And the scribes and the chief priests heard it and were seeking how to put Him to death, because they were afraid of Him, since all the people were astonished at His teaching.
The cleansing of the temple revealed the true condition of the hearts of the religious leaders. They should have rejoiced that the house of God was being cleansed from dishonor, but instead they were looking for a way to kill Him. Their fear was not the fear of God, but the fear of losing their authority. The people were astonished at Christ’s teaching, because His word had authority, truth, and holiness. The leaders could not tolerate the light that exposed their dark deeds. This verse shows that when truth threatens sinful interests, false religiosity can become fierce hostility against Christ.