Step-by-step explanation:
According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus' cleansing of the temple involved driving out the money changers and merchants who were conducting business within the temple grounds. This action challenged the Jewish leaders' practices and beliefs in several ways.
Firstly, the temple was considered the holiest site in Judaism and was to be treated with reverence and respect. By allowing commercial activities to take place within its walls, the Jewish leaders were seen as profaning the sacred space. Jesus' actions were therefore a direct challenge to the authority of the Jewish leaders and their disregard for the sanctity of the temple.
Secondly, the money changers and merchants were involved in the selling of animals for sacrifice, which was an important part of Jewish worship. However, the prices charged were often exorbitant, taking advantage of the poor who had come to the temple to offer their sacrifices. Jesus' actions were seen as a rebuke to the exploitation of the poor by the religious authorities.
Finally, Jesus' cleansing of the temple was a symbolic act of judgment against the Jewish leaders, who were accused of corrupting the true worship of God. In this way, it attacked their way of life by challenging their authority, their treatment of the poor, and their faithfulness to God.