Jesus Cleanses the Temple

Transcription

1 April 6 Sunday School Guide Jesus Cleanses the Temple Bible Background ISAIAH 56:6-7; JEREMIAH 7:9-11; MARK 11:15-19 Printed Text ISAIAH 56:6-7; JEREMIAH 7:9-11; MARK 11:15-19 Devotional Reading PSALM 27:1-5 Aim for Change By the end of the lesson, we will: EXPLORE the importance of keeping worship from becoming a mindless activity; UNDERSTAND the danger of losing our passion for things we habitually do for God; and EMPLOY ways to remember that God s house is first and foremost a house of prayer. In Focus Lauren was nervous as she sat across from the pastor s desk. Pastor Woodson smiled at her and tried to make her more comfortable. Lauren, you re a great usher. In fact, you re one of the best young adult ushers we ve ever had. You re always on time, and you really seem to know what you re doing. All of the other ushers seem to enjoy working with you. Lauren interrupted, Then what exactly do you need to talk about with me? When you called me, you said that there was a problem. The pastor leaned back in his chair and said, Lauren, you re doing a great job ushering, but you don t seem to care very much about the members. What I mean is, you seem a bit mechanical. Before Lauren could interrupt again, Pastor Woodson continued, Let me give you an example. Last Sunday, I was watching you when Sister Martin came into the sanctuary. Lauren, were you aware that she had buried her husband that previous Wednesday? Far too often, our service in the church becomes routine and mundane. In today s lesson, we will see that God intends for His house to be one of prayer, worship, and genuine service.

2 Keep in Mind Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD (Jeremiah 7:11). Focal Verses KJV Isaiah 56:6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Jeremiah 7:9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? 11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. Mark 11:15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. 19 And when even was come, he went out of the city. NLT Isaiah 56:6 I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the LORD, who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to my covenant. 7 I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations. Jeremiah 7:9 Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours, 10 and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, We are safe! only to go right back to all those evils again?

3 11 Don t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the LORD, have spoken! Mark 11:15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. 17 He said to them, The Scriptures declare, My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have turned it into a den of thieves. 18 When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching. 19 That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city. People, Places, and Times: The Second Temple. In 586 B.C., the Babylonians destroyed the original temple in Jerusalem that had been built by King Solomon. Following years of exile, a contingent of about 42,360 Jews was given permission by King Cyrus to return and rebuild the temple, which lay in ruins (Ezra 2:64). Renovation of the temple was begun under the direction of the governor Zerubbabel. These renovation attempts were slow, and they focused on the rebuilding of the altar. Not surprisingly, this second temple was not as splendid as the original. Many years later, in the seventeenth year of his reign, Herod the Great announced his plans to again renovate the temple. He began in 20 or 19 B.C. by enlarging the Temple Mount (also known as Mount Moriah) area to accommodate larger crowds of pilgrims who regularly attended Passover and other religious festivals. Herod provided a thousand wagons to transport stones from the limestone quarry. Additionally, Herod hired ten thousand skilled craftsmen to work on the building of the temple. Because the law required that only priests could work on the holiest parts of the temple, including the sanctuary and the Court of Priests, more than a thousand priests were trained as carpenters and masons. According to records by the historian Josephus, the inner courts were completed after a year and a half. He also recorded that during the construction of the inner courts, no rain fell during the day. While Herod had the original foundations of the temple removed, the eastern wall was kept intact. Construction on this temple continued for twenty years; however, it was sufficiently ready for use and was dedicated within three and a half years of its commencement, thus fulfilling Isaiah s prophecy that another temple would be constructed when the people had been restored to the land (Isaiah 2:2 3, 44:28, 56:7, 66:20 21). Background Even when they were captives in Babylon, the Jews were required to follow the laws of God. Writings from prophets like Isaiah continued to remind the people that the salvation of the Lord was close at hand (Isaiah 56:1, NIV), thus affirming their hope that they would be restored to their land. God s commandment to remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exodus 20:8) was especially difficult for Jews living in captivity. They were enslaved in pagan lands and this prohibition against working on the Sabbath was often impractical. Similarly, other pagan customs were imposed on the Jews that made it difficult for them to follow God s laws and commandments. Isaiah had prophesied to King Hezekiah that some of his heirs would one day serve as eunuchs in the palace of Babylon (2 Kings 20:18). While the Bible does not say that this is what happened to Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and

