“the house of prayer… but ye have made it a den of thieves.”
Mark 11:17
“ye have made it…”
God’s House. This was the Temple in Bible times, today it is the local church, see 1 Timothy 3.15.
Jesus is talking to people who made a business out of what they did at the Temple, which was mainly selling animals for sacrifices, and money exchange. It was their business and often dishonest and corrupt.
When Jesus cleansed the Temple, He referred to Isaiah 56.7, “mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.”
“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. 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.” Mark 11:17-18
Jesus cleansed the Temple at Jerusalem twice in His public ministry. The first time is only recorded in the Gospel of John (2.13-17) but not the other Gospels. The above verse describes the second time Jesus cleansed the Temple as recorded in Mathew, Mark, and Luke.
The New Testament church, the local assembly of saved and scripturally baptised believers, is the “house of God” today, and there are two thoughts here for us:
- Thank the Lord that our church is God’s house! Beware of those who would turn it into just “business” i.e., and a den of thieves.
- Make sure our doctrine reflects Bible teaching, not modern trends, methods, or music, or anything that distracts us from our mandate of preaching and sharing the gospel, baptising believers, and continuing to teach them. Matthew 20.19-20
“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.”