Firing the money-changers

Free Church Report Table of Contents and Free Church Report Call Schedule

Comments

Questions

Firing the money-changers

Gabbai and Mokhes, as authoritarian tax collectors, did not exist in Moses’ Israel, yet that nation thrived. That government, with no king, operated in a much different fashion, and the people were allowed to live by the perfect law of liberty to give or withhold as they saw fit, as moved by the Holy Spirit. The people could not force their neighbor to pay for their desires or needs, nor could they elect men to extract such funds from their neighbor through the agency of government, without violating the law of not coveting your neighbor’s goods.

The Singers, who had once been the messengers of the people, had become the Heralds of the ruling elite. The people had become slothful and power became centralized. Through covetousness, the strong right arm of an aberrant kingdom became the enforcing arm of the uncharitable left, to the oppression and corruption of all.

“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” Proverbs 12:24

The money-changers were the official porters or gatekeepers of the temple tribute. The Greek word for moneychangers was kollubistes,³²⁷ which was a word for a small coin or “clipped amount.” Kollubistes had to do with the commission charged by the holders of these lucrative offices on the left hand side of the Judean government. This was a public office that had been overseen by the king since the days of David.

“All these [which were] chosen to be porters in the gates [were] two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office.” 1 Chron 9:22

Originally these porters were chosen, or reckoned by their genealogy, their family units or “generations.” The word villages is normally translated court and is based on congregations of the tens. Even though David and Samuel ordained them to their set offices they had no authority to elect them. The king, as overseer, could reject those elected, but they could not appoint from the top down. The king was a protector, but had no power to choose for the people who they wanted. Jesus understood this, and would not appoint men to the left or right. It was God in the hearts of every man who must make that ruling and judgment.³²⁸

The contributions or offerings of the people in support of the government can only be voluntary in the Kingdom ordained by God. God’s system depended on freewill. Freedom of choice left the responsibility of governance in the hands of the people, by the people, and for the people. The people knew from hard-learned lessons that if they did not take responsibility to secure their neighbor’s rights, then they would soon suffer the loss of their own. Virtue was the soul mate of righteousness, while sloth and avarice were their own companions. The people learned to give in freedom or else faltered into folly and failure, tyranny and totalitarianism.

The way of God was altered by men, from the Hasmoneans to Herod. Now we see the way of Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh, and Caesar in God’s government. The kings who were to serve, now served the people a human entrée and ate the flesh of the people in a civil cauldron³²⁹ by exercising authority.

“On the 25th of Adar business was only transacted within the precincts of Jerusalem and of the Temple, and after that date those who had refused to pay the impost could be proceeded against at law, and their goods distrained, the only exception being in favour of priests, and that ‘for the sake of peace, lest their office should come in disrepute.”³³⁰

These commissioned moneychangers took a portion of the collected contributions of the people in the form of a commission. The tribute could exceed 7,600,000 denarii in that one month. The money-changers were allowed to charge a silver meah, or about one-fourth of a denar. Their cut or commission on this one taxing event could be 950,000 denarii, worth more than $9,000,000 today.

“Thus the immense offerings … to the Temple passed through the hands of the moneychangers.”³³¹

Jesus walked in the national bank, the gazophulakion or “the royal treasury,” and by laying a string whip across their shoulders, according to the ancient tradition of His kingly office, simply fired these corrupt employees. As King, He was able to turn over their lucrative appointments to more worthy officers elected by the people, who now supported His reign as King by the thousands. The people had again been taught the ancient ways by men like John, Jesus, and His faithful followers, who had been demonstrating the way of God, making it straight again.

Understanding that the porters were government officials, and what it meant to be fired from their lucrative commissioned position in the national treasury, brings the desire for urgency and motivation to crucify King Jesus into a new, clearer, and more revealing light. The events in the temple surrounding Jesus’ Kingdom at hand are often misrepresented by modern religious and artistic media, since the days of the Renaissance. Jesus was making real changes that required real spiritual and personal commitments in the lives of those who would follow His way by seeking His kingdom at hand. This remains true today.

Footnotes

• 327“kollubistes, (i.q. a. a small coin, cf. Clipped; b. rate of exchange, premium), a money-changer, banker: Mt.xxi. 12; Mk. Xi. 15; Jn.ii. 15.” Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, page 353.

• 328John 10:34 “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” Mark 10:40 “But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared.”

• 329Ezekiel 11:3 “Which say, [It is] not near; let us build houses: this [city is] the caldron, and we [be] the flesh.” See also Ezekiel 11:7; 11:11; Micah 3:3; Exodus 16:3.

• 330Alfred Edersheim’s book The Temple, p. 71.

• 331New Unger’s Bible Dictionary

Free Church Report Study Group schedule

The Free Church Report

The Free Church Report presents a unique path for the modern Church according to the nature of the first century Church by explaining the duty and purposes of that institution appointed by Christ. While Rome declined under runaway inflation, corrupt government, martial law, and endless threats of war, the Christians found an alternative to the men who “called themselves benefactors but exercised authority one over the other.”
The early Christian knew rights and responsibilities were indivisible. They sought the right to be ruled by God by taking back their responsibility, through the service of “called out” ministers who lived in the world, but were not of it. Their government benefits came through a divine network instituted in their hearts and minds by faith, hope, and charity under the perfect law of liberty as their Qorban of the unrighteous mammon failed the Roman society. Order

Free Church Report Table of Contents

HHC Books
are all online for free in numerous formats with audio support and hundreds of articles along with study series and audio explanations and podcasts. What has been freely shared with the author is freely shared with you and that is an essential element to the true keys of the kingdom. Covenants of the gods | Thy Kingdom Comes | The Free Church Report |
The Higher Liberty | Contracts, Covenants and Constitutions | List | ORDER

If you need help:

Or want to help others:

Join The Living Network of The Companies of Ten
The Living Network | Join Local group | About | Purpose | Guidelines | Network Removal
Contact Minister | Fractal Network | Audacity of Hope | Network Links