John 2 15

John 2:15 kjv

And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

John 2:15 nkjv

When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables.

John 2:15 niv

So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

John 2:15 esv

And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.

John 2:15 nlt

Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers' coins over the floor, and turned over their tables.

John 2 verses

John 2 15 Meaning

John 2:15 details Jesus' righteous indignation and authoritative act of cleansing the Jerusalem Temple. He fashioned a whip from cords and drove out the merchants selling sacrificial animals and the money changers from the outer courts, overturning their tables and pouring out their money. This action signified His divine zeal for the purity of God's house, challenged the commercial exploitation of worship, and served as a prophetic indictment of the corrupt religious system, emphasizing that true worship is spiritual and not centered on profit or external rituals.

John 2 15 Context

John 2:15 occurs early in Jesus' public ministry, shortly after His first sign at the wedding in Cana of Galilee (Jn 2:1-11). It precedes His discussion with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman, setting a tone of immediate divine authority and zeal. The passage is set during the Passover festival, a time when Jerusalem was bustling with pilgrims who required temple currency for offerings and sacrificial animals for worship. The merchants and money changers occupied the outer court (Court of the Gentiles), which was meant to be a place of prayer for all nations (Isa 56:7). Jesus' action challenges the system that had allowed commerce and profit to usurp the sacred purpose of the temple, particularly by impeding gentile worshippers. This event serves as an early declaration of Jesus' messianic identity and the authoritative, purifying nature of His ministry. The Jewish authorities immediately questioned His authority (Jn 2:18), leading to His symbolic prophecy about the destruction and raising of the temple, referring to His own body (Jn 2:19-21).

John 2 15 Word analysis

• And when he had made: Indicates a deliberate, intentional action, not a spontaneous outburst.

• a scourge: Greek: φραγγέλλιον (phragellion). A whip.

  • Significance: This was likely a whip for guiding or driving animals, made quickly from available cords, not a weapon for harming people. It symbolizes His authoritative expulsion of the animals and merchants, acting as a herdsman driving a flock.

• of small cords: Greek: σχοινίον (skhoinion). Made of reeds or rushes.

  • Significance: Reinforces that it was an improvised, non-lethal whip. It points to symbolic action and Jesus' authority, not physical violence against individuals. He used it primarily on the animals.

• he drove them all out: Greek: ἐκβάλλειν (ekballein). A strong verb meaning to cast out, throw out, or expel.

  • Significance: Used here for a forceful and decisive removal, reflecting His uncompromising demand for holiness in the Temple. It is the same word used for expelling demons, suggesting an authoritative spiritual cleansing.

• of the temple: Greek: ἱερόν (hieron).

  • Significance: Refers to the entire temple complex, including the outer courts where these commercial activities took place, specifically the Court of the Gentiles. This is distinct from the ναός (naos), the inner sanctuary, indicating that the common people and Gentiles were most affected by this defilement.

• and the sheep, and the oxen:

  • Significance: These were sacrificial animals. Their sale, though seemingly practical, often involved inflated prices and convenience over purity, contributing to the desecration of a place of worship.

• and poured out: Greek: ἐκχέειν (ekchein). To pour out, scatter.

  • Significance: A strong, dramatic action, emphasizing the disruption and scattering of their ill-gotten gains.

• the changers' money: Greek: κολλυβιστής (kollybistēs) or κερματιστής (kermatistēs). Those who exchanged foreign currency for temple currency.

  • Significance: Pilgrims from various regions needed to exchange their foreign currency for the accepted Tyrian shekel to pay the Temple tax or purchase offerings. This service, while necessary, often became exploitative, charging exorbitant exchange rates.

• and overthrew: Greek: ἀνατρέπω (anatrepō). To overturn, overthrow.

  • Significance: This verb denotes a violent and destructive overturning, highlighting Jesus' resolute rejection of the unholy activities.

• the tables: Greek: τράπεζα (trapeza). The benches or stalls where the money changers operated.

  • Significance: The physical dismantling of their business apparatus, signifying a total cessation of the illicit commerce.

• "he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out...": Jesus' actions show deliberate control and divine authority, not an uncontrolled fit of rage. The small cords indicate a symbolic cleansing, where His presence and authority, not physical might against people, were the driving force. He was restoring the space's sacred purpose by expelling those who defiled it with greed.

• "drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables": This entire sequence depicts a comprehensive and multifaceted cleansing. Jesus not only removed the agents of commerce (the people) but also the objects of their trade (animals) and the tools of their exploitation (money, tables), ensuring the total removal of the defiling elements. This comprehensive nature underscores the severity of the profanation and the depth of the required purification.

John 2 15 Bonus section

The timing of this temple cleansing in John's Gospel, occurring at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, stands in contrast to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) where it appears near the end. John places it early to establish Jesus' divine authority and His confrontation with religious corruption from the outset, immediately leading into His declaration that His own body is the true temple (Jn 2:19-21). This earlier placement highlights Jesus' role as the one who purifies and redefines worship. The event foreshadows not only the eventual destruction of the physical Temple but also the transition to a new covenant where worship is in Spirit and truth (Jn 4:23-24), centered on Christ Himself. The "scourge of small cords" also indicates that His forceful act was less about physical harm and more about authoritative symbolism and a demonstration of His rightful indignation against profanity in the sacred space.

John 2 15 Commentary

John 2:15 presents Jesus as a zeal-filled Messiah, asserting His divine authority over God's house. His actions—making a scourge, driving out merchants and animals, overturning tables—were not mere outbursts but prophetic demonstrations. He challenged the rampant commercialism and exploitation that desecrated the outer court, designed for all nations to pray. By purifying the Temple, Jesus declared that genuine worship demands integrity and holiness, free from greed and unrighteous profit. This event prefigures the true spiritual temple, His body, and foreshadows a cleansing of spiritual defilement. His actions underscored the message that external rituals without internal righteousness and a true heart for God were abominable.