30th Mar 26 | 13:54
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LUKE 19 45-48 JESUS THE TEACHER 02 Distinctiveness
📖 Luke 19:45-48
29Jan2021 - *Distinctiveness* - _Luke 19:45-48_ - JESUS THE TEACHER 2 – Bible reading: _Matthew 5:13-16_
We have named this study as JESUS THE TEACHER because He was teaching daily at the temple and the people were attentive to hear Him. Jesus taught the people on the basis of what He did at the temple. _Matthew 7:29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes._
Jesus was full of zeal for His Father’s house. He was exercising His authority as the Son of God.
_John 2:14-17 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. (15) When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. (16) And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!" (17)
Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE HAS EATEN ME UP." _Psalm 69:9 Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me._
Jesus referred to the temple as 1) “My Father’s house” _(John 2:16)_ 2) A house of prayer _(Luke 19:46, Mark 11:17)_ 3) For all nations _(Mark 11:17)_ The temple was His *Father’s house of prayer for all nations*.
The temple had to be truly a sacred place dedicated to the people to meet with God and be joined together in worshipping God. Not only was it a place of reconciliation and restoration of the people with God, but it was also to be a place of restoration of relationships between one another.
The things that were happening in the temple were totally contrary to what should have been the setting of the temple. This was why the Lord took action against all that was going on.
We can imagine the cacophony, the confusion, the arguing and shouting that must have been going on and all of this would not facilitate the temple to fulfil its primary purpose of being the Father’s house of prayer for all nations.
It was also a place, which had become a den of thieves. What was the reason behind this accusation that Jesus made to what was happening in the temple courts?
_Luke 19:45-46 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, (46) saying to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you have made it a '*DEN OF THIEVES*.' "_
Jewish law required that every man should pay a tribute to the service of the sanctuary of “half a shekel” _(Exodus 30:11–16)_, a Jewish coin. Judea at that time was under Roman rule and the currency used was the Roman coin. Hence it was common for the pilgrims to buy the Jewish half-shekel from the money changers at the temple grounds using their Roman coins. There were no fixed currency exchange rate controls and with thousands of pilgrim, the money changers were doing a lucrative business. This was especially hard on the poor.
The Law also required two doves or pigeons to be offered in sacrifice _(Leviticus 14:22; Luke 2:24)_. Again, it is easier to buy the doves or pigeons at the temple than to bring them from home. Others may want to sacrifice sheep or cattle. Again, the pilgrims are at the mercy of the merchants selling these animals.
These money changers and merchants were charging exorbitant prices, as religious observance is a lucrative business. All the pilgrims were affected. The poorer pilgrims were not able to worship at the temple as they were unable to pay. Jesus was so upset all that was happening that He overturned the tables of the money-changers, condemning them for having turned God’s house of prayer into “a den of thieves” _(Matthew 21:13)_.
Consider, friends, how far removed the people were from the character and nature of God.
Does this surprise us? It does not, for we are all too familiar with what is happening in our world today and even the workings within the body of Christ.
We have come to live our lives in two compartments. One is our spiritual or sacred compartment, where we have our prayer, worship, Bible study, fellowship with God’s people, missions and evangelism.
The other compartment is our everyday activities in life, whether at home or at work. Here we operate mostly at the world does. We may not directly participate in the evil but we maintain a low profile and ignore these happenings, telling ourselves that we need to be smart and need to survive in a wicked world.
There is no distinctiveness in us.
The teaching that Jesus was giving to the people was to be salt and light of the world. He taught with authority since He demonstrated a distinct life, which was truly salt and light.
_Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (14) "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. (15) Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven._
*Thought to ponder*
```Are you one who is complaining that our world is a den of thieves or are you willing to be distinct as salt and light, in your circumstances?```