TRANSLATION MATTHEW 21

And Jesus went into the Temple precinct and threw out all those selling and buying in the Temple courts, and overturned the tables of the money – exchangers, and the seats of those selling doves. And he told them, “It is written:’My house will be called a house of prayer,’but you have made it a base for bandits.'”

The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple courts anne he healed them.

When the chief priests and the experts in the Law saw the marvellous things he did, and the children shouting out in the Temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’ they said to Jesus.” Don’t you hear what they are saying?” Jesus says to them, ” Have you never read,’ Out of the mouths of infants and suckling babies you have made perfect praise.’ Leaving them he went out from the city to Bethany where he lodged for the night.

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Mark ends his story of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, with him looking around then going off to Bethany. Matthew plunges him into action, first of all as the one with magical authority, then as the down-to-earth healer and friend of children.

The action of Jesus’ anger at the traders would have taken place in the outer court, the court of the gentiles, which was not viewed as specifically holy, but fit for gentiles who were warned to venture no further on pain of death. Matthew does not give as much of the passage from Isaiah as Mark, omitting the crucial phrase ‘ for all nations’ meaning the Gentiles specifically. Matthew interprets Jesus’ concern as being for the honour of God, who hates injustice but loves the voices of children. Changing coins of any denomination into the ‘temple-shekel’ would have been a profitable business.

Balancing the authoritative violence of Jesus Matthew shows his compassion. Opinions differ about the access of disabled people to the temple. A possibly ancient text, 2 Samuel 5/8 suggests that King David detested disabled people and kept them away from holy events. But there was no temple in David’s time. It would seem that disabled priests were not allowed to officiate in the Temple. In any case it looks as if Matthew attributes the access of the blind and the lame to Jesus, who also heals them. Jesus’ subsequent defence of children in the Temple , completes at this point Matthew’s picture of Jesus’ support of those without rights, and his ministry to them.,

Can Jesus Galilean magic be made real in Jerusalem? Matthew is saying, yes. But there are powerful people for whom it has no appeal.

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