Jesus and the Temple (Luke 19:41-48)

Story “My House shall be a house of prayer” (Chapter 14 “An Imaginary Journey” David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderen, The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse: Recognizing and Escaping Spiritual Manipulation and False Spiritual Authority within the Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House, 2005).

Luke 19:41-48 ESV

The story that I shared with you is a fictional story of the father and son,

but I believe it helps us get a picture of what is happening in during this period of time within Judaism.

Today we we will unpack in our text the reason why Jesus cleared the Temple and what it means for us today.

Luke 19:41-48 ESV

“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

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

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, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.”

1. Jesus wept over the temple

It is important to recognize that before Jesus cleared the temple he wept over the temple

V41-42

“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

V43-44

Jesus prophecies the coming destruction of Jerusalem.

Which talks place around 40 years later in AD 70

Jesus finishes with the statement that this destruction is coming “because you did not know the time of your visitation”

The reason for destruction was because God’s judgement was coming to the house of the Lord.

Why was judgement coming?

It was coming because they did not recognize when God in the flesh dwelt in their presents.

The religious leaders failed to see the Son of God because they did not know His Father

Jesus said “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.” (John 14:7a ESV)

They rejected Jesus because they did not know Him or the Father

So then, Jesus wept because he knew that Jerusalem could have had peace but missed their opportunity because of their hard hearts.

True peace comes when one has a right relationship with God

And unfortunately the people of Jerusalem are far from knowing God

Jesus wept because God’s judgement was soon coming and this was not what the Son wanted for the people he loved

Jesus said in Matthew 23:37 ESV

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Remember that an essential part of Jesus’ message was warning the people of God’s judgement if they did not repent.

Because there was no repentance the moment of judgement was soon coming.

When Jesus delivers this prophetic statement His attitude is not "I told you so” or “You are getting what you have coming to you.”

Rather like the prophet Jeremiah, Jesus weeps over the city that had become so lost from its mission.

Jesus wept because God’s judgement was coming to an entire religious institution that drifted so far from its calling.

It is important to know that the temple sat on a hill for all to see and was to be a symbol of God dwelling among His people

Remember Jesus said in Matthew 5:14

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

The temple was suppose be a symbol to draw people in to know God the Creator of the universe

But instead, the religious leaders used the temple as a barricade to keep people out. (Wright 210)

1 Kings 8:41-43 NLT

“In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands because of your name, for they will hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple, then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors your name.”

It is no wonder Jesus wept over Jerusalem

After weeping over Jerusalem Jesus enters the temple

Luke 19:45–46 (ESV)

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

2. Jesus cleared the temple

Why did he clear the temple?

There are two main reasons why Jesus cleared the temple

1. is because his house was to be a house of prayer

I want to unpack where Jesus says “My house shall be a house of prayer”

Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 56:7

Isaiah 56:7 (ESV)

these I will bring to my holy mountain,

and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

their burnt offerings and their sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar;

for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

“my house shall be call a house of prayer for all people”

The phrase all people is important

If one where to read Marks account of Jesus clearing the temple he states in Mark 11:17

“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?”

Isaiah 56 speaks of the extension of God’s salvation to people who formerly were excluded from it:

foreigners, eunuchs, exiles, and Gentiles would be welcomed into God’s salvation plan.

The temple was not to be sole property of Israel

but rather the witness to the nations that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Edwards 343)

But instead of the temple being a lighthouse for the nations to see it became a den of robbers

Which is the second reason Jesus cleared the temple.

Jesus was quoting from Jeremiah 7:11

Jeremiah 7:11 (ESV)

Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the Lord.

Jesus’ words from Jer 7:11 are a stern and passionate judgement of the temple operations that had become so corrupt

The priests who were supposed to be praying for the people were instead those who preyed on the people.

The story I shared at the start gives one the idea of the corruption that was taking place

The religious leaders were using God as means to have power and get rich!

These leaders abused their position of power and swindled helpless victims into paying extremely high prices in order that they could worship God.

People who desired to worship God were used by the religious leaders as they extorted sincere followers of God.

The bottom line is the religious leaders traded in true and pure worship of God for there own profit of money

Does it make sense why Jesus and John the Baptist called these religious leaders a brood of vipers?

