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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Luke 19:41–48. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The great Ambassador from heaven is here making his public entry into Jerusalem, not to be respected there, but to be rejected; he knew what a nest of vipers he was throwing himself into, and yet see here two instances of his love to that place and his concern for it.
I.The tears he shed for the approaching ruin of the city (Luk 19:41):
When he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it. Probably, it was when he was coming down the descent of the hill from the mount of Olives, where he had a full view of the city, the large extent of it, and the many stately structures in it, and his eye affected his heart, and his heart his eye again. See here,
1.What a tender spirit Christ was of; we never read that he laughed, but we often find him in tears. In this very place his father David wept, and those that were with him, though he and they were men of war. There are cases in which it is no disparagement to the stoutest of men to melt into tears.
2.That Jesus Christ wept in the midst of his triumphs, wept when all about him were rejoicing, to show how little he was elevated with the applause and acclamation of the people. Thus he would teach us to rejoice with trembling, and as though we rejoiced not. If Providence do not stain the beauty of our triumphs, we may ourselves see cause to sully it with our sorrows.
3.That he wept over Jerusalem. Note, There are cities to be wept over, and none to be more lamented than Jerusalem, that had been the holy city, and the joy of the whole earth, if it be degenerated. But why did Christ weep at the sight of Jerusalem? Was it because "Yonder is the city in which I must be betrayed and bound, scourged and spit upon, condemned and crucified?" No, he himself gives us the reason of his tears.
(1.)Jerusalem has not improved the day of her opportunities. He wept, and said, If thou hadst known, even thou at least in this thy day, if thou wouldst but yet know, while the gospel is preached to thee, and salvation offered thee by it; if thou wouldest at length bethink thyself, and understand the things that belong to thy peace, the making of thy peace with God, and the securing of thine own spiritual and eternal welfare - but thou dost not know the day of thy visitation, Luk 19:44. The manner of speaking is abrupt: If thou hadst known! O that thou hadst, so some take it; like that O that my people had hearkened unto me, Psa 81:13; Isa 48:18. Or, If thou hadst known, well; like that of the fig-tree, Luk 13:9. How happy had it been for thee! Or, "If thou hadst known, thou wouldest have wept for thyself, and I should have no occasion to weep for thee, but should have rejoiced rather." What he says lays all the blame of Jerusalem's impending ruin upon herself. Note,
[1.]There are things which belong to our peace, which we are all concerned to know and understand; the way how peace is made, the offers made of peace, the terms on which we may have the benefit of peace. The things that belong to our peace are those things that relate to our present and future welfare; these we must know with application.
[2.]There is a time of visitation when those things which belong to our peace may be known by us, and known to good purpose. When we enjoy the means of grace in great plenty, and have the word of God powerfully preached to us - when the Spirit strives with us, and our own consciences are startled and awakened - then is the time of visitation, which we are concerned to improve.
[3.]With those that have long neglected the time of their visitation, if at length, if at last, in this their day, their eyes be opened, and they bethink themselves, all will be well yet. Those shall not be refused that come into the vineyard at the eleventh hour.
[4.]It is the amazing folly of multitudes that enjoy the means of grace, and it will be of fatal consequence to them, that they do not improve the day of their opportunities. The things of their peace are revealed to them, but are not minded or regarded by them; they hide their eyes from them, as if they were not worth taking notice of. They are not aware of the accepted time and the day of salvation, and to let it slip and perish through mere carelessness. None are so blind as those that will not see; nor have any the things of their peace more certainly hidden from their eyes than those that turn their back upon them.
[5.]The sin and folly of those that persist in a contempt of gospel grace are a great grief to the Lord Jesus, and should be so to us. He looks with weeping eyes upon lost souls, that continue impenitent, and run headlong upon their own ruin; he had rather that they would turn and live than go on and die, for he is not willing that any should perish.
