Mark 11:15-18

Cleansing the Temple

11:15 Then ¹  they came to Jerusalem. ²  Jesus ³  entered the temple area ⁴  and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. ⁵  He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 11:16 and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise ⁶  through the temple courts. ⁷  11:17 Then he began to teach ⁸  them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? ⁹  But you have turned it into a den ¹⁰  of robbers!” ¹¹  11:18 The chief priests and the experts in the law ¹²  heard it and they considered how they could assassinate ¹³  him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching.

Mark 11:27

The Authority of Jesus

11:27 They came again to Jerusalem. ¹⁴  While Jesus ¹⁵  was walking in the temple courts, ¹⁶  the chief priests, the experts in the law, ¹⁷  and the elders came up to him

Mark 12:35

The Messiah: David’s Son and Lord

12:35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, “How is it that the experts in the law ¹⁸  say that the Christ ¹⁹  is David’s son? ²⁰ 

Matthew 21:23-27

The Authority of Jesus

21:23 Now after Jesus ²¹  entered the temple courts, ²²  the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority ²³  are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 21:24 Jesus ²⁴  answered them, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 21:25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?” ²⁵  They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 21:26 But if we say, ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.” 21:27 So ²⁶  they answered Jesus, ²⁷  “We don’t know.” ²⁸  Then he said to them, “Neither will I tell you ²⁹  by what authority ³⁰  I am doing these things.

Luke 19:47--20:2

19:47 Jesus ³¹  was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the law ³²  and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinate ³³  him, 19:48 but ³⁴  they could not find a way to do it, ³⁵  for all the people hung on his words. ³⁶ 

The Authority of Jesus

20:1 Now one ³⁷  day, as Jesus ³⁸  was teaching the people in the temple courts ³⁹  and proclaiming ⁴⁰  the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law ⁴¹  with the elders came up ⁴²  20:2 and said to him, ⁴³  “Tell us: By what authority ⁴⁴  are you doing these things? ⁴⁵  Or who it is who gave you this authority?”

Luke 21:37-38

21:37 So ⁴⁶  every day Jesus ⁴⁷  was teaching in the temple courts, ⁴⁸  but at night he went and stayed ⁴⁹  on the Mount of Olives. ⁵⁰  21:38 And all the people ⁵¹  came to him early in the morning to listen to him in the temple courts. ⁵² 

John 7:28-30

7:28 Then Jesus, while teaching in the temple courts, ⁵³  cried out, ⁵⁴  “You both know me and know where I come from! ⁵⁵  And I have not come on my own initiative, ⁵⁶  but the one who sent me ⁵⁷  is true. You do not know him, ⁵⁸  7:29 but ⁵⁹  I know him, because I have come from him ⁶⁰  and he ⁶¹  sent me.”

7:30 So then they tried to seize Jesus, ⁶²  but no one laid a hand on him, because his time ⁶³  had not yet come.

John 7:37

Teaching About the Spirit

7:37 On the last day of the feast, the greatest day, ⁶⁴  Jesus stood up and shouted out, ⁶⁵  “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and

John 8:2

8:2 Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach ⁶⁶  them.

John 8:12

Jesus as the Light of the World

8:12 Then Jesus spoke out again, ⁶⁷  “I am the light of the world. ⁶⁸  The one who follows me will never ⁶⁹  walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 10:23

10:23 It was winter, ⁷⁰  and Jesus was walking in the temple area ⁷¹  in Solomon’s Portico. ⁷² 

John 18:20

18:20 Jesus replied, ⁷³  “I have spoken publicly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues ⁷⁴  and in the temple courts, ⁷⁵  where all the Jewish people ⁷⁶  assemble together. I ⁷⁷  have said nothing in secret.

[11:15]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[11:15]  ² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:15]  ³ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:15]  ⁴ tn Grk “the temple.”

[11:15]  ⁵ tn Grk “the temple.”

