Knowing The Word in Luke 19:45-48

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

19:45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”

47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

Comments

The temple in Jerusalem was where God met with his people. In the person of Jesus, God has come one last time to his people. Instead of finding healthy, unhindered worship, he finds corrupted, unhindered commerce. Jesus’ pronouncement conflated two passages from the prophets: Isaiah 56:7 (“house of prayer”) and Jeremiah 7:11 (“a den of robbers”). His people are robbers, selling animals for the sacrifices required for the forgiveness of sins, but making a profit. God does not want his people profiting off the sins of others. Jesus, of course, will be the perfect sacrifice that will put to an end the sacrificial system, which God ultimately ended with the destruction of the temple in AD 70.

The “principal men of the people” were the ruling class with whom Jesus was making enemies. They feared the loss of power, privilege, and position. Yet the people were too fond of Jesus for them to act, especially in such a public place. They let him get away with the public driving out the moneychangers and sellers of sacrificial animals, but they would arrest him in private when they could control the circumstances.

Application

Christianity teaches that Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial requirements of the law and the system God put in place at the time of Moses. Have you ever thought that no animals have been sacrificed since the destruction of the temple? Jesus temporarily drove out the sellers. God the Father permanently drove them out.

Prayer

Jesus Christ, I think upon your sacrifice

You became nothing, poured out to death

Many times I’ve wondered at your gift of life

And I’m in that place once again

And once again I look upon the cross where you died

I’m humbled by your mercy and I’m broken inside

Once again I thank you

Once again I pour out my life

Now you are exalted to the highest place

King of the heavens

Where one day I’ll bow

But for now I marvel at this saving grace

And I’m full of praise once again

I’m full of praise once again

I’m humbled by your love

For I find so much mercy, so much grace

How can it, how can it how can it, how can it be?

Thank you for the cross

(Matt Redman, 1997)