(2.)Jerusalem cannot escape the day of her desolation. The things of her peace are now in a manner hidden from her eyes; they will be shortly. Not but that after this the gospel was preached to them by the apostles; all the house of Israel were called to know assuredly that Christ was their peace (Act 2:36), and multitudes were convinced and converted. But as to the body of the nation, and the leading part of it, they were sealed up under unbelief; God had given them the spirit of slumber, Rom 11:8. They were so prejudiced and enraged against the gospel, and those few that did embrace it then, that nothing less than a miracle of divine grace (like that which converted Paul) would work upon them; and it could not be expected that such a miracle should be wrought, and so they were justly given up to judicial blindness and hardness. The peaceful things are not hidden from the eyes of particular persons; but it is too late to think now of the nation of the Jews, as such, becoming a Christian nation, by embracing Christ. And therefore they are marked for ruin, which Christ here foresees and foretels, as the certain consequence of their rejecting Christ. Note, Neglecting the great salvation often brings temporal judgments upon a people; it did so upon Jerusalem in less than forty years after this, when all that Christ here foretold was exactly fulfilled.
[1.]The Romans besieged the city, cast a trench about it, compassed it round, and kept their inhabitants in on every side. Josephus relates that Titus ran up a wall in a very short time, which surrounded the city, and cut off all hopes of escaping.
[2.]They laid it even with the ground. Titus commanded his soldiers to dig up the city, and the whole compass of it was levelled, except three towers; see Josephus's history of the wars of the Jews, 5.356-360; 7.1. Not only the city, but the citizens were laid even with the ground (thy children within thee), by the cruel slaughters that were made of them: and there was scarcely one stone left upon another. This was for their crucifying Christ; this was because they knew not the day of their visitation. Let other cities and nations take warning.
II.The zeal he showed for the present purification of the temple.
Though it must be destroyed ere long, it does not therefore follow that no care must be taken of it in the mean time.
1.Christ cleared it of those who profaned it. He went straight to the temple, and began to cast out the buyers and sellers, Luk 19:45. Hereby (though he was represented as an enemy to the temple, and that was the crime laid to his charge before the high priest) he made it to appear that he had a truer love for the temple than they had who had such a veneration for its corban, its treasury, as a sacred thing; for its purity was more its glory than its wealth was. Christ gave reason for his dislodging the temple-merchants, Luk 19:46. The temple is a house of prayer, set apart for communion with God: the buyers and sellers made it a den of thieves by the fraudulent bargains they made there, which was by no means to be suffered, for it would be a distraction to those who came there to pray.
2.He put it to the best use that ever it was put to, for he taught daily in the temple, Luk 19:47. Note, It is not enough that the corruptions of a church be purged out, but the preaching of the gospel must be encouraged. Now, when Christ preached in the temple, observe here,
(1.)How spiteful the church-rulers were against him; how industrious to seek an opportunity, or pretence rather, to do him a mischief (Luk 19:47): The chief priests and scribes, and the chief of the people, the great sanhedrim, that should have attended him, and summoned the people too to attend him, sought to destroy him, and put him to death.
(2.)How respectful the common people were to him. They were very attentive to hear him. He spent most of his time in the country, and did not then preach in the temple, but, when he did, the people paid him great respect, attended on his preaching with diligence, and let no opportunity slip of hearing him, attended to it with care, and would not lose a word. Some read it, All the people as they heard him, took his part; and so it comes in very properly as a reason why his enemies could not find what they might do against him; they saw the people ready to fly in their faces if they offered him any violence. Till his hour was come his interest in the common people protected him; but, when his hour was come, the chief priests' influence upon the common people delivered him up.
Historical interpretation
Nine Centuries of Reception
12 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
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If any then sells, let him be cast out, and especially if he sells doves. For of those things which have been revealed and committed to me by the Holy Spirit, I either sell for money to the people, or do not teach without hire, what else do I but sell a dove, that is, the Holy Spirit?
For God wishes not His temple to be a house of traffic, but the dwelling-place of holiness, nor does He fix the priestly service in a saleable performance of religion, but in a free and willing obedience.
