Let's establish what is and is not a personal attack.

[merrily]

16. OK, I once heard a great explanation of that scene, but maybe it is for the religion forum.

Or maybe not.


Jews then believed it was a God-mandated duty to go to Jerusalem every year at Passover and sacrifice an animal in the temple, no matter where they lived at the time or how poor they were. So, Jews were coming in from all countries with all currencies, in order to obey God.

If someone lived near enough to Jerusalem, he could bring his own animal for sacrifice with him. Those who came a distance, however, had to buy an animal to sacrifice once they got to Jerusalem. In order to do that, they had to change their own currency into shekels or whatever. So, they were ripe to be gouged on the exchange rate. And that is why Jesus threw the moneychangers out of the temple--because they were all gouging people who, at least in their own minds, had no other option. You can so many principles of antitrust, undue influence, etc. in that story if you look at that way.

Now, the gouging bit is not in the Bible. But you can piece together everything else from things that are in the Bible. I think the gouging can be fairly implied. Why else would Jesus have been enraged by people performing a service needed by religious pilgrims in order to obey God?

Anyway, I thought it was a great explanation.