How A House Of Prayer Becomes A Den Of Thieves

"So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, 'Is it not written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' " (Mark 11:15-17)

Jesus continues on to help the twelve disciples to understand and to remove the mountain of their confidence in the law for righteousness.

"Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. And they said to Him, 'By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave you this authority to do these things?' But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John - was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me." And they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'If we say, "From heaven," He will say, "Why then did you not believe him?" 'But if we say, "From men' "- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.' "


John the Baptist' ministry was to instruct the Jews that they must repent, for the kingdom of God was at hand. John was God's messenger that came to prepare them for His way and prior to His appearing. A baptism of repentance, readying them for God's way for the remission (payment and abatement) of sins. The Jews had, as we do today, a continuing devotion: approaching and turning to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; God the Father of Jesus Christ the Messiah, the Savior. Had the chief priests, scribes and elders received John's admonishment, there would have been none of the activities Jesus had to interrupt in the temple. The house would have been praying to God, crying out to Him day and night even though He bears long.


After his preparation, crying out to God for remission of sins and turning as he received instruction from above, John saw (clearly) Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29) Those who wouldn't receive John's ministry left with nothing more added, Jesus refusing to tell them anything more than what had already been spoken and, by them, left undone.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 21:42-46; 22:1-14)

"Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?' Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."


"Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitude, because they took Him for a prophet."


"And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who ARRANGED A MARRIAGE FOR HIS SON, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. COME TO THE WEDDING." ' But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.' So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. AND THE WEDDING HALL WAS FILLED with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he(the unclothed, I suppose) was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."


"Then a voice came from the throne, saying, 'Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!' And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, FOR THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB HAS COME, AND HIS WIFE HAS MADE HERSELF READY.' And to her it was granted to be ARRAYED IN FINE LINEN (as opposed to being without the wedding garment), clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, 'Write. Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' And he said to me, 'These are the true sayings of God.' "(Revelation 19:5-9)


Many of the chief priests and Pharisees "made light of" the Way and continued in their service through the Law. Yet the voice from the throne implies that filling the hall with anyone who thinks they want to come won't work either; for He will be married to a bride that has made herself ready, clothed "in righteous acts".

This Man Had Enough To Finish

"Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 'If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he HAS ENOUGH TO FINISH IT - lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish it." Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.' " 

(Luke 14:25-33)

"For to everyone who HAS, more will be given, and he will HAVE abundance; but from him WHO DOES NOT HAVE, even what he has will be taken away." (Matthew 25:29)

"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold your son!' Then He said to His disciple, 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, 'I thirst!' Now a vessel of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." (John 19:25-30)

Multitudes with Him, following the miraculous. Four with Him when He was on the cross. What will the body of Christ do when those who are greatly off begin to mock? Ask conditions of peace? Jesus teaches that He did not come to bring peace but a sword! The sword of the adherence to the will of His Father! His living words to man!

Until The Conversion Into What Has Been Purchased

"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13,14)

redeem - to buy or pay off; to recover by payment; TO CONVERT INTO (as defined, in part, by Webster's College Dictionary)

"In Him you also, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is (that "sealing") the down payment of our inheritance (Paul, Peter, John, James etc.) until the conversion in your hearts into that which has been paid for by Jesus Christ, to the praise of His glory." (An amplification of Ephesians 1:13,14)

Now, the inheritance. "In Him also we have (P,P,J,J etc.) OBTAINED an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:11,12)

God the Father had made known to them the mystery of His will. Jesus Christ: what He is, what was the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints is the exceeding great reward. They had become perfect and complete (James 1:2,3) in understanding and persevering in it.

Go Out Into The Plain

"Then the hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, 'Arise, go out into the plain, and THERE I SHALL TALK WITH YOU.'  So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory which I saw at the River Chebar; and I fell on my face." (Ezekiel 3:22,23)

"Will I not in that day, says the Lord, even destroy the wise men from Edom, and understanding from the MOUNTAINS OF ESAU? Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed to the end that everyone from the MOUNTAINS OF ESAU may be cut off by slaughter." (Obadiah v.8,9)

"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts. 'Who are you, O GREAT MOUNTAIN? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!' " (Zechariah 4:6,7)

"And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness; prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight, every valley shall be filled and EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL BROUGHT LOW; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh see the salvation of God.' "(Luke 3:3-6)

The "mountains of Esau" describe an attitude of unrepentant confidence in the flesh; a carnal mind. Esau and his descendants, the Edomites, wanted no part of the testimony of Jacob and his descendants, the Israelites. What the Father was showing Jacob and his descendants to do was to go out into the plain: free from ambiguity and evasion(Malachi 3:17,18). If we allow the Father, through faith in Jesus Christ by the Spirit of Christ to show us the way to leave this mountain behind and go out into the plain, there He will show us how to ascend, with Him, on Mount Zion, where "there shall be deliverance (or salvation), and there shall be holiness." (Obadiah v.17)

" My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."(2 Corinthians 12:9)