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To my knowledge it was only 4 days prior to his crucifixion that he turned over the tables of the moneychangers in the temple.
They (moneychangers) were charging 1 half shekel to enter the temple.
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My point exactly. In the nature of the descriptor moneychangers, they were selling the half-shekel denomination for a different currency. By running operations of the Temple on any currency and then specifically demanding pilgrims pay the tax in shekels, the moneychangers were gouging. They were able to hoard shekels and then charge profit to themselves selling the shekels to the pilgrims. They were moneychangers, not Temple Tax collectors.
Paying the Temple Tax was the next step. After getting your hands, at a loss, on the half-shekel coin.
I like the point about what got Jesus in trouble too. And today's parallels in our contemporary heroes.
Regards,
David Merrill.