4 Abednego, most biblical scholars recognize that this is what happened to foreign men serving in the royal palace of Babylon. Such conditions would have meant that these men would have been prohibited from temple service when they returned to Jerusalem. Moreover, the eunuchs would be unable to father children and ensure the continuity of their family name. However, we read that this law would be overruled if the eunuch kept the Sabbath holy and obeyed God to the best of his ability (Isaiah 56:4 5). This is a clear indication that God, then as now, is far more concerned about the hearts of His people rather than their physical condition. Similarly, a special place of honor would be established in the temple for the eunuchs (v. 5). Here we see that God would publicly honor the faithfulness of these men who had been physically altered against their will, yet who continued to honor and serve Him and follow His laws. More importantly, this is further confirmation that God has no intention of allowing His beloved to remain as outcasts. At-A-Glance 1. Isaiah Reminds the People that the Temple is a Symbol of Hope (Isaiah 56:6 7) 2. Jeremiah Warns Against Temple Abuse (Jeremiah 7:9 11) 3. Jesus Expresses Outrage (Mark 11:15 19) In Depth 1. Isaiah Reminds the People that the Temple is a Symbol of Hope (Isaiah 56:6 7) God s promise to redeem His people and return them to Israel was not restricted to Jews. These verses offered assurance to the foreigners that they too would be welcomed to the holy mountain, and even able to participate in temple service, including making sacrifices and offerings. God s love is allinclusive. Here we see it being extended to those who were previously excluded (foreigners). The purpose of the temple as a house of prayer is further clarified here. This crucial aspect of temple usage was apparent from the beginning. When Solomon, the builder of the first temple, prayed at its dedication, he asked God to hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive (1 Kings 8:30, NIV). This means that the temple would be the appointed place where God s people would talk with Him. In the New Testament account of Philip s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26 39), we get a full picture of God s inclusive grace in action. The Ethiopian was willing to travel all the way to Jerusalem. He was, no doubt, aware that he would be excluded from temple worship because he was both a foreigner (Ethiopian) and a eunuch. Yet, his devotion to God was so complete that he obeyed Him by doing what he knew He required (worship and study), in spite of the consequences. The faith of the Ethiopian overrode his fear of exclusion. God honored his faithfulness by sending Philip to lead him to the truth of Jesus, the Christ. 2. Jeremiah Warns Against Temple Abuse (Jeremiah 7:9 11) Although he lived in the 6th and 7th centuries B.C., the political and moral climate of the prophet Jeremiah s time was surprisingly similar to our own. The nation of Judah was under constant threat by Egypt and Babylon. Their sister nation, Israel, had already fallen victim to Assyria. The cities belonging to the ten tribes that comprised Israel had been ransacked and the people taken into captivity. God commissioned Jeremiah to minister in the face of Judah s imminent demise and captivity. Over the course of forty years (626 to 587 B.C.), and the reigns of five kings, Jeremiah was tasked with preaching an unpopular truth. At one point, Jeremiah was instructed to stand in the gate of the LORD s house (Jeremiah 7:2) and speak to His people. This is a powerful reminder for present-day Christians that during every age, judgment has always begun at God s house. This is

