Merchants of the Temple
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The merchants in the Temple were meant to provide pilgrims with offerings for sacrifices. The prohibitive prices and usury practiced on the duty of the brothers in Religion led Jesus to drive out the merchants who made the Temple "a den of thieves".
In "The Gospel as it was revealed to me"
- Jesus drives out the Merchants from the Temple – Passover of the 1st year of public life.[1]
- Jesus drives out again the Merchants from the Temple on Palm Sunday, just before his Passion.[2]
In other works by Maria Valtorta
In the Notebooks
- March 30, 1949: "Your nature, which seems impulsive and fiery – I say Seems: which seems – knows how to control itself, while those who judge you do not control themselves for even less. Moreover, in this you also resemble me. They should all remember my holy anger Against the merchants of all sorts settled in the Temple, as well as my impetuous words Against the scribes and Pharisees... How much you resemble me, my Soul, in so many things, ranging from raw sincerity to absolute obedience, to firmness and constancy, not forgetting your just reactions Against injustices and the Unjust, and your forgiveness which, without yielding anything to the Unjust, pardons them..."[3]
- Catechesis of August 16, 1949: "I would like in a rush of holy anger to descend on earth and reiterate the gesture by which I cleared the Temple of its money changers, thieves and merchants".[4]
In fundamental Christian texts
In the Bible
First expulsion of the merchants, at the beginning of public life
The Passover of the Jews was near and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the Temple the merchants of oxen, sheep and Doves as well as the money changers who had set up there. Then, making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the Temple, both the sheep and the oxen; he scattered the money of the changers, overturned their tables; and he said to the merchants of Doves: "Take all this out of here and do not make the house of my Father a house of trade." His Disciples remembered that it is written: The zeal of Your house will consume me. But the Jews spoke to him and said: "What sign will you show us to do this?" Jesus answered them: "Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Then the Jews said: "It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking of the Temple of his body. Thus, when Jesus rose from the dead, his Disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.[5]
Second expulsion of the merchants, on Palm Sunday
Matthew's account aligns with Maria Valtorta's description: The crowd spread their garments on the road; some cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds walking in front of him and those following shouted: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up: "Who is this?" they said; and the crowds answered: "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee." Then Jesus entered the Temple and drove out all who were buying and selling in the Temple; he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling Doves. And he said to them: "It is written: My house will be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers!" The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. Seeing the amazing things he had done and the children shouting in the Temple: "Hosanna to the Son of David!" The High Priests and the scribes were indignant and said to him: "Do you hear what these are saying?" But Jesus said to them: "Yes; have you never read this text: Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have prepared praise?" Then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.[6]
Mark separates the expulsion of the merchants from Palm Sunday: it would have taken place the following day – Many people spread their clothes on the road and others cut branches from the fields. Those who went in front and those who followed shouted: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom, the kingdom of David Our Father! Hosanna in the highest!" And he entered Jerusalem into the Temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already evening, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. The next day, leaving Bethany, he was hungry. Seeing from a distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find anything on it. As he approached, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Addressing it, he said: "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And his Disciples listened. They arrived in Jerusalem. Entering the Temple, Jesus began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the Temple; he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of the merchants of Doves, and he did not allow anyone to carry anything through the Temple. And he taught them, saying: "Is it not written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of robbers." The High Priests and the scribes learned this and sought how to kill him. For they feared him, because the people were amazed at his teaching.[7]
Luke's account corresponds with Maria Valtorta's description - He was already approaching the descent of the Mount of Olives, when all the Disciples en masse, filled with joy, began to praise God loudly for all the miracles they had seen. They said: "Blessed is he who comes, the king, in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!" Some Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus: "Master, rebuke your Disciples!" He answered: "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would cry out." When he approached the city and saw it, he wept over it. He said: "If you, even you, had only known on this day how to find peace…! But alas! It has been Hidden from your eyes! Yes, days will come for you when your Enemies will build siege works Against you; they will surround and close in on you from all sides; they will crush you and your children within you; and they will not leave one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation." Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out those who were selling. He said to them: "It is written: My house shall be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers."[8]
John does not include the second expulsion of the merchants but reaffirms during Palm Sunday what he commented on during the first: the Apostles only later understood the events (cf. John 12:12-19)