John 2:14He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting.
The setting
Temple Mount courtyard, Jerusalem, Israel. The Court of the Gentiles buzzes with merchants, bleating animals, and clinking coins...
The emotion here: grieved at having to record this desecration of God's house
The original word
kollubistēs (κολλυβιστής) — money changers who exploited pilgrims with unfair exchange rates
Why it matters
Temple authorities required special 'Temple currency' and charged up to 25% commission to exchange Roman coins
Read with care
What most readers miss in John 2:14
The animals were for REQUIRED sacrifices — the poor had no choice but to pay inflated prices
Common misconceptionPeople think Jesus was angry about commerce in general, but the issue was exploitation — these merchants were price-gouging pilgrims who had traveled hundreds of miles and had no other options.
The thread continues
Verses that echo John 2:14
Bible Genome reading
John 2:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
John 2:14 comes from the book of John, written during the gospel period. The setting is the Temple. These words are attributed to John. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include corruption, commerce. Notable phrases: found in the temple; sold oxen sheep and doves; changers of money.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does John 2:14 mean to you, today?
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