The biblical parable about how Jesus Christ expelled merchants from the temple in Jerusalem is widely known. But does this mean an absolute ban on any trade in liturgical institutions?
Gospel
The Gospel really says that "Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all those who sold and bought in the temple, and knocked over tables and changed benches selling doves." However, it does not say that the Lord forbids any trade in the temple. To understand what it is about, you need to know the structure of the Old Testament Jerusalem temple and the ritual side of the Old Testament worship.
The temple consisted of several parts: a courtyard, where people could enter, and an altar, on which sacrifices of burnt offerings were made (animals and birds sacrificed were burned). The narthex separated the secular part from the sanctuary, where only priests could enter, and only the high priest could enter the "holy of holies" once a year on the feast of cleansing. In the courtyard, where blood sacrifices were made for various reasons, for this they sold animals and birds, as well as changed coins that people could also donate.
All this happened in the courtyard, which was part of the temple, and not behind its fence. This outraged the Savior, and he dispersed all these merchants and changed.
Modernity
What is happening in modern temples? Is there any similarity in the sale of candles to the bazaar where sheep, sheep and pigeons are sold? No. The sale of candles does not violate the prayers in the temple, especially when you consider that in many churches candle boxes are in the narthex or are generally taken out into separate rooms.
Moreover, today it is already recognized that the sale of candles, prayers and crosses in church shops is not a commercial activity. The Patriarchate has repeatedly declared. The fact is that the legislation of the Russian Federation does stand on the side of the Church, seeing in the temple trade only a form of donation, when the added value of the distributed goods is considered not a commercial income, but a charitable contribution of the “buyer”, a voluntary sacrifice for church needs.
