19:45 Then 22 Jesus 23 entered the temple courts 24 and began to drive out those who were selling things there, 25 19:46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ 26 but you have turned it into a den 27 of robbers!” 28
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
2 tn Grk “garments”; but this refers in context to their outer cloaks. The action is like 2 Kgs 9:13.
3 sn See Zech 9:9.
4 tn Although ἐπεβίβασαν (epebibasan) is frequently translated “set [Jesus] on it” or “put [Jesus] on it,” when used of a riding animal the verb can mean “to cause to mount” (L&N 15.98); thus here “had Jesus get on it.” The degree of assistance is not specified.
5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
6 tn The disciples initiated this action (since in 19:35 and 37 they are the subject) but the other gospels indicate the crowds also became involved. Thus it is difficult to specify the referent here as “the disciples” or “people.”
7 tn Grk “the descent of”; this could refer to either the slope of the hillside itself or the path leading down from it (the second option has been adopted for the translation, see L&N 15.109).
8 sn See the note on the name Mount of Olives in v. 29.
9 tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
10 tn Here the participle χαίροντες (caironte") has been translated as a finite verb in English; it could also be translated adverbially as a participle of manner: “began to praise God joyfully.”
11 sn See 2:13, 20; Acts 2:47; 3:8-9.
12 tn Or “works of power,” “miracles.” Jesus’ ministry of miracles is what has drawn attention. See Luke 7:22.
13 tn Grk “they had seen, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
14 sn Luke adds the title king to the citation from Ps 118:26 to make clear who was meant (see Luke 18:38). The psalm was used in looking for the deliverance of the end, thus leading to the Pharisees’ reaction.
15 sn A quotation from Ps 118:26.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. Not all present are willing to join in the acclamation.
17 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
18 sn Teacher, rebuke your disciples. The Pharisees were complaining that the claims were too great.
19 tn Grk “and answering, he said.” This has been simplified in the translation to “He answered.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
20 tn Grk “these.”
21 sn This statement amounts to a rebuke. The idiom of creation speaking means that even creation knows what is taking place, yet the Pharisees miss it. On this idiom, see Gen 4:10 and Hab 2:11.
22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
23 tn Grk “he.”
24 tn Grk “the temple” (also in v. 47).
sn The merchants (those who were selling things there) would have been located in the Court of the Gentiles.
25 sn Matthew (21:12-27), Mark (11:15-19) and Luke (here, 19:45-46) record this incident of the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John (2:13-16) records a cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. See the note on the word temple courts in John 2:14 for a discussion of the relationship of these accounts to one another.
26 sn A quotation from Isa 56:7.
27 tn Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).
28 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.