5 because God s people then, as now, struggle under the false assumption that God will not judge and punish the religious. The people of Judah wrongly believed that because God had selected the temple as His dwelling, He would not allow it to be destroyed. Jeremiah continually warned the people of Judah, Do not trust in deceptive words (from v. 4, NIV) and to change their wicked ways and practices. Jeremiah was calling for national revival, urging the people of God to return to His Word and obey His commandments. While the people of Judah came to the temple and participated in the ceremonies and rituals, their lives outside of the temple clearly demonstrated that the Word of God was not in their hearts. The Judeans were guilty of acts of injustice and oppression or shedding innocent blood (from v. 6). Additionally, the prophet warned that God was aware of their stealing, murder, adultery, and bearing false witness against one another. Perhaps the most serious crime was that the people of Judah walked after other gods (from v. 6). This reference to Baal worship is repeated in verse 9. It is interesting to note that Baal is the Hebrew word for husband and master. This allows us to see Judah s unfaithfulness to God in a whole new light. Like an unfaithful wife, Judah had turned her back on her true husband (God). Although Judah had witnessed Israel s destruction for her unfaithfulness, they foolishly continued in their sinful ways. Judah believed that they could live outside of the Word and will of God, but because they kept the outward temple rituals, they would be saved. Jeremiah warned them that they were wrong. In verse 11, we see the ultimate perversion of what God intended the use of His house as a den of robbers. 3. Jesus Expresses Outrage (Mark 11:15 19) During Passover, adult males from all over the world came to worship at the temple. Every Jew over the age of twenty was obligated to make a temple offering of half a shekel. Additionally, Jewish law called for the sacrifices of large numbers of goats, sheep, and oxen. As the nation had transitioned from tribes of desert wanderers to living in a large and heavily populated city such as Jerusalem, it was no longer practical to select an animal from a flock or herd close by. Stalls and pens were erected in a large temple area located near the sacrificial altar. The Court of the Gentiles, or its adjoining porch, seemed the most likely location. This area was used for worship by Jewish women and Gentiles, and it was spacious and located farthest from the most holy place. Here, livestock spaces were rented, and the proceeds were used to pay for the repair and upkeep of the temple. In this way, the devout worshipers many of them having traveled long distances could be accommodated, and the glory of the Temple would constantly be maintained by the fees that were collected. This system of collecting rents gave rise to questionable practices that were rooted in greed. The attention to income grew more important than spiritual worship. Another way of making money came when the priests rejected sacrifices that pilgrims brought with them to the temple, forcing them to buy an animal from the temple vendors. Also present in this area were the moneychangers. These men acted as currency bankers and brokers. Granted, their services were needed because foreign money was not accepted in the temple, so these moneychangers would sell the acceptable temple coinage. The problem was the rate was often extraordinarily high, and these moneychangers also charged for their services. Historically, these moneychangers were set up in areas outside of the temple. However, during the special festivals when the Jews and faithful believers from other lands began arriving in Jerusalem, these merchants were allowed to set up their tables within the temple area. The high priests and other religious officials were no doubt aware of these ungodly practices. This is a powerful reminder to present-day Christians that abuse in the church can always be traced to looking the other way amid the protests of few and the silence of the majority. The moneychangers made large profits at the expense of the foreign-born pilgrims who, in obedience to the word of God, had come to the temple to worship. This speaks to the disdain many of the Jews felt for non-israelite worshipers a sad indictment of the religious leadership. This attitude is in direct opposition to Jesus teaching. Jesus had quoted Isaiah and declared that the temple was to be a house of prayer for all people (from Isaiah 56:7). These foreigners, often non-jews, were restricted to worshiping in the Court of the Gentiles, the outmost court. Upon entering the temple, rather than finding a contemplative and prayerful space, these worshipers encountered a carnival

6 atmosphere. One can imagine how the sounds of clanging coins, the loud yelling of the merchants, and the bleating of animals must have disturbed Jesus. Here, in the most holy place in the world, He encountered dishonest merchants who, with the permission of the religious authorities, were clearly taking advantage of sincere worshipers. Jesus found it so offensive that He likened it to a den of thieves (from Mark 11:17). As we read that Jesus was so outraged that He cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves (from Mark 11:15), we must remember that His righteous indignation was an understandable and acceptable response to evil. His action should prompt present-day Christians to question themselves and their personal response to wrongdoing. How outraged are professed Christians when we witness the house of the Lord being desecrated by worldliness, expediency, and self-indulgence? Search the Scriptures 1. What blessing did God offer to the strangers or foreigners who embraced Him (Isaiah 56:7)? 2. What sins did God accuse the nation of Judah of committing (Jeremiah 7:9)? 3. How did the scribes and the chief priests respond to Jesus exposing the evil being done in the temple (Mark 11:18)? Discuss the Meaning In Mark 11:15 17, Jesus was indignant when He saw the temple of God, His Father, being used as a venue for worldly traffic. He overturned the tables and chairs of the moneychangers and chased them from the temple. What do you think should be the appropriate response and action of Christians who witness ungodly behavior and practices in the church? Lesson in Our Society Jesus lashed out against a spirit of depravity that had pervaded the temple in the form of monetary greed. This sin is still present today. The Bible teaches that the love of money is the root of all evil (from 1 Timothy 6:10). Yet these teachings appear to go unheeded. One need only read the newspaper or watch the news to see the many ways that greed and corruption appear to be imbedded in our society. We witness homes being lost and lifetime savings dissolving when uncaring people float unsound speculations in the market. Countless catastrophic injuries and deaths result from unjust wars of aggression. God is calling on His people the church to set an example of the opposite of all this through our Christian generosity and self-sacrifice. Attending church is not enough! Our worship and our service to God must be exemplified through our continued and continual care and compassion for others. Make It Happen A true believer does more than follow rituals and traditions. Being children of God means that we must not only acknowledge Him, we must make every effort to live according to His Word. When we fail to live committed lives, instead continuing to live according to our own desires, we will eventually begin to cling to fallacies and fall into a life of self-deception and practices that are contrary to the will of God. Pray and ask God to give you a clean heart and hands, so your words of praise to Him will not be empty and void.

