Since Mark 3, people have been trying to figure out how to destroy Jesus. The opposition intensifies, of course, during Holy Week. Look how the cleansing of the temple story ends:

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him… (Mark 11.15 – 18, ESV)

In those days a worshiper couldn’t bring his own sacrifice or even his own money into the temple. The leaders had set up a nice profit-making operation selling sacrifices and changing money. Jesus called it a “den of robbers.” If they hadn’t been plotting against Jesus for his Sabbath violations and other perceived rule-breakings, this would have done it. Don’t mess with our money!

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6.24, ESV)