Therefore our Lord teaches generally that all worldly bargains should be far removed from the temple of God; but spiritually He drove away the money-changers, who seek gain from the Lord's money, that is, the divine Scripture, lest they should discern good and evil.
God does not want his temple to be a trader’s lodge but the home of sanctity. He does not preserve the practice of the priestly ministry by the dishonest duty of religion but by voluntary obedience. Consider what the Lord’s actions impose on you as an example of living.… He taught in general that worldly transactions must be absent from the temple, but he drove out the moneychangers in particular. Who are the moneychangers, if not those who seek profit from the Lord’s money and cannot distinguish between good and evil? Holy Scripture is the Lord’s money.
(de Qu. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 48.) Now mystically, you must understand by the temple Christ Himself, as man in His human nature, or with His body united to Him, that is, the Church. But inasmuch as He is the Head of the Church, it was said, Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days. (John 2:19.) Inasmuch as the Church is joined to Him, is the temple so interpreted, of which He seems to have spoken in the same place, Take these away from hence; signifying that there would be those in the Church who would rather be pursuing their own interest, or find a shelter therein to conceal their wickedness, than follow after the love of Christ, and by confession of their sins receiving pardon be restored.
In another place, when I said the following about our Lord Jesus Christ, "He did nothing by force but everything by persuasion and admonition," I forgot that he threw out the sellers and buyers from the temple by flogging them. What does this matter to us? How is it important if he also cast out demons from people against their will, not by persuasive words but by force of his power?
Now there were in the temple a number of sellers who sold animals, by the custom of the law, for the sacrificial victims, but the time was now come for the shadows to pass away, and the truth of Christ to shine forth. Therefore Christ, who together with the Father was worshipped in the temple, commanded the customs of the law to be reformed, but the temple to become a house of prayer; as it is added, My house, &c.
There was in it a crowd of merchants and others guilty of the charge of the shameful love of money. I mean moneychangers or keepers of exchange tables, sellers of oxen, dealers of sheep, and sellers of turtledoves and pigeons. All these things were used for the sacrifices according to the legal ritual. The time had now come for the shadow to draw to an end and for the truth to shine forth. The truth is the lovely beauty of Christian conduct, the glories of the blameless life and the sweet rational flavor of worship in spirit and in truth.The Truth, Christ as One who with his Father was also honored in their temple, commanded that those things that were by the law should be carried away, even the materials for sacrifices and burning of incense. He commanded that the temple clearly should be a house of prayer. His rebuking the dealers and driving them from the sacred courts when they were selling what was wanted for sacrifice means certainly this, as I suppose, and this alone.
(Hom. 39. in Ev.) Or else; The evil spirits lay siege to the soul, as it goes forth from the body, for being seized with the love of the flesh, they caress it with delusive pleasures. They surround it with a trench, because bringing all its wickedness which it has committed before the eyes of its mind, they close confine it to the company of its own damnation, that being caught in the very extremity of life, it may see by what enemies it is blockaded, yet be unable to find any way of escape, because it can no longer do good works, since those which it might once have done it despised. On every side also they inclose the soul when its iniquities rise up before it, not only in deed but also in word and thought, that she who before in many ways greatly enlarged herself in wickedness, should now at the end be straitened every way in judgment. Then indeed the soul by the very condition of its guilt is laid prostrate on the ground, while its flesh which it believed to be its life is bid to return to dust. Then its children fall in death, when all unlawful thoughts which only proceed from it, are in the last punishment of life scattered abroad. These may also be signified by the stones. For the corrupt mind when to a corrupt thought it adds one more corrupt, places one stone upon another. But when the soul is led to its doom, the whole structure of its thoughts is rent asunder. But the wicked soul God ceases not to visit with His teaching, sometimes with the scourge and sometimes with a miracle; that the truth which it knew not it may hear, and though still despising it, may return pricked to the heart in sorrow, or overcome with mercies may be ashamed at the evil which it has done. But because it knows not the time of its visitation, at the end of life it is given over to its enemies, that with them it may be joined together in the bond of everlasting damnation.
