Bible Dictionary
Moneychangers
Moneychangers supplied the proper Hebrew half-shekels needed for temple offerings, especially during the festivals. Jesus expelled them from the temple for turning sacred worship into an occasion for dishonest profit.
Definition
Moneychangers were dealers who supplied the Hebrew half-shekels required for the temple offering. They exchanged the foreign currencies carried by Jews arriving in Jerusalem, especially during the great festivals.
Biblical Usage
Christ expelled the moneychangers from the temple because of their impiety, avarice, and fraudulent dealing, thereby condemning the profanation of sacred worship by commerce.
Historical Background
The half-shekel was required of Israelites who had reached the age of twenty. The moneychangers supplied this coin for a premium to pilgrims from different parts of the world.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15; John 2:15) According to (Exodus 30:13-15) every Israelite who had reached or passed the age of twenty must pay into the sacred treasury, whenever the nation was numbered, a half-shekel as an offering to Jehovah. The money-changers whom Christ, for their impiety, avarice and fraudulent dealing, expelled from the temple were the dealers who supplied half-shekels, for such a premium as they might be able to exact, to the Jews from all parts of the world who assembled at Jerusalem during the great festivals, and were required to pay their tribute or ransom money in the Hebrew coin.