[11:16]  ⁶ tn Or “things.” The Greek word σκεῦος (skeuos) can refer to merchandise, property, goods, a vessel, or even generally “things” (but in the sense of some implement or tool). The idea here is almost certainly restricted to merchandise, rather than the more general “things,” although some suggest from the parallel with m. Berakhot 9.5 that Jesus was not even allowing sandals, staffs, or coin-purses to be carried through the court. The difficulty with this interpretation, however, is that it is fundamentally an appeal to Jewish oral tradition (something Jesus rarely sided with) as well as being indiscriminate toward all the worshipers.

[11:16]  ⁷ tn Grk “the temple.”

[11:17]  ⁸ tn The imperfect ἐδίδασκεν (edidasken) is here taken ingressively.

[11:17]  ⁹ sn A quotation from Isa 56:7.

[11:17]  ¹⁰ tn Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).

[11:17]  ¹¹ sn A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.

[11:18]  ¹² tn Or “The chief priests and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[11:18]  ¹³ tn Grk “how they could destroy him.”

[11:27]  ¹⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:27]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:27]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “the temple.”

[11:27]  ¹⁷ tn Or “the chief priests, the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[12:35]  ¹⁸ tn Or “that the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[12:35]  ¹⁹ tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[12:35]  ²⁰ sn It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be David’s son in that he would come from the lineage of David. On this point the Pharisees agreed and were correct. But their understanding was nonetheless incomplete, for Messiah is also David’s Lord. With this statement Jesus was affirming that, as the Messiah, he is both God and man.

[21:23]  ²¹ tn Grk “he.”

[21:23]  ²² tn Grk “the temple.”

[21:23]  ²³ tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.1

[21:24]  ²⁴ tn Grk “answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[21:25]  ²⁵ tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is used here (and in v. 26) in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NAB, NRSV, “of human origin”; TEV, “from human beings”; NLT, “merely human”).

[21:27]  ²⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “So” to indicate that the clause is a result of the deliberations of the leaders.

[21:27]  ²⁷ tn Grk “answering Jesus, they said.” This construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[21:27]  ²⁸ sn Very few questions could have so completely revealed the wicked intentions of the religious leaders. Jesus’ question revealed the motivation of the religious leaders and exposed them for what they really were – hypocrites. They indicted themselves when they cited only two options and chose neither of them (“We do not know”). The point of Matt 21:23-27 is that no matter what Jesus said in response to their question, they were not going to believe it and would in the end use it against him.

[21:27]  ²⁹ sn Neither will I tell you. Though Jesus gave no answer, the analogy he used to their own question makes his view clear. His authority came from heaven.

[21:27]  ³⁰ tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ. This is exactly the same phrase as in v. 23.

[19:47]  ³¹ tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[19:47]  ³² tn Grk “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[19:47]  ³³ tn Grk “to destroy.”

[19:48]  ³⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[19:48]  ³⁵ tn Grk “they did not find the thing that they might do.”

[19:48]  ³⁶ sn All the people hung on his words is an idiom for intent, eager listening. Jesus’ popularity and support made it unwise for the leadership to seize him.

[20:1]  ³⁷ tn Grk “Now it happened that one.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[20:1]  ³⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:1]  ³⁹ tn Grk “the temple.”

[20:1]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “preaching.”

[20:1]  ⁴¹ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[20:1]  ⁴² sn The chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up. The description is similar to Luke 19:47. The leaders are really watching Jesus at this point.

[20:2]  ⁴³ tn Grk “and said, saying to him.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[20:2]  ⁴⁴ tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.

[20:2]  ⁴⁵ sn The leadership is looking back to acts like the temple cleansing (19:45-48). How could a Galilean preacher do these things?

[21:37]  ⁴⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” since vv. 37-38 serve as something of a summary or transition from the discourse preceding to the passion narrative that follows.

[21:37]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:37]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “in the temple.”

[21:37]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “and spent the night,” but this is redundant because of the previous use of the word “night.”

[21:37]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “at the mountain called ‘of Olives.’”

[21:38]  ⁵¹ sn Jesus’ teaching was still quite popular with all the people at this point despite the leaders’ opposition.

[21:38]  ⁵² tc Some mss (those of ˹³) place John 7:53-8:11 here after v. 38, no doubt because it was felt that this was a better setting for the pericope.

