Luk 19:45-46 | NETfull | STEP | Then Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling things there,

Luke 19:45-46

Cleansing the Temple

45 Then ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.} Jesus ^{▼▼ Grk “he.”} entered the temple courts ^{▼▼ Grk “the temple” (also in v. 47).} ^{▼▼ The merchants (those who were selling things there) would have been located in the Court of the Gentiles.} and began to drive out those who were selling things there, ^{▼▼ Matthew (21:12–27), Mark (11:15–19) and Luke (here, 19:45–46) record this incident of the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John (2:13–16) records a cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. See the note on the word temple courts in John 2:14 for a discussion of the relationship of these accounts to one another.} 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘ My house will be a house of prayer ,’ ^{▼▼ A quotation from Isa 56:7.} but you have turned it into a den ^{▼▼ Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).} of robbers !” ^{▼▼ A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.}