(ut sup.) When He had related the evils that were to come upon the city, He straightway entered the temple, that He might cast out them that bought and sold in it. showing that the destruction of the people arose chiefly from the guilt of the priests.
For they who sat in the temple to receive money would doubtless sometimes make exaction to the injury of those who gave them none.
(Hom. 39. ut sup.) But our Redeemer does not withdraw His word of preaching even from the unworthy and ungrateful. Accordingly after having by the ejection of the corrupt maintained the strictness of discipline, He now pours forth the gifts of grace. For it follows, And he was teaching daily in the temple.
(ut sup.) Mystically, such as the temple of God is in a city, such is the life of the religious in a faithful people. And there are frequently some who take upon themselves the religious habit, and while they are receiving the privilege of Holy Orders, are sinking the sacred office of religion into a bargain of worldly traffic. For the sellers in the temple are those who give at a certain price that which is the rightful possession of others. For to sell justice is to observe it on condition of receiving a reward. But the buyers in the temple are those, who whilst unwilling to discharge what is just to their neighbour, and disdaining to do what they are in duty bound to, by paying a price to their patrons, purchase sin.
(ut sup.) And these make the house of God a den of thieves, because when corrupt men hold religious offices, they slay with the sword of their wickedness their neighbours, whom they ought to raise to life by the intercession of their prayers. The temple also is the soul of the faithful, which if it put forth corrupt thoughts to the injury of a neighbour, then is it become as it were a lurking place of thieves. But when the soul of the faithful is wisely instructed to shun evil, truth teaches daily in the temple.
Having described this, what the Lord did is added: because, entering the temple, he began to cast out those selling and buying in it, saying to them: It is written that my house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. For he who foretold the evils to come and immediately entered the temple to cast out from it those selling and buying, clearly made known that the ruin of the people came chiefly from the fault of the priests. Indeed, in describing the destruction but striking at those selling and buying in the temple, he showed by the very effect of his work whence the root of perdition sprang. Moreover, as we have learned from another evangelist as witness, doves were being sold in the temple. And what is received through doves except the gift of the Holy Spirit? But he expels the sellers and buyers from the temple, because he condemns either those who grant the imposition of hands for a gift, or those who strive to buy the gift of the Spirit.
After the destruction of the city is completed, which we have applied to the likeness of a perishing soul, it is immediately added: "And entering the temple, he began to cast out those selling and buying in it." Just as the temple of God is in the city, so also is the life of religious persons among the faithful people. And often some take up the habit of religion, and when they receive a place in the sacred orders, they turn the office of holy religion into a commerce of earthly business. Those selling in the temple are they who bestow for a reward what rightly belongs to certain persons. For to sell justice is to maintain it in exchange for receiving a reward. Those buying in the temple are they who, while refusing to render to their neighbor what is just, and while disdaining to do what is rightly owed, give a reward to patrons and buy sin.
Why do you not recall before the eyes of your mind that our Redeemer, entering the temple, overturned the seats of those selling doves and poured out the money of the money-changers? For who are those in the temple of God today who sell doves, if not those who in the Church receive payment for the imposition of hands? Through which imposition, namely, the Holy Spirit is given from heaven. Therefore the dove is sold, because the imposition of hands, through which the Holy Spirit is received, is offered for a price. But our Redeemer overturned the seats of those selling doves, because he destroys the priesthood of such merchants. For hence it is that the sacred canons condemn the simonian heresy, and command that those be deprived of the priesthood who seek payment for bestowing ordinations. Therefore the seat of those selling doves is overturned when those who sell spiritual grace are deprived of the priesthood, either before human eyes or before the eyes of God.
Either because He daily taught in the temple, or because He had cast the thieves therefrom, or that coming thereto as King and Lord, He was greeted with the honour of a heavenly hymn of praise.
This may be taken in two ways; either that fearing a tumult of the people they knew not what they should do with Jesus, whom they had settled to destroy; or they sought to destroy Him because they perceived their own authority set aside, and multitudes flocking to hear Him.