[7:28]  ⁵³ tn Grk “the temple.”

[7:28]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying.”

[7:28]  ⁵⁵ sn You both know me and know where I come from! Jesus’ response while teaching in the temple is difficult – it appears to concede too much understanding to his opponents. It is best to take the words as irony: “So you know me and know where I am from, do you?” On the physical, literal level, they did know where he was from: Nazareth of Galilee (at least they thought they knew). But on another deeper (spiritual) level, they did not: He came from heaven, from the Father. Jesus insisted that he has not come on his own initiative (cf. 5:37), but at the bidding of the Father who sent him.

[7:28]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “And I have not come from myself.”

[7:28]  ⁵⁷ tn The phrase “the one who sent me” refers to God.

[7:28]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “the one who sent me is true, whom you do not know.”

[7:29]  ⁵⁹ tn Although the conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, the contrast is implied (an omitted conjunction is called asyndeton).

[7:29]  ⁶⁰ tn The preposition παρά (para) followed by the genitive has the local sense preserved and can be used of one person sending another. This does not necessarily imply origin in essence or eternal generation.

[7:29]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “and that one.”

[7:30]  ⁶² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:30]  ⁶³ tn Grk “his hour.”

[7:37]  ⁶⁴ sn There is a problem with the identification of this reference to the last day of the feast, the greatest day: It appears from Deut 16:13 that the feast went for seven days. Lev 23:36, however, makes it plain that there was an eighth day, though it was mentioned separately from the seven. It is not completely clear whether the seventh or eighth day was the climax of the feast, called here by the author the “last great day of the feast.” Since according to the Mishnah (m. Sukkah 4.1) the ceremonies with water and lights did not continue after the seventh day, it seems more probable that this is the day the author mentions.

[7:37]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “Jesus stood up and cried out, saying.”

[8:2]  ⁶⁶ tn An ingressive sense for the imperfect fits well here following the aorist participle.

[8:12]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “Then again Jesus spoke to them saying.”

[8:12]  ⁶⁸ sn The theory proposed by F. J. A. Hort (The New Testament in the Original Greek, vol. 2, Introduction; Appendix, 87-88), that the backdrop of 8:12 is the lighting of the candelabra in the court of women, may offer a plausible setting to the proclamation by Jesus that he is the light of the world. The last time that Jesus spoke in the narrative (assuming 7:53-8:11 is not part of the original text, as the textual evidence suggests) is in 7:38, where he was speaking to a crowd of pilgrims in the temple area. This is where he is found in the present verse, and he may be addressing the crowd again. Jesus’ remark has to be seen in view of both the prologue (John 1:4, 5) and the end of the discourse with Nicodemus (John 3:19-21). The coming of Jesus into the world provokes judgment: A choosing up of sides becomes necessary. The one who comes to the light, that is, who follows Jesus, will not walk in the darkness. The one who refuses to come, will walk in the darkness. In this contrast, there are only two alternatives. So it is with a person’s decision about Jesus. Furthermore, this serves as in implicit indictment of Jesus’ opponents, who still walk in the darkness, because they refuse to come to him. This sets up the contrast in chap. 9 between the man born blind, who receives both physical and spiritual sight, and the Pharisees (John 9:13, 15, 16) who have physical sight but remain in spiritual darkness.

[8:12]  ⁶⁹ tn The double negative οὐ μή (ou mh) is emphatic in 1st century Hellenistic Greek.

[10:23]  ⁷⁰ sn It was winter. The feast began on 25 Kislev, in November-December of the modern Gregorian calendar.

[10:23]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “in the temple.”

[10:23]  ⁷² tn Or “portico,” “colonnade”; Grk “stoa.”

[18:20]  ⁷³ tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”

[18:20]  ⁷⁴ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:59.

[18:20]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “in the temple.”

[18:20]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people generally, for whom the synagogues and the temple courts in Jerusalem were important public gathering places. See also the note on the phrase “Jewish religious leaders” in v. 12.

[18:20]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “And I.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.