P1889:1, 173:1.3
But traffic in sacrificial animals and sundry merchandise was not the only way
in which the courts of the temple were profaned. At this time there was fostered
an extensive system of banking and commercial exchange which was carried on
right within the temple precincts. And this all came about in the following
manner: During the Asmonean dynasty the Jews coined their own silver money,
and it had become the practice to require the temple dues of one-half shekel
and all other temple fees to be paid with this Jewish coin. This regulation
necessitated that money-changers be licensed to exchange the many sorts of currency
in circulation throughout Palestine and other provinces of the Roman Empire
for this orthodox shekel of Jewish coining. The temple head tax, payable by
all except women, slaves, and minors, was one-half shekel, a coin about the
size of a ten cent piece but twice as thick. By
the times of Jesus the priests had also been exempted from the payment of temple
dues. Accordingly, from the 15th to the 25th of the month preceding the Passover,
accredited money-changers erected their booths in the principal cities of Palestine
for the purpose of providing the Jewish people with proper money to meet the
temple dues after they had reached Jerusalem. After this ten-day period these
money-changers moved on to Jerusalem and proceeded to set up their exchange
tables in the courts of the temple. They were permitted to charge the equivalent
of from three to four cents commission for the exchange of a coin valued at
about ten cents, and in case a coin of larger value was offered for exchange,
they were allowed to collect double. Likewise did these temple bankers profit
from the exchange of all money intended for the purchase of sacrificial animals
and for the payment of vows and the making of offerings.