The same thing our Lord did also at the beginning of His preaching, as John relates; and now He did it a second time, because the crime of the Jews was much increased by their not having been chastened by the former warning.
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Summary
Luke 19:45 records a pivotal moment in Jesus' final week, immediately following His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Upon entering the Temple precincts, Jesus confronts and forcefully expels those engaged in commercial activities, specifically the merchants selling sacrificial animals and the money changers. This dramatic act underscores Jesus' divine authority, His zeal for the purity of God's house, and serves as a powerful prophetic indictment against the corruption and exploitation that had defiled the sacred space intended for prayer and worship.
Context
Literary Context
This event is strategically placed in Luke's narrative immediately after Jesus' "Triumphal Entry" into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-44), where He is hailed as King, and His subsequent lament over the city's impending destruction due to its rejection of God's peace. The cleansing of the Temple, therefore, is not an isolated incident but a direct and authoritative act by the Messiah, demonstrating His kingly prerogative and divine judgment. It sets the stage for the escalating conflict with the Jewish religious authorities that will dominate the remainder of Passion Week, leading directly to His arrest and crucifixion. The verse also precedes Jesus' declaration in Luke 19:46, which provides the theological justification for His actions.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Temple in Jerusalem was the epicenter of Jewish religious, social, and economic life. Within its vast outer court, known as the Court of the Gentiles, a bustling marketplace had developed. Here, merchants sold animals required for sacrifices (doves, sheep, oxen), and money changers converted foreign currency into the specific Temple coinage necessary for the annual Temple tax and offerings. While these services were ostensibly for convenience, they were rife with exploitation. Priestly families often controlled these concessions, charging exorbitant prices for animals deemed "unblemished" and excessive exchange rates for currency, effectively turning a place of worship into a den of profiteering. This commercialization not only exploited the poor but also obstructed the Gentiles, for whom the outer court was the only permitted area of worship, transforming their designated space into a noisy, defiled bazaar.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully illustrates several key themes central to Luke's Gospel and biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights Divine Authority, as Jesus acts with an inherent right to purify His Father's house, not as a mere prophet but as the Son of God. His actions are decisive and unyielding, demonstrating His sovereignty over the religious institutions of His day. Secondly, it underscores the Purity of Worship, emphasizing God's demand for reverence and sincerity in His presence. The Temple was meant to be a "house of prayer" (Luke 19:46), not a marketplace. Jesus' zeal reflects the Old Testament prophets' condemnation of corrupt worship (Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11). Finally, it serves as a Prophetic Condemnation of a religious system that had become spiritually bankrupt, prioritizing ritual and profit over genuine piety and justice. This act foreshadows the ultimate judgment upon Jerusalem and the Temple itself, which Jesus had lamented just moments before (Luke 19:41-44).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb, meaning "to enter (literally or figuratively)," signifies Jesus' deliberate and purposeful entry into the Temple. It is not a casual stroll but an intentional movement towards a specific action, highlighting His authority and determination to confront the corruption within. His "entering in" is a direct assertion of His right to be there and to act decisively.
This term refers to the entire sacred precinct of the Temple, including the outer courts, rather than the central sanctuary (naos). This distinction is crucial because the commercial activities were taking place in the Court of the Gentiles, the very area meant to be accessible to all nations for prayer. Jesus' action, therefore, cleanses the space intended for universal worship, restoring its sacred purpose.
This powerful verb means "to eject (literally or figuratively)," implying a forceful, decisive expulsion. It is not a gentle request or a polite dismissal but an act of vigorous removal, indicative of Jesus' righteous indignation and unwavering resolve to purify the defiled space. The use of this word emphasizes the intensity and authority of Jesus' action.
Verse Breakdown
"And he went into the temple,"
This phrase establishes the setting and the immediate context of Jesus' action. His entry is not merely physical but symbolic, as the Messiah enters His Father's house to reclaim and purify it. This act immediately follows His Triumphal Entry, linking His kingly reception with His priestly authority to cleanse.
