Mark 11:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.

NIV: and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

NASB: and He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple grounds.

CSB: and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple.

NLT: and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.

KJV: And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

NKJV: And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.

The Amplified Bible says, "He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise or household wares through temple [grounds, using the temple area irreverently as a shortcut]." The Temple Mount is on the eastern edge of Jerusalem, north of center. The top of the Mount is a plateau, roughly 1,575 by 980 feet, or 480 by 300 meters. There are two major roads east out of the city, leading to Bethany, Jericho, and Perea, where the Jews travel to bypass Samaria on their way to Galilee. The northernmost road is easily accessed via the Sheep Gate on the north edge of the Temple Mount. Or it can be reached by going all the way around the Roman military fortress on the northwest corner of the Temple Mount.

The more direct path east is through the East Gate of the Temple Mount. For anyone who wants to go between the upper city of Jerusalem, where the aristocracy and priests live, and the eastern side of Judea, crossing the Temple Mount is the shortest route. The road from the lower city, where the merchants live, is on the very south end; the more direct road to the east is still accessed via the East Gate of the Temple Mount.

Modern believers, even Christians, don't have the same relationship with physical places of worship as did the Jews with the temple. Modern churches are more akin to synagogues, where Jews met to teach and discuss Scriptures. Modern people use churches for weddings, meals, Bible studies, and teen events. Some churches don't own dedicated buildings, but meet in schools, strip-malls, YMCAs, or homes. While we strive to maintain neat and orderly churches, we realize the church building is not the "temple." Rather, we are (1 Corinthians 3:16–17; 6:19–20). We don't have to go to a church building to meet with God; we can meet Him anywhere because the Holy Spirit lives inside believers.

It was not so for the Jews. God met Jews in the temple. Before the ark of the covenant was lost, He hovered over it. To carry household goods, exchange money, and sell birds in the courtyard of the temple isn't the same as putting in a bookstore in a church lobby. It's more like holding a yard sale in the throne room of an emperor.

Mark 11:15–19 is one account of Jesus driving corrupt merchants out of the temple grounds. Matthew, Mark, and Luke's accounts of Jesus' ministry are in harmony, but they vary on which details are mentioned, and in what order. John's Gospel was written much later and follows a separate structure. John mentions Jesus cleansing the temple three years earlier (John 2:13–17). Matthew and Luke infer Jesus cleansed the temple right after the triumphal entry, while Mark might be implying it was the next day. Scholars think John's story is an entirely separate event. Matthew's seeming discrepancy is likely because he grouped both halves of the fig tree story together. Luke doesn't mention the fig tree incident at all. Parallel passages are Matthew 21:12–17 and Luke 19:45–48.

Jesus and the disciples arrive in Jerusalem a week before the crucifixion, and Jesus begins the last days of His public ministry. They spend their nights on the Mount of Olives and their days in Jerusalem (Luke 21:37). Jesus accepts the accolades designed for a king (Mark 11:1–11), attacks materialistic tradition that keeps people from worshiping God (Mark 11:15–19), gives an object lesson about the fate of fruitless Jerusalem (Mark 11:12–14, 20–25), and reveals the Jewish religious leaders' hypocrisy (Mark 11:27–33). Despite the support of the crowd, Jesus is pushing the leaders toward the crucifixion.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.