His Father’s House – Jesus in the Temple, Easter Week
Jesus entered His Father’s House after the events of Palm Sunday. Read what happened during this important event of Easter Week.
Jesus Makes a Visit to His Father’s House During His Final Week
We are continuing our look at the week leading up to the resurrection of Jesus, after entering Jerusalem as the prophesied king, Jesus made his way to the temple. There, in the outer courts he was not pleased with what he found.
The Bible tells us that in this part of the temple grounds, there were vendors and money changers, buying and selling animals for the various offerings that were required. Naturally, because people were coming from different regions and countries, using any combination of Greek, Roman and other currencies, it would make sense that there would be people in Jerusalem offering to change those currencies into what was acceptable in Jerusalem.
Business Dealings in His Father’s House
Likewise, because people were travelling great distances for the Passover, it would make sense for them to purchase the required lamb in the city. Mosaic law required that the lamb be spotless, perfect, without blemish. The roads they travelled in those days were often rough, if the animal fell or became injured, it would not be acceptable, and the person would be left without an offering for God. So, these services that were being offered were not without benefit or cause. The problem was it was business that had no place within the temple. We know this because Jesus drove them out.
Some have said that it wasn’t the fact that they were selling these animals, or changing money, but were doing so with dishonest pricing, they were gouging their customers and taking advantage of the situation with the many travellers in town for the feast. But the Bible mentions nothing about pricing or profit in any of the records of this event. Matthew and Mark state that Jesus drove out both buyers and sellers, an indication that while this had seemingly become an acceptable practice within Jewish tradition, it was not consistent with what the scriptures taught about the temple and worship.
Driving People Out of the Temple
It’s what Jesus says as he is driving the people out of the temple that is interesting though. He said to them
“It is written that my house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations, but you have made it a den of robbers.”
That statement, that they had made it a den of robbers, is perhaps where the idea of overcharging was born, but what is really important is that Jesus is quoting the scripture. The temple was known as the House of God. The first scripture Jesus quotes here is found in Isaiah 56, there we read in verse 6
“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast to my covenant, 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.”
It really is a beautiful passage.
The Temple’s Purpose
It was spoken when the temple was for the Jews, for the children of Israel who were part of God’s covenant with Abraham, and Moses and David, but it looked forward to a time when God’s salvation would be for everyone who was faithful to Him, that time which was now being ushered in through His Son, Jesus Christ.
This part is a little easier to understand, the Temple was considered a holy and sacred place, the keeping and selling of animals in the courts, the business being conducted there was inappropriate, it was in a way a desecration of what was supposed to be set apart from worldly things, where people could honor, worship, and pray to God.
But then we get to the next part of what Jesus said, about how they had made the temple a den of robbers. This is a term that we find in the prophesy of Jeremiah, chapter seven. In that part of scripture, it says this:
“Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say ‘we are delivered!’ only to go on doing these abominations? Has this house, which is called by name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the Lord.”
And now Jesus is bringing it all together, the commerce that was taking place at the temple, though still wrong, was an illustration of what the real problem was. Jesus was condemning the attitude and the hearts of the people, who were simply using the sacrificial system and offerings as an obligatory practice, and then self-declaring their righteousness without ever having to address the sin in their lives, and worse, without ever requiring any intent to turn from their wicked ways.
Buying and Selling
The buying and selling of animals in the temple was wrong, however the attitude of buying and selling forgiveness without repentance in the temple was even worse. If we go to the start of the gospels, we see the forerunner, John the Baptist who was chosen to go into public ministry before Jesus and make the people ready to receive the Messiah. What was his message?
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Repentance isn’t talked about all that much. Jesus came to save people from their sins, so for that to happen, in order for us to be saved, we must realize that we have sinned, that we have gone away from God’s standard, and that our way of living without God is wrong. Repentance is the idea of turning from our ways, our sin, and then move towards God’s ways of righteousness. Jesus was announcing that empty sacrifices and vain offerings were meaningless, and powerless to save, because what was really required was faith and repentance.
This situation at the temple created another problem for the religious leaders. If Jesus was speaking truth about all these things, then they would be guilty for having allowed it all this time. Throughout the gospels one of the main points of attack for the Pharisees, was that Jesus would perform healings on the Sabbath, a day when no work was to be done. Jesus’ response to them was that it was right to do good on the Sabbath, and not evil, and not helping others would be evil, and therefore the stance of the Pharisees regarding these things was wrong.
The Religious Leaders and the Law
Now, Jesus is saying that the way they allow these things to take place at the temple, and their empty sacrifices was also wrong. And that didn’t sit well with them. The religious leaders taught that strict adherence to the law is what made a man righteous, and they believed they were in full compliance, even though Jesus was regularly pointing out that they were not.
Jesus is now bringing new teaching, one that says it is not strict adherence to the unkeepable law that makes one righteous, but rather faithfulness to the one who gave us the law, a faithfulness that causes us to desire to do things God’s way, that is what makes one righteous. What was sadly lost on many of the people was that this was not a new teaching, way back in the book of Genesis, it says that
“Abraham believed the Lord, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Now Jesus is teaching this same message again at the temple, knowing that in a few days he would become that perfect sacrifice, once for all. And that after that the law would be fulfilled and everyone, Jew and Gentile, who turned from their sin and believed in Him, would be saved forever.
Do you think that Jesus’ actions in His Father’s house were appropriate? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Stephen March
Stephen March is the President of FBH International and HopeStreamRadio. He graduated from the Broadcasting Program at Niagara College in 2001, and has previously worked in television production and post-production.
Stephen lives in St. Catharines, Ontario, with his wife Corinne and their four children.
Read and hear more from Stephen March on his contributor’s page. Stephen currently has 5 Programs on HopeStreamRadio:
- Please Forgive Me
- Isolation Chronicles
- Faith By Hearing – The Twelve
- Bibles and Baseball
- Bible Tech Talk
More Podcasts Below:
More Blogs:
Palm Sunday, The Coming King, and the Last Week of Christ
Why Did Jesus Say “I Am the Bread of Life
Images courtesy of:
Jesus in the Temple – www.LumoProject.com.
Praying Hands – congerdesign
Jesus and the Pharisees – Tissot
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