Motley Crew – October 27, 2010

Matthew 21:12-17

Many thanks to Doug and my Motley Crew for what looked like a great class last week!

Matthew 21:12-17

1. How does Mark 11 help us understand the chronological correctness of these events?

2. Why wouldn’t Matthew write chronologically?

3. Of course John puts the cleansing of the temple at the beginning of His Gospel in John 2:13. Why?

4. What do these actions say about Jesus?

5. Where is this temple area?

6. What does this say about Jesus’ concern for the Gentiles?

7. Since people needed animals for sacrificing what was wrong with what they were doing?

8. I read an observation by Dr. Lenski in regards to what these folks were doing to the temple and I quote, “Sin is often arrogant, especially when money is at stake.” What say you?

9. Why is a “den of robbers” even worse than being a robber?

10. Jesus is only a few days away from dying and what does He do?

11. I wonder what the children were saying?

12. Another Lenski quote to close in regards to children praising God, “The cooing of a babe glorifies its Maker as so the heaven and earth, the moon and stars and all the works of His fingers.” Not bad, not bad at all.

 

 

Motley Crew – October 27, 2010

Matthew 21:12-17

Many thanks to Doug and my Motley Crew for what looked like a great class last week!

Matthew 21:12-17 (NIV). Jesus at the Temple

12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,'[a] but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'[b]"

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.

16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.
"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,
" 'From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise'[c]?"

17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Footnotes:

  1. Matthew 21:13 Isaiah 56:7

  2. Matthew 21:13 Jer. 7:11

  3. Matthew 21:16 Psalm 8:2

Isaiah 56:7

… these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations."

Jer. 7:11

Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.

Psalm 8:2

From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise [or strength]
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

Side Note about The Money Changers

The word "moneychanger" means money-banker or money-broker. They would make large profits at the expense of the pilgrims. Every Israelite, rich or poor, who had reached the age of twenty was obligated to pay a half shekel as an offering to Jehovah into the sacred treasury. This tribute was in every case to be paid in the exact Hebrew half shekel. At Passover everyone in the world who was an adult male and wished to worship at the Temple would bring his "offering" or purchase a sacrificial animal at the Temple. Since there was no acceptance of foreign money with any foreign image the money changers would sell "Temple coinage" at a very high rate of exchange and assess a fixed charge for their services.
Source: Jesus and the Temple
http://www.bible-history.com/jewishtemple/JEWISH_TEMPLEJesus_and_the_Temple.htm

 

1. How does Mark 11 help us understand the chronological correctness of these events?

Sunday night – To Bethany.

Monday morning – Curse the fig tree.

Monday afternoon – Clear the temple and heal the blind and the lame.

Tuesday morning and afternoon – The fig tree is found withered, His authority is questioned by the chief priests and the elders, and Jesus gives His last public teachings in the Temple.

 

2. Why wouldn’t Matthew write chronologically?

Matthew was writing factually, not chronologically and put the cleaning of the temple and the triumphal entry together to show Christ’s Messianic greatness.

Dr. Lenski writes:

Matthew's account is sachlich (factual) instead of chronological. He thus combines into one paragraph all that pertains to the fig tree (v. 18-22) although this includes two mornings as the readers also will note. In a similar way he places the royal entry and the authoritative cleansing of the Temple side by side since in both of these Jesus displays his Messianic greatness. Throughout his Gospel we meet this trait of Matthew's that minor details are made subordinate or are even left out, and attention is focused on the main issues and subjects. … we have a case where the chronology is disregarded for an object that seems more important to the writer. Lenski, p. 811.

 

3. Of course John puts the cleansing of the temple at the beginning of His Gospel in John 2:13. Why?

We follow the 2 cleansing interpretation. One at the beginning and one at the end of the ministry. There are several differences in the accounts as well. For example a confrontation by the leaders in John 2 and no confrontation in Matthew 21.

One other important difference is that Jesus makes a whip of cords in John 2, but not in Matthew 21.

The question of “one cleansing” or “two cleansings” has been debated at great length by students of the New Testament. Dr. Lenski favors the “two cleansings” interpretation.

In John's Gospel, this cleansing immediately follows the miracle at Cana. Afterwards, Jesus and His disciples go to the Judean countryside, teaching and baptizing.

 

4. What do these actions say about Jesus?

He is a lion. I showed the Smalley Personality Inventory traits again.

Some of the attributes of the Lion are:

  • Likes authority.

  • Takes charge

  • Determined

  • Confident

  • Firm

  • Enterprising

  • Competitive.