"and began to cast out them that sold therein,"
This describes the primary target of Jesus' righteous indignation: those who were profiting from the commercialization of worship. The verb "began" suggests a forceful initiation of a process, not a mere suggestion. The act of "casting out" signifies a decisive and authoritative expulsion, demonstrating Jesus' zero-tolerance for the desecration of God's holy space.
"and them that bought;"
By including "them that bought," the verse emphasizes that the corruption was systemic, involving both sides of the illicit transactions. It highlights the complicity of those who participated in the commercial activities, perpetuating the exploitation and defilement of the Temple rather than seeking genuine worship. This indicates a comprehensive cleansing, addressing the entire commercial enterprise.
Literary Devices
Luke 19:45 is rich in Symbolism. The Temple itself symbolizes God's dwelling place and the center of Israel's worship. Jesus' cleansing of it is a symbolic act of judgment against a corrupt religious system that had lost its spiritual integrity. It is also a Prophetic Act, echoing Old Testament prophecies of a coming Messiah who would purify the Temple (e.g., Malachi 3:1-4). Jesus' actions demonstrate His Zeal for God's house, aligning with the psalmist's declaration in Psalm 69:9. The forceful expulsion also serves as a Foreshadowing of the ultimate destruction of the Temple, a judgment Jesus had just lamented over Jerusalem.
Theological and Thematic Connections
The cleansing of the Temple in Luke 19:45 is a profound theological statement about God's holiness and His demand for true worship. It reveals Jesus' identity not only as a prophet but as the Son of God, exercising divine authority over the very institutions of Israel. This act underscores that genuine worship must be free from exploitation, commercialism, and anything that hinders access to God. It challenges the notion that religious ritual or economic convenience can supersede the sacredness of God's presence and the purity of heart required for true devotion. Jesus' actions serve as a powerful reminder that God desires mercy and justice, not merely sacrifice, and that His house is meant to be a place of prayer for all nations.
Reflection and Application
Luke 19:45 calls believers to a profound examination of what constitutes true worship and the sanctity of our spiritual lives. Just as Jesus cleansed the physical Temple, He desires to purify our hearts and lives, which the New Testament identifies as the "temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19). This means diligently removing anything that hinders genuine communion with God—whether it be materialism, self-interest, spiritual apathy, or practices that exploit others. It challenges us to ensure that our churches are places of sincere prayer, teaching, and mission, rather than centers of commercialism or self-serving agendas. Furthermore, it reminds us that our personal lives should reflect reverence for God, prioritizing spiritual growth and acts of justice and mercy over worldly pursuits and compromises. Jesus' zeal for God's house should inspire a similar passion within us for the purity of our own worship and the integrity of the church.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was this the only time Jesus cleansed the Temple?
The Gospels record two distinct Temple cleansing events. The one in Luke 19:45 (also found in Matthew 21:12-13 and Mark 11:15-17) occurs during Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, just days before His crucifixion. The Gospel of John, however, records an earlier cleansing at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry (John 2:13-17). While some scholars debate if these are two accounts of the same event, the chronological placement in the Gospels strongly suggests two separate incidents. The first cleansing marked the beginning of His public challenge to the religious establishment, while the second, more forceful cleansing, served as a climactic act of judgment and a final prophetic warning before His passion.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Luke 19:45 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ Himself, who is the true Temple and the embodiment of God's presence among humanity. The physical Temple, with its rituals and sacrifices, pointed forward to the perfect and final sacrifice of Christ on the cross (Hebrews 9:11-14). By cleansing the Temple, Jesus not only purified a physical space but also demonstrated His authority to purify His people, foreshadowing the new covenant where God's Spirit dwells not in buildings, but in the hearts of believers (1 Corinthians 3:16). His zeal for God's house culminates in His own body being broken and raised again, establishing a new and living way to God (John 2:19-21). Thus, Jesus is not merely a reformer of the old system, but the inaugurator of a new spiritual reality, where access to God is no longer through a defiled earthly temple but directly through Him, the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).