7 Follow the Spirit What God wants me to do: Remember Your Thoughts Special insights I have learned: More Light on the Text The passage in Isaiah focuses on the Mosaic Covenant s emphasis on the Sabbath. Isaiah stressed that a life of holiness is not only free of hypocrisy but also embraces people from all nations. The portion of Jeremiah s temple sermon (Jeremiah 7:1 15) was delivered during a time of great upheaval, when people were desperately in need of returning not to religion, but to a right relationship with God. F. B. Huey writes, In such turbulent times the people grasped at any symbol of security, which for them was the temple (Jeremiah, Lamentations, 104). The passage in Mark, cleansing the temple, is sandwiched between the story of Jesus not finding fruit on the fig tree and withering it and the teaching on that event. David Garland writes, Interpreting either in isolation from the other leads one in the wrong direction (Mark, 433) Isaiah 56:6 7 6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Geoffrey Grogan describes this passage as a beautiful description of true godliness (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, 316). Obedient service is stressed as being inclusive of foreigners, which is God s early introduction to His people of the then-future Gospel s concept of inclusivity of Gentiles, which is made explicit in verse 7 with an emphasis on God s house being open to all people (cf. Isaiah 66:23; Malachi 1:11). The trajectory of this inclusive pattern became even more specific in the New Testament (Galatians 3:28). Jeremiah 7: Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? 11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. Jeremiah listed a total of six of the original Ten Commandments in his indictment of God s people who, in spite of the extent of their unrighteousness, went to the temple and acted as if its magical powers would make them right before God so they could then resume their sinful lifestyles. His message was for them to live in moral uprightness, faithfulness, and obedience to their God, in Huey s words (Jeremiah, Lamentations, 104), and not to have blind trust and faith in the temple as if it

8 were some kind of good-luck charm a type of temple talisman, as it were. Exactly like their predecessors clinging in blind faith to the Ark of the Covenant, these people also forgot that God required obedience in order to bless and protect them (Deuteronomy 7:12 15; Ezekiel 18:5 9). In this matter, the religion that pleased God never changed and has not changed to the present (Micah 6:6 8; James 1:26 27). The Mosaic Covenant had been if/then conditional IF they obeyed, THEN God would keep all His promises (Exodus 19:5). In essence, the people wanted God s promises without His conditions (cf. 2 Peter 1:2 11). Robbers go out to commit their crimes and then return to the safety of their den. Similarly, God s people lived their unrighteous lives and then returned to temple den... like thieves retreating to their hideouts. Mark 11: And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. Understood in the context of the fig tree incident before and after (vv , 20 23), this is a story within a story. The fig tree was a symbol of Israel, much like the Star of David today. Essentially, both the tree and Israel seemed to be thriving, that is, they were leafy, but there was no fruit and Jesus condemned both. The temple cleansing was largely symbolic, notes Garland (Mark, 434); in other words, Jesus made a scene but did not do anything worthy of calling the Roman police. His immediate point was that the sacred space was for sincere prayer and genuine worship, not commerce, but He made other points in the process. 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. Here Jesus quoted from our other passages (Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11), the latter of which, in Lamar Williamson s words, attacks the use of religious observances to cover up sinful practices (Mark, 207). When Jesus condemned the fig tree, it withered from the roots up (Mark 11:20, NLT), just as the temple was being destroyed from the roots up; that is, core corruption. He was making a dramatic statement displaying God s attitude toward the people s fruitless relationship with Him in spite of their faithful temple observance. Here, the fruitlessness of the tree illustrated the need for temple cleansing. 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. 19 And when even was come, he went out of the city. The leaders, who were the roots of the temple, understood what Jesus was saying, but rather than allowing the truth to humble them, they hardened their hearts. The people, on the other hand, were shocked that Jesus talked this way about their beloved temple. They were astonished (Gk. ekplesson, ek-plas-so), which meant to be struck with amazement. R. E. Clements captures the essence of the message of the Old Testament prophets, which Christ vividly brought to life centuries later: What is at stake is the fundamental principle that God is necessarily greater than any symbol set on earth as a manifestation of his presence (Jeremiah, 46). Such a stern lesson should end on a positive note, which Williamson provides: The power of God that withered a fig tree and moves mountains can also bring new life to a church and its leaders, though they be dry from their roots up (210). The people of God had come to see the temple as their perennial good-luck charm against all

9 the evils of life, but God s justice held that a barren tree had a limited lifespan, just like a barren temple. Ultimately, in an even bigger picture, salvation would no longer be secured by sacrifices in the temple but rather through Jesus sacrifice outside the temple for all the people, not just for the Jews.