  • Enjoys challenges

  • Problem solver

  • Productive

  • Bold

  • Purposeful; goal driven

  • Decision maker

  • Adventurous

  • Strong willed

  • Independent; self reliant

  • Controlling

  • Persistent

  • Action oriented

  • Motto: "Let's do it now!"

According to the web site, the bottom line:

Credit for this Personality Inventory goes to Gary Smalley and Dr. John Trent. To download the Personality Inventory, go to this page at Mr. Smalley's web site, Free Personality Test,
http://smalley.cc/marriage-assessments/free-personality-test

In this regard, Dr. Lenski writes:

The picture of Jesus here presented does not please the tender souls who think only of “the gentle Jesus” without the holy, fiery indignation that makes him act as he here does. Lenski, p. 814.

In this connection, Dr. Lenski quotes Malachi 3:3:

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, (NIV)

 

5. Where is this temple area?

The outer court – it covered several acres – the Gentiles were allowed in this area.

The large outer court was called "the Court of the Gentiles" because it was devoted to the foreigners who had come to worship God at the Temple and they could proceed no further. It is interesting that Jesus chose to stop at this place to show forth His anger toward the moneychangers, the Court of the "Gentiles," and this was not the first time that He came to the aid of non-Jews.

Source: Jesus and the Temple,
http://www.bible-history.com/jewishtemple/JEWISH_TEMPLEJesus_and_the_Temple.htm

For more about the Court of the Gentiles, see:
http://www.bible-history.com/jewishtemple/JEWISH_TEMPLEThe_Court_of_the_Gentiles.htm

The Temple in Jesus' time, generally:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple

At this same site is this description of the Court of the Gentiles:

This area was primarily a bazaar, with vendors selling souvenirs, sacrificial animals, food, as well as currency changers, exchanging Roman for Jewish money, as also mentioned in the New Testament account of Jesus and the Money Changers. Guides that provided tours of the premises were also available. Jewish males had the unique opportunity to be shown inside the temple itself. The Cohanim (Priests), in their white linen robes and tubular hats, were omnipresent, directing pilgrims where and advising them what kind of sacrifices were to be performed.

A good overview of the Temple can be seen at:
http://www.bible-history.com/jewishtemple/JEWISH_TEMPLEHerods_Temple_Illustration.htm

Also at that site:

This site has an immense amount of material of interest to Biblical researchers.

 

6. What does this say about Jesus’ concern for the Gentiles?

Jesus loves them. He will even die for them. He doesn’t want them to be corrupted by the establishment either.

 

7. Since people needed animals for sacrificing, what was wrong with what they were doing?

In His last days, our Lord came to His Father's House, only to find that instead of a House of Prayer, it was a stockyard, a market, and a bank, all in a monopoly controlled by the leaders of the Temple. We see His justifiable anger. Dr. Lenski writes:

Cattle and doves were a necessity for the prescribed sacrifices but a poor excuse for making this great court of the Temple a stockyard. Places to change money were also needed; for a tax was collected from every Israelite who was twenty years old …. This was due during the month preceding the Passover and was either sent in by those who lived at a distance or paid in person by those who attended the festival, who then, however, had to have Jewish coin, which in fact compelled those who came from foreign parts to have their money exchanged. For this exchange a small fee was charged. But this necessity was no excuse for making the Temple a mart of petty bankers who were intent on business and rates of exchange. Moreover, the Temple authorities themselves controlled this volume of trade and … operated what amounted to a grand, lucrative monopoly. Lenski, p. 813.

There is this observation about the sacrificial animals at the Temple:

The judges, who sat to inspect the offerings that were brought by the pilgrims, were quick to detect any blemish in them. This was expensive for the wealthy pilgrims, not to say how ruinous this was for the poor who could only offer their turtle-doves and pigeons. There was no defense for them or court of appeal, seeing that the priestly authorities took a large percentage on every transaction.
Source: Jesus and the Temple
http://www.bible-history.com/jewishtemple/JEWISH_TEMPLEJesus_and_the_Temple.htm

Tables of the moneychangers. Money would be required, (1) to purchase materials for the offerings; (2) to present as free-offerings to the temple treasury (Mr 12:41 Lu 21:1); (3) to pay the yearly temple tax of half a shekel due from every Jew, however poor. All this had to be paid in native coin called the temple shekel, which was not generally current. Strangers, therefore, had to change their Roman, Greek, or Eastern money, at the stalls of the money-changers, to obtain the coin required. This trade gave ready means for fraud, which was only too common. Christ's act was a defiance to those who sought his death. People's New Testament.

