PrevMatthew 21:13Next

Matthew 21

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

What does Matthew 21:13 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 21:13 contains Jesus' rebuke to those who were using the temple in Jerusalem for commerce rather than worship.

The verse quotes Jesus as saying, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." This reflects Jesus' emphasis on the temple as a place dedicated to communion with God, meant for prayer and spiritual reflection.

The "den of thieves" metaphor refers to the misuse of sacred space for profit, suggesting a deep corruption within the religious practices of the time.

The phrase conveys the idea that the temple, which should have been a place of reverence and holiness, had been turned into a place of dishonesty and exploitation.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of Matthew is one of the synoptic gospels, written to convey the life and teachings of Jesus.

During the time of Jesus, the Jerusalem Temple was not only a religious center but also a bustling hub for commerce.

Money changers and animal sellers set up in the Court of the Gentiles to facilitate the purchase of sacrificial animals and the exchange of Roman currency for Jewish shekels, which were required for the temple tax.

This verse directly follows Jesus' act of cleansing the temple by driving out these merchants, as He believed their activities defiled the holy place.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse is interpreted in various ways.

In traditional Christian thought, it illustrates Jesus' authority to correct and purify religious practice.

It also reflects the prophetic tradition in which leaders challenge the status quo, calling for a return to genuine worship.

Some modern theologians suggest that Jesus was condemning a religion that prioritizes ritual over relationship and profit over piety.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in daily life by emphasizing the importance of maintaining the sanctity of worship spaces and activities. It reminds believers to focus on the spiritual purpose of religious gatherings rather than allowing materialistic or commercial concerns to dominate.

Additionally, it encourages the faithful to practice introspection and to cleanse their own "temples", their bodies and hearts, from practices that may distract or detract from a sincere relationship with the divine.

Cross-References

Isaiah 56:7: "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 7:11: "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 11:17: "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."
Luke 19:46: "Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves."

Language Study

The key phrases in the original Greek text include:

"οἶκος προσευχῆς" (oikos proseuchēs): Literally "house of prayer," indicating a place dedicated to worship and communion with God.
"σπήλαιον λῃστῶν" (spēlaion lēstōn): Translated as "den of thieves," where "σπήλαιον" implies a hideout or cave, and "λῃστῶν" signifies robbers or bandits, metaphorically suggesting a place corrupted by illicit activities.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures, temples were seen as the dwelling place of deities and were often considered the center of both religious and community life.

The corrupt practices in the Jerusalem temple could be compared with historical instances of temple desecration in other cultures, where the sacred space was misused for political or economic gain.

Religious interpretations from other traditions also emphasize the importance of the purity of worship spaces and the need to keep commercial activities separate from spiritual practices.

Scientific Perspectives

There is little direct intersection between this verse and modern scientific understandings, as the focus of the verse is on religious practice and moral behavior.

However, the field of psychology might offer insight into the human tendency to mix the sacred with the profane and the cognitive dissonance that may result from such conflicts between values and actions.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and commentators have offered their perspectives on Matthew 21:13:

William Barclay observes that Jesus' action in the temple was a dramatic demonstration against a religion that had become more a matter of form than of heart.
John Calvin comments on the zeal of Christ in preserving the purity of God's worship and chastising the avarice of the priests.
Matthew Henry notes that this verse illustrates the need for a reformation of abuses in worship and a call to repentance for those who profane holy things.

These commentaries illustrate the enduring relevance of Jesus' actions and teachings about the sanctity of religious spaces and practices.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:13 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 21:13 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?