Luk 19:45 | KingComments | STEP | He entered Jerusalem and now He enters the temple. As the Lord of His house, He drives out those who abuse His house for their own gain. The way things are going in the temple reveals the true condition of the people. The Lord goes to this center of their religion and finds there how the power of evil controls everything. The house of God is in the hands of men completely alienated from His original purpose. The temple is meant by God as a house of prayer, a house where His help in need is sought, but these wicked people have made it a robbers’ den. A robber is someone who robs the possessions of someone else. By using the temple as a marketplace they rob God of His honor. They also rob their fellow men of their possessions by their unfair trade. By learning daily about God and the kingdom in the temple, the Lord gives the temple back its true meaning. The temple, the house of God, becomes a house of teaching when it first has become a house of prayer. The church is primarily a house of prayer ( ). Only in a mind of dependence, of which prayer is the expression, we are able receive instruction from the Lord in His house. The teachings here in the temple are mainly the result of the Lord’s discussions with diverse groups of opponents. This teaching, which begins here, continues until Luke 21:38. As the Lord teaches in the temple, religious leaders and influential people seek opportunities to kill Him. Those who have to teach the people about the true God appear to be potential murderers. However, they see no means of turning their plans for murder into action. In their perseverance they see how the people is hanging on to Him, listening to every word He says. At this moment, taking any action against Him is out of the question, for by such an action the people would turn against them.

‏ Luke 19:45

Cleansing and Teaching in the Temple

He entered Jerusalem and now He enters the temple. As the Lord of His house, He drives out those who abuse His house for their own gain. The way things are going in the temple reveals the true condition of the people. The Lord goes to this center of their religion and finds there how the power of evil controls everything.

The house of God is in the hands of men completely alienated from His original purpose. The temple is meant by God as a house of prayer, a house where His help in need is sought, but these wicked people have made it a robbers’ den. A robber is someone who robs the possessions of someone else. By using the temple as a marketplace they rob God of His honor. They also rob their fellow men of their possessions by their unfair trade.

By learning daily about God and the kingdom in the temple, the Lord gives the temple back its true meaning. The temple, the house of God, becomes a house of teaching when it first has become a house of prayer. The church is primarily a house of prayer (1Tim 2:1). Only in a mind of dependence, of which prayer is the expression, we are able receive instruction from the Lord in His house. The teachings here in the temple are mainly the result of the Lord’s discussions with diverse groups of opponents. This teaching, which begins here, continues until Luke 21:38.

As the Lord teaches in the temple, religious leaders and influential people seek opportunities to kill Him. Those who have to teach the people about the true God appear to be potential murderers. However, they see no means of turning their plans for murder into action. In their perseverance they see how the people is hanging on to Him, listening to every word He says. At this moment, taking any action against Him is out of the question, for by such an action the people would turn against them.