 

8. I read an observation by Dr. Lenski in regards to what these folks were doing to the temple and I quote, “Sin is often arrogant, especially when money is at stake.” What say you?

True.

Just ask Congress.

 

9. Why is a “den of robbers” even worse than being a robber?

A den is a place to retreat to and be safe. Jesus is saying they felt safe stealing in God’s house. Not good.

Jer. 7:11

Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.

Dr. Lenski wrote both about the Temple in the First Century and the Christian Church in the Twentieth Century:

No matter what they do even by violating the sanctity of their Temple, they imagine that their adherence to this Temple will protect and shield them from any penalty. But no, God will not let his Temple serve as a refuge for robbers. The temple will not protect the wicked who show right in the Temple how they regard the God of the Temple.

The church is no refuge for sinners who go on in their sin and think that they are safe when they go to the church and certainly not for the sinners who support the church by desecrating the church and justify their desecration by crying, “It is for the church!” Lenski, p. 816.

 

10. Jesus is only a few days away from dying and what does He do?

He cares for people and heals them. “I love you so much dear Jesus.”

Again, Dr. Lenski:

Matthew alone informs us regarding the miracles that were performed during the last days Jesus spent in the Temple. In the House of Prayer these sufferers prayed to Jesus, the Son in his Father's House, and none of them prayed in vain. Lenski, p. 816-17.

 

11. I wonder what the children were saying?

What their parents were saying. Matthew 21:9:

The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted,
"Hosanna[a] to the Son of David!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"[b]
"Hosanna[c] in the highest!"

Footnotes:

  1. Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning "Save!" which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15

  2. Matthew 21:9 Psalm 118:26

  3. Matthew 21:9 A Hebrew expression meaning "Save!" which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 15

Christians have been singing these verses for most of the life of the Christian church. They are part of the service known as the Sanctus, which has been a part of the Christian liturgy since at least the middle of the third century in both the Liturgy of James (the church in Jerusalem) and the Liturgy of Mark (the church in Alexandria). The Sanctus is included in The Preface to the Service of Holy Communion. In the Lutheran Hymnal (1941), this part of the liturgy, including the Proper Preface for the time of the Trinity in the church year, is:

V : The Lord be with you.

R : And with thy spirit.

V : Lift up your hearts.

R: We lift them up unto the Lord.

V : Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.

R : It is meet and right to do so.

Minister: It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God:

Here shall follow the Proper Preface

Trinity: Who with Thine only-begotten Son and the Holy Ghost art one God, one Lord. And in the confession of the only true God we worship the Trinity in Person and in the Unity in Substance, of Majesty coequal.

Then shall follow immediately.

Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Thy glorious name, evermore praising Thee and saying:

Then shall be said or chanted

The Sanctus

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory;
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He, Blessed is He, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.

 

12. Another Lenski quote to close in regards to children praising God, “The cooing of a babe glorifies its Maker as so the heaven and earth, the moon and stars and all the works of His fingers.” Not bad, not bad at all.

It is interesting that the chief priests and elders indignantly protest this action of the children:

"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.
"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,
" 'From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise'?" [Psalm 8:2]

Dr. Lenski points out the irony of their protests:

The most awful disorder of the buyers and the sellers, the stench of cattle, the bawling and the bleating, the haggling and the dickering, were quite acceptable to these priests and these scribes – there was money in it for them, but these innocent lads who were voicing the praise of Jesus and giving him the title which his great deeds demonstrated was his due, were intolerable to these men. Lenski, p. 818.

 

We closed with prayer.

 

LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory
in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?

Psalm 8:1-4

 

Parallel Accounts:

 

Jesus at the Temple

Matthew 21

12Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'"

14The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.

16"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.
"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,
" 'From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise'?"

17And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Jesus Clears the Temple

Mark 11

15On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written:
" 'My house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

18The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

19When evening came, they went out of the city.

Jesus at the Temple

Luke 19

45Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling.46"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

47Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

John's account of the first cleansing of the temple is found in John 2:13-17:

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[a]

Footnotes:

  1. John 2:17 Psalm 69:9

 

 

For Further Study

Online Resources

Book of Concord in PDF Format, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod <http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/LCMS/TrigBOC.pdf> (2MB file)

These texts are in the public domain and may be copied and distributed freely. The source of these translations is Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921).

