.

In a fit of violent fury, Jesus overturned the tables of the moneychangers.

Coins went flying into the air and onto the ground. Roman, Greek, Jewish,
and Tyrian money was scattered everywhere.

The moneychangers quickly stood, fearing Jesus would strike them.

Fearfully looking into his eyes the men could see his anger. As they looked

Copyright 2010 John Paul Mitchell www.facebook.com/luminarychurch

Luminary Church – “Jesus and the Money Changers”

beyond him, they noticed a small band of men holding daggers and swords.
Jesus’ disciples were prepared and anxiously waiting.

Again, Jesus made another violent outburst. This time he knocked over the
cages that held doves. He also let loose cattle and other animals being
traded or sold.

Shouting so everybody present could hear, he exclaimed, “The Torah

states, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of
thieves.”

You’ll notice the statement Jesus makes is a combination from Isaiah 56:7 and
Jeremiah 7:11. Jesus was a master of Scripture. He was always able to rely on a
valuable piece of Scripture in his remarks and rebuttals to prove his point. This is
yet another reason the Sanhedrin council were intimidated and fearful of his
ever-increasing congregation.

Jesus, usually portrayed as peaceful and wise, dramatically belies that imagery by
attacking the moneychangers on their home turf. In fact, he resorts to a wildly
violent act. If this same event happened in modern times, Jesus would be swiftly
denounced by the mainstream media, labeled anti-Semantic and a hardcore
terrorist.

This narrative of “Jesus and the Money Changers,” commonly referred to as the
“Cleansing of the Temple,” occurs in all four Gospels of the New Testament. This
scene occurs near the end of the Synoptic Gospels, which are Mark, Matthew,
and Luke. And it appears near the start in the Gospel of John, at John, Chapter 2,
Verses 12 through 25. Some Biblical scholars theorize there may have been two
separate incidents of a similar circumstance and act.

In this episode, Jesus is said to have visited the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, which
was Herod’s Temple. The Temple courtyard is described as being filled with
livestock and the tables of the Money Changers. They converted the standard
Greek, Roman and Tyrian money for Jewish coins, which were the only coinage
allowed for use in Temple ceremonies and activities.

Copyright 2010 John Paul Mitchell www.facebook.com/luminarychurch

Luminary Church – “Jesus and the Money Changers”

The Great Sanhedrin, an assembly of a High Priest, Vice Chief Justice, and sixty-
nine general members, made a profit by renting space in the Temple to the
Money Changers, who were the Jewish bankers and lenders of Judea. They
operated primarily out of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Within this same
Temple were large vaults that stored all types of currency, valuables, treasures,
and artifacts.

In the days of Jesus, the Temple was known as a national treasury. The Jewish
Temple went from a sacred place of worshipping the Most High in ritual and
spirit, to a wasteland of corruption, usury, and treachery.

There was a requirement where every adult male pay a temple tax, a half shekel.
Ordinary Jews had to pay this special tax if they wanted to pray, worship, and
sacrifice during the Passover festivities.

Foreign currency was forbidden for the transaction and only a Jewish half shekel
was acceptable. If a Jew had Greek or Roman coins, they had to convert that
money into a half shekel. The bankers would charge a high fee to transfer from
one currency to another, and rates were even higher during the busy Passover
festival.

Exodus, Chapter 30, Verses 12 through 14 describes this tax requirement. At least,
if there were any positive in being taxed in Biblical times, it was a set standard,
unlike the current taxes most Americans are paying to their state and federal
government bodies. American taxes are progressive, whereas the wealthy and
poor Israelites alike were treated equally.

For just a moment, we’re going to veer off and examine a bit of history.

How many of you are familiar with Malachi? Yes, he’s a minor prophet, and his
book is the final book in most published copies of the Holy Bible’s Old Testament.

How many of you actually knew Malachi was known as Ezra? Sure enough, they
are one and the same person. He was born as Malachi, but conveniently went by
Ezra during the years after Persia conquered and sacked Babylon.

Copyright 2010 John Paul Mitchell www.facebook.com/luminarychurch

Luminary Church – “Jesus and the Money Changers”

At that time, the Persian king was Artaxerxes, highly praised in the Book of Ezra as
the “king of kings.” The Persian king, by decree, commissioned Malachi-Ezra, a
Jewish Scribe by trade, to take charge of the priestly and civil affairs of the newly
returned Jewish nation. A copy of this decree may be found in the Book of Ezra,
Chapter 7.

