go to the
tables where these men sat and buy Jewish coins with their Roman and
Greek money. Because there was a profit on this exchange, the Temple
treasury had grown rich. Pilate had forced the high priest to use some
of this money to pay for the great aqueduct that brought water to
Jerusalem.

The men were weighing coins on their scales. Clinking money and noisy
arguing made the scene all the more like a public market. Jesus stood
before the row of tables, looking at the money-changers. Suddenly he
spoke in a voice that was firm and clear. The arguing stopped; men
forgot the money and looked up. Silence settled over that part of the
Temple courtyard; Jesus had taken command. "It is written in the
Scriptures, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the
nations!' But you have made it a den of robbers!"

Jesus stepped swiftly toward the first table and with a sweep of his arm
threw the table over into the dust. The scales crashed to the ground;
money rolled everywhere. In an instant Jesus was striding down the whole
row. The money-changers were terrified. Jesus did not leave a single
table standing. Scales and coins, records on parchment, and chairs lay
in confusion on the ground. The onlookers could hardly believe what they
saw; who could this be, who dared clear this courtyard as though it were
his own?

Judas moved quickly toward Jesus. "Stop! Stop!" he cried out.

But Jesus paid no attention. He turned to those who were selling animals
and pigeons and cried out: "Take these things away! You shall not make
my Father's house a house of trade!" He picked up a piece of rope and,
knotting a whip of cords, began to drive the bullocks out of the Temple.

People stood as though paralyzed. Heavy swirls of dust hung in the
morning air. The empty cages from which the pigeons had escaped lay
scattered. Judas stood stock-still behind Jesus, not daring to protest
again. The Roman guards peered alertly from the Tower of Antonia, but
now all had become quiet below them.

"Come! Let us leave this place!" Jesus walked across the broad royal
porch and down toward the market place of Jerusalem.

The disciples finally started after him. "All Jerusalem saw him do it!"
exclaimed Andrew.

Judas could hold back no longer. "Why did he have to do a thing like
this!" he cried passionately. "This will turn everyone against us!" The
other eleven men knew that the Romans had seen it all; within a few
minutes it would be repor