On Line Bible Study - For the Week July 18-24, 2011

Lesson 502

Luke 19: ⁴⁵ When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. ⁴⁸ Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

Jesus has entered Jerusalem and the final events of his life's work will now unfold. We have discussed in earlier studies why Jerusalem is so important. But more specifically, Jesus comes into Jerusalem and goes to the Temple - the seat of Jewish worship and the setting for the exercise of power by Israel's religious leaders and teachers.

After weeping over the city (see Luke 19:41), he steps into the Temple and does more than weep or talk. He takes action. He justifies his deeds by quoting from Isaiah 56:7. In that passage from Isaiah the prophet is speaking of the 'those who bind themselves to the Lord' - the foreigner in Israel's midst. Even the stranger who holds fast to God's covenant will not only be permitted to offer sacrifices, but they will be welcome as God gathers them in. The emphasis in Isaiah is on all people - welcome to come and pray in the house of the Lord.

Jesus quotes from the passage and emphasizes the function of the Temple more than who is welcome there. At least, that is the explicit meaning of this story in which Christ drives out sellers.

Perhaps Isaiah's fuller meaning still applies here in that money must never be used as a means to or a barrier against a prayerful relationship with God.

Jesus doesn't just talk. Jesus takes action. That is what makes him such a threat; and that is what gives his message so much traction. Our text tells us the people 'hung on his words'; indeed. And they took careful note of his actions as well.

mmm