A number of important Lutheran texts can be found in the Belief and Practice section of the website of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=112

John S. C. Abbott and Jacob Abbott, Illustrated New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/ain/

Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/bnn/

Harold F. Buls
 http://www.pericope.org/buls-notes/index.html and
 http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-bul.html
Adapted from Exegetical Notes, Series A, Festival Season Sundays, Gospel Texts, by Harold H. Buls, Concordia Theological Seminary Press: Ft Wayne IN, 1980

The Adam Clarke Commentary
http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/

Burton Coffman, Commentary on the Whole Bible
http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/

John Darby, Synopsis of the Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/darby/matthew1.htm

The Greek Interlinear Bible,
http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Greek_Index.htm
 Based on NA26/27. A word-by-word translation of the Greek New Testament.

David Guzik, Commentaries on the Bible
http://www.studylight.org/com/guz/

The Geneva Study Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/geneva/matthew1.htm

John Gill, Exposition of the Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/gill/matthew1.htm

Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)
 http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mh/matthew1.htm

Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mhc/matthew1.htm

Jamieson, Faussett and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
 http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/jfb/matthew1.htm

B.W. Johnson, People's New Testament
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/johnson/matthew1.htm

John Lightfoot, Bible Commentary
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/light/matthew1.htm

Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians
http://www.studylight.org/com/mlg/

J. W. McGarvey, Original Commentary on Acts
http://www.studylight.org/com/oca/

J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, The Fourfold Gospel (also known as "Harmony Of the Four Gospels")
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/four/matthew1.htm

Alexander Maclaren's commentaries on the books of the Bible (various titles)
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/m#a2330

The NET Bible. <http://bible.org/netbible/> A completely new translation of the Bible with 60,932 translators’ notes. It was completed by more than 25 scholars – experts in the original biblical languages – who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Excellent notes, citing both the Greek and Hebrew, as needed. Greek and Hebrew fonts available without cost.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures of the New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/rwp/

C. I. Scofield, The Scofield Reference Notes (1917 Edition)
 http://www.studylight.org/com/srn/

Charles H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David
http://www.studylight.org/com/tod/

R.A. Torrey, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
http://www.studylight.org/com/tsk/

W.E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
http://www.antioch.com.sg/bible/vines/

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/wesley/matthew1.htm

Other Additional Resources:
 http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/SPLC/Motley%20Crew%20Research%20Resources.html

Other Resources

Barker, Kenneth L., ed., TNIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006)

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Readers Edition. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006)

Davies, Benjamin, ed., Baker's Pocket Harmony of the Gospels (Baker Book House, 1975). Formerly printed as Harmony of the Four Gospels.

Goodrick, Edward W. and John R. Kohlenberger III, eds., The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999). This is the second edition, originally published as the Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It was originally published as The NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It should be distinguished from The NIV Complete Concordance by the same authors.

Green, Jay P., ed., The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. Vol. IV. Second Edition. (Hendrickson Publishers, 1985)

Halley, Henry H., Halley's Bible Handbook. New Revised Edition (24th Edition). (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1965)

Hickie, W.J., Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977). This is a reprint of an older edition, originally published by Macmillan, August. 1893. A contemporary review described this as "A handy little volume, compiled on sound principles from trustworthy authorities." The 1911 edition is available online and for download at http://openlibrary.org/b/OL17866849M/Greek-English_lexicon_to_the_New_Testament

Hoerber, Robert G., ed., Concordia Self-Study Bible. NIV (Great Rapids, Zondervan: 1973, 1984).

Lenski, R.C.H., The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943, reprinted 1964)

The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009).

Nave, Orville J., ed., Nave's Topical Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1979)

New Bible Dictionary. Second Edition. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1962)

Nicoll, W. Robertson, The Greek Expositor's Testament. Vol. 1. Five Volumes. (New York: George H. Doran Co., ca. 1910). Excellent notes on the Greek text and summaries of commentators. Available at Google Books ( www.books.google.com ) and the Internet Archive ( www.archive.org - easier to find here than at Google Books).

NIV Archeological Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005)

Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (Text from Project Gutenberg)

Robertson, A.T., Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Holman Reference, 2000). This “Concise Edition” is derived from the six-volume work by Robertson published in 1933. Robertson was also the author of 45 books, including numerous commentaries, a Harmony of the Gospels, etc. Also available online

Rogers, Cleon L. Jr., and Cleon L. Rogers III, eds., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998). This is the second edition of the excellent work by Fritz Rienecker, A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, translated and edited by Cleon L. Rogers, Jr.

Strong, James, ed., The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990)

Vine, W.E., Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words: A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Original Greek Words with their Precise Meanings for English Readers (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, no date). Originally published circa 1940.