Mark 11:17
And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
{ "references": [ { "reference": "Isaiah 56:7", "connection": "This Old Testament passage is directly quoted by Jesus, establishing the original purpose of the temple as a place of prayer accessible and intended for people from all nations, not just Israel." }, { "reference": "Jeremiah 7:11", "connection": "Jesus echoes the prophet Jeremiah's condemnation of Israel for turning God's house into a place of wickedness and exploitation, highlighting the continuity of God's judgment on His people when they defile sacred spaces." }, { "reference": "Matthew 21:12-13", "connection": "This parallel account in Matthew describes the same cleansing of the temple, reinforcing the significance of Jesus' action and His assertion that the temple was meant for prayer, not commerce." }, { "reference": "Luke 19:45-46", "connection": "Luke's Gospel also records Jesus' cleansing of the temple, emphasizing His teaching that the temple should be a house of prayer and condemning its transformation into a marketplace." }, { "reference": "Ezekiel 47:1-12", "connection": "This prophetic vision of water flowing from the temple, bringing life and healing, contrasts sharply with the spiritual barrenness and corruption Jesus found, suggesting a future restoration of God's presence and blessing that was being desecrated by the current practices." } ] }
Fresh from cleansing the temple courts, Jesus now teaches the crowds within. He directly confronts the religious leaders by quoting Scripture to expose how they've turned God's house of prayer into a marketplace, effectively robbing both God and the people. This public rebuke, happening just days before his crucifixion, further fuels the anger and plotting of the chief priests and scribes who seek to destroy him.
Jesus quotes Scripture to expose the temple's corruption. But what does it mean for God's house to be for 'all the nations'?
When Jesus declares, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations,' He's referencing Isaiah 56:7. This wasn't just a casual mention; it was a powerful indictment.
A Universal Purpose
The original intent of the Temple was for everyone. "All the nations" includes Gentiles, people outside of Israel. This was God's design: a place of worship and prayer open to all who sought Him, regardless of their background.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Mark 11:17 is available in the Sola app.
Corrupted by Commerce
But by Jesus' time, the Temple courts, especially the Court of the Gentiles, had become a marketplace. Money changers and animal sellers operated there, making it difficult, even impossible, for non-Jews to pray. Instead of a welcoming place of prayer, it had become a barrier and a source of profit for corrupt leaders.
Jesus doesn't just say the Temple was busy; He calls it a 'den of robbers.' What does that accusation truly mean in this context?
The phrase 'den of robbers' (or bandits) is a direct quote from Jeremiah 7:11. In Jesus' day, the Temple leaders had turned the sacred space into a place of exploitation and greed.
Exploiting Worshippers
A Spiritual Robbery
This wasn't just theft of money; it was a robbery of people's connection to God. They were robbing:
Understand the original words
proseuchē · Greek Noun
A spiritual discipline or act of communion where a person speaks to God, expressing adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. It is intended to be a foundational activity for the community of God's people.
spēlaion lēstōn · Greek Noun phrase
In this context, a place of refuge for those who have engaged in theft or violence. It symbolizes the corrupting of a place designed for God's holiness into a base for exploitative and sinful practices.
Jesus' confrontation in the Temple wasn't just about money changers; it was a prophetic act against a system that had become corrupt, defiling a place meant for all nations and turning it into a source of profit, just as the prophets had condemned centuries before.
c. 63 BC
Herod the Great Rebuilds the Temple
King Herod the Great begins a massive, multi-generational renovation and expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, a project that continued for decades and aimed to showcase his power and piety. This magnificent structure became the focal point of Jewish religious life.
c. 27 BC - AD 30
Roman Occupation of Judea
Judea is under Roman rule, with Roman governors and procurators wielding significant authority. This political reality created tension and unrest, particularly around religious and economic matters in Jerusalem and its Temple.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee and Judea
Jesus begins his public ministry, preaching, teaching, and healing. His message often challenged the religious and political status quo, particularly the authority of the Temple leadership.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Final Week in Jerusalem
Jesus makes his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, culminating in his dramatic cleansing of the Temple courts. He directly confronts the religious authorities by quoting scripture about the Temple being a house of prayer, not a marketplace.
c. AD 30-33
Temple Leadership's Conspiracy
The chief priests and scribes, angered by Jesus' actions and the popular support he receives, begin plotting to have him arrested and killed. They see his challenge to the Temple's practices as a direct threat to their power and income.
AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman army under Titus destroys Jerusalem and razes the Second Temple. This catastrophic event fulfills Jesus' prophecies and marks the end of the sacrificial system centered at the Temple.
This passage directly provides the first part of Jesus' quote, establishing the original divine intent for the temple as a place of prayer accessible to all people, not just the Jews.
Jeremiah 7:11This Old Testament passage contains the phrase 'den of robbers,' which Jesus directly applies to the corrupted state of the temple, highlighting the continuity of God's judgment against hypocrisy and greed.
Luke 19:45-46This parallel account shows Jesus cleansing the temple and quoting similar scriptures, demonstrating the consistent theme of the temple's intended purpose versus its actual misuse.
Malachi 3:1This prophecy speaks of the Lord coming to His temple, with a cleansing that foreshadows Jesus' action and His authority to purify God's house from those who exploit it.
calvinMark 11:11-24: "And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve."
- And when he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11. And the multitudes said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth in Galilee. 12. And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and drove out all that sold and bought in the temple, and overturned the tables of the mon…
wesleyMark 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."
11:17 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.
{ "references": [ { "reference": "Isaiah 56:7", "connection": "This Old Testament passage is directly quoted by Jesus, establishing the original purpose of the temple as a place of prayer accessible and intended for people from all nations, not just Israel." }, { "reference": "Jeremiah 7:11", "connection": "Jesus echoes the prophet Jeremiah's condemnation of Israel for turning God's house into a place of wickedness and exploitation, highlighting the continuity of God's judgment on His people when they defile sacred spaces." }, { "reference": "Matthew 21:12-13", "connection": "This parallel account in Matthew describes the same cleansing of the temple, reinforcing the significance of Jesus' action and His assertion that the temple was meant for prayer, not commerce." }, { "reference": "Luke 19:45-46", "connection": "Luke's Gospel also records Jesus' cleansing of the temple, emphasizing His teaching that the temple should be a house of prayer and condemning its transformation into a marketplace." }, { "reference": "Ezekiel 47:1-12", "connection": "This prophetic vision of water flowing from the temple, bringing life and healing, contrasts sharply with the spiritual barrenness and corruption Jesus found, suggesting a future restoration of God's presence and blessing that was being desecrated by the current practices." } ] }
Fresh from cleansing the temple courts, Jesus now teaches the crowds within. He directly confronts the religious leaders by quoting Scripture to expose how they've turned God's house of prayer into a marketplace, effectively robbing both God and the people. This public rebuke, happening just days before his crucifixion, further fuels the anger and plotting of the chief priests and scribes who seek to destroy him.
Fresh from cleansing the temple courts, Jesus now teaches the crowds within. He directly confronts the religious leaders by quoting Scripture to expose how they've turned God's house of prayer into a marketplace, effectively robbing both God and the people. This public rebuke, happening just days before his crucifixion, further fuels the anger and plotting of the chief priests and scribes who seek to destroy him.
"And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”" — { "references": [ { "reference": "Isaiah 56:7", "connection": "This Old Testament passage is directly quoted by Jesus, establishing the original purpose of the temple as a place of…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