John the Baptist said

Matthew 3:7 (ESV)

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Jesus said

Matthew 12:34 (ESV)

“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Jesus tone gets even harsher later on in Matthew when he states in 23:33

Matthew 23:33 (ESV)

“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?”

The are 2 things you need to know about vipers

1. Vipers were small snakes that looked very much like sticks and were hard to notice.

Sometimes while gathering firewood, people would pick up a viper, thinking it was a stick.

Remember Paul had this happen to him in Acts 28

People would pick up these vipers thinking that they were useful but instead they were deadly

2. You could find “broods” of them in cooler places in the desert, such as in caves and under trees.

A desert traveler who was looking for safety and shelter would search out these cooler locations to camp.

Unfortunately, the spot that looked as if it offered coolness and rest

would instead be a location that would lead to a slow painful death

The place that was supposed to be the safest often turned out to be the most deadliest.

Think of it this way....

Jesus and John where calling the religious leaders a brood of vipers because on the outside they looked helpful and useful just like a viper looked like a helpful and a useful stick to help keep warm.

On the outside the temple looked like a place to find rest for those who were tired.

But when the traveler finally made his way inside the temple that looked helpful and looked like a place to find rest

Was not at all what they were looking for

The traveler soon found to be place the was full of man made rules that weighed them down and brought eternal despair

The temple became a place that of corruption, abuse, and manipulation that is why Jesus had to clear the temple.

Jesus had to clear out these brood of vipers in order to teach the people about true worship of God

3. Jesus taught in the temple

Luke 19:47–48 (ESV)

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, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

The people hung on every word Jesus spoke because for the first time in their lives they saw an authentic faith.

For the first time people witness someone preach with authority.

For the first time people saw someone who taught the truth.

Jesus had to clear out the sin in His Fathers house in order for people to see the true Kingdom

The religious leaders taught about their kingdom,

their rules,

and their own ideas

But Jesus spoke about a Heavenly Kingdom that would change their lives

Jesus said to those who experienced the abuse of religion

Those who could not live up to the man made standards of the pharisee’s

Jesus said to the tired and the broken who where shut out from the temple

Jesus said

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

Jesus understood that this false man made religious system was based on works

and gave heavy burdens to those who tried to attain their salvation

The Pharisees spoke of carrying the “the yoke of the Torah” which was an impossible burden to bear with one’s own ability.

The heavy burden of the Jewish law with all its commandments was an impossible burden to carry alone.

So then, Jesus was saying come to me all who know that they are in need of help

All those who have given up on religion

Come to me all who recognize their inability to achieve salvation.

All who are sick and in need come and you will find rest

It does not matter what you have done in the past

It does not matter what mistakes you have made

Jesus was saying salvation has come for all those who follow after him

The yoke of religion was unbearable to carry, but the yoke Jesus was offering would be easy to bear.

“My yoke,” Jesus said, “is easy.”

It’s not religion—it’s relationship.

It’s not Judaism—it’s Jesus.

It’s not the law—it’s love.” (Amen!)

Jesus had to clear the temple in order to give this pure Gospel about His Kingdom

His will

and His plan for salvation

This plan of salvation did not promise freedom from storms in life

But this plan of salvation means that even in the thick of trials that God will give us His sustaining grace so that we will not be crushed or driven to despair (Blomberg 194)

Craig Keener writes

“They will find Jesus’ yoke light because he is a Master who will care for them (Mt 11:29). Jesus’ yoke is not lighter because he demands less (5:20), but because he bears more of the load with us (23:4). In contrast to unconcerned religious teachers who prided themselves on their own position, like some religious leaders today (23:4–7, 29), Jesus was going to lay down his life for the sheep (20:25–28).”

Jesus cleared out the temple to make room for the poor, broken, and hurting.

Jesus clearing the temple was the start of what we call passion week

After Jesus cleared the temple He continued to teach about the Kingdom knowing that His path to the cross was soon at hand as he would shed His blood that we might receive salvation

Ask the question....

1. Jesus wept over the temple

2. Jesus cleared the temple

3. Jesus taught in the temple