If anyone asks, "What makes God angry?", a good first answer is: "Taking God's holy things and using them for selfish purposes".  The temple was intended to be the place where the world could see the greatness of God, and submit to Him.  Instead, Caiaphas, the High Priest had recently licenced a commercial market in the Outer Court of the Gentiles, selling ritually pure items and animals for sacrifice.  Not that God is against trading, provided it is fair (Leviticus 25:14); but this was grossly unfair - on God!  To take the worship of God as an opportunity for personal fame and fortune, aroused His wrath.

Jesus' accusation of robbery was not so much about corrupt business practice (although we might suspect that was going on), but about robbing God.  Overturning money tables was a sign of God's judgement as they had refused to listen to the prophet Malachi: "'Will a mere mortal rob God?  Yet you rob me.  'But you ask, "How are we robbing you?" 'In tithes and offerings.  You are under a curse – your whole nation – because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house."' (Malachi 3:8-12).  Instead of bringing worship tithes into the temple for God, they were taking out money for themselves.  God's intention was that the temple would be a place of blessing: Jesus said it was a disgrace.  Instead of blessing, Christ showed how God's curse would fall - and forty years later the temple was razed to the ground never to be rebuilt to this day, just as Jesus was to predict in Mark 13:2.

The 'King Jesus' of the previous day now presented Himself as the legitimate owner of the temple and the judge of wicked people.  In overturning the market stalls, He was taking prophetic authority over Caiaphas who rented out the space.  Jesus took authority over the porters carrying goods as priests guarded the temple in Nehemiah's day (Nehemiah 13:19-22) – Jesus made that day a holy day because of His divine presence.  He also declared that His house was to be a place for all the nations to pray and worship the Lord – following the promise of Isaiah 56:6-7.  Jesus was greater than the temple (Matthew 12:6).

Even Christians, through the impulse of their sinful nature, can do the same today.  Sung worship can be a self-glorifying performance; and some preachers glow with their national or international reputations.  Power-hungry church officers (or their spouses) and egotistical church activists, all risk being in the same category as rebellious young believers whose Saturday night and Sunday morning do not match.  Using Christ for our own ends can take so many forms because our sinful nature is almost infinitely devious.  The important thing is to recognise it, and deal with it; before Jesus turns the tables on you.