Malachi-Ezra had the blessings of the Persian king and the high-esteem of over
5,000 Israelite exiles. Artaxerxes sent Ezra on a political pilgrimage to Jerusalem,
so he would win favor with the Jewish people of this Holy City. Malachi-Ezra
performed exceedingly well and was even able to establish a method of collecting
additional money for his mission.

Malachi-Ezra was also the original story compiler and redactor of the Jewish Holy
Books. He conveniently inserted the passage of Exodus, Chapter 30, Verses 12
through 14, into the Holy Books. This passage justified the politics of collecting a
mandatory tax. Only the priests and the staff of the Jewish temple were exempt
from paying the half shekel tax.

We have to remember the Jewish Holy Books were strictly kept in the possession
of the Temple priests and elite membership. The general public of Jewish society
was never allowed to see these books. Whenever the people gathered in the
Temple or synagogues, the priests and rabbis read from the scrolls. So the people
were only receiving the information orally. Their eyes never set sight on the
books.

This is but only one way the Jewish Holy Books became corrupted with false
teachings and error.

I’m not like a lot of Bible believers. I do not believe the Holy Bible, including both
the Old and New Testaments, are the inerrant, infallible “Word of God.” I believe
this ancient book is filled with many errors, hundreds of mistranslations, and
potentially dangerous teachings. Furthermore, there are many sections and
teachings that contradict one another, even if we read the Old Testament alone.

I believe a quote from our young friend Bethany Fenn is appropriate. Just last
week, she shared this quote from Sidhartha Gautama, the Buddha.

Copyright 2010 John Paul Mitchell www.facebook.com/luminarychurch

Luminary Church – “Jesus and the Money Changers”

It reads:

"Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe
nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because
it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of
divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe
only what you yourself test and judge to be true."

Let that sink in for a moment.

Now, returning back to our discussion about “Jesus and the Money Changers.”

When Jesus attacked the Money Changers in the Temple, he was violently
protesting the unethical business practices of the bankers, how they stole from
the Jewish people, and the taxation Malachi-Ezra established through a foreign
power’s cunning political agenda.

According to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus targeted the Money Changers,

explaining his actions by quoting two passages, one from the Book of Isaiah, and
another from the Book of Jeremiah.

Let me read them for you. Isaiah 56:7 states:

“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Jeremiah 7:11 reads:

“But you have made it a den of thieves.”

The sentence from Isaiah comes from a section that instructs that all believers
who obey the Lord’s will, whether Jewish or not, are to be allowed entrance into
the Temple so they may pray, and therefore communicate with the One Great
Power.

The reference to “den of thieves” is how Jesus compared the Sanhedrin and the
Money Changers. He truly believed they were corrupt and stealing from the
Jewish people. The Money Changers were inflating exchange prices and working

Copyright 2010 John Paul Mitchell www.facebook.com/luminarychurch

Luminary Church – “Jesus and the Money Changers”

with a corrupt Jewish Court Council who continued Malachi-Ezra’s false

instruction of paying a half shekel tax to the Temple.

The Lord’s house was a house of prayer and communion with the Divine Creator.
There was never meant to be a price to pray and reflect in the Lord’s house.

If there were a tithe or price required, don’t you think the Prophet Isaiah, a man
of righteousness, would have told us about it? But he didn’t. He mentions no such
thing, none whatsoever!

In fact, during Jesus’ ministry, he instructed us, “The Lord is spirit, and the true
worshippers must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

As we go on our ways, let us not forget the lesson of this sermon. Remember
there is corruption within this world and within the confines of religion and
government. Do not pay allegiance to religion or government. Give every ounce of
your being, all your heart, body, mind, and soul to the Father, the Lord of the
Universe.

In moments of darkness, in moments of despair, in moments when there is utter

confusion, call upon the Lord’s true name: Ahayah. When you need to be kept
safe and protected from the Evil One, say: Ahayah asher ahayah.

I AM That I AM!

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Copyright 2010 John Paul Mitchell www.facebook.com/luminarychurch