JESUS WEPT OVER JERUSALEM

Passage: Luke 19:41-48

Key verse: 41

NIV

41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it(A) 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.(B) 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls.(C) They will not leave one stone on another,(D) because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming(E) to you.”

Jesus at the Temple(F)

45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’[a];(G) but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’[b]”(H)

47 Every day he was teaching at the temple.(I) But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.(J) 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 19:46 Isaiah 56:7
  2. Luke 19:46 Jer. 7:11
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

41 (A)And when he drew near and saw the city, (B)he wept over it, 42 saying, (C)“Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now (D)they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For (E)the days will come upon you, when your enemies (F)will set up a barricade around you and (G)surround you and hem you in on every side 44 (H)and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And (I)they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know (J)the time of your (K)visitation.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

45 (L)And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, (M)‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but (N)you have made it a den of robbers.”

47 (O)And he was teaching daily in the temple. (P)The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Jesus wept over Jerusalem as he made his entry into it. He came to bring peace to his people, but his people did not recognize the long-awaited Messiah and rejected him when he came to his own, and thus missed their opportunity for peace (Jn 1:11). If they had welcomed him, the king of peace, Jesus would have given them real peace. Jesus’ heart was broken, and he wept for them, for he foresaw the impending judgment of God falling on them in the near future because they would reject God’s love to the end (43-44).

When Jesus entered the temple courts, he saw the money changers and those selling animals. Out of spiritual anger, he drove them out and rebuked the religious leaders who did not pray, but used the temple as a marketplace, “My house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.” Then he taught the word of God every day at the temple to restore the temple as a place of true worship, place of prayer for all nations, and Bible teaching. The religious leaders did not repent, but tried to kill him, thinking that Jesus was a threat to their authority.

Prayer: Lord, make my heart a place where you are always welcome. Give me a repentant heart and eyes to recognize you when you come to me.

One Word: Jesus weeps over the lost