A HOUSE OF PRAYER, HEALING, WORSHIP

Passage: Matthew 21:12-22

Key verse: 13

NIV

Jesus at the Temple(A)

12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying(B) and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers(C) and the benches of those selling doves.(D) 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[a](E) but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’[b]”(F)

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.(G) 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,”(H) they were indignant.(I)

16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants
    you, Lord, have called forth your praise’[c]?”(J)

17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany,(K) where he spent the night.

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree(L)

18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.(M)

20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt,(N) not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for(O) in prayer.”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 21:13 Isaiah 56:7
  2. Matthew 21:13 Jer. 7:11
  3. Matthew 21:16 Psalm 8:2 (see Septuagint)
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 Cleanses the Temple

12 (A)And Jesus entered the temple[a] and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of (B)the money-changers and the seats of those who sold (C)pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, (D)‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but (E)you make it a den of robbers.”

14 (F)And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 (G)But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, (H)“Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; (I)have you never read,

(J)“‘Out of the mouth of (K)infants and nursing babies
    you have prepared praise’?”

17 And (L)leaving them, he (M)went out of the city to (N)Bethany and lodged there.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

18 (O)In the morning, as he was returning to the city, (P)he became hungry. 19 (Q)And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.

20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, (R)“Truly, I say to you, (S)if you have faith and (T)do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, (U)‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And (V)whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, (W)if you have faith.”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 21:12 Some manuscripts add of God
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 did not ascend a throne in Jerusalem, but focused on cleansing the temple: “My house will be called a house of prayer” (12-13). Jesus restored the temple as a place where the blind and lame could be healed and children could sing worship songs. This offended the priests, but to Jesus, this was the very thing the Bible said to expect (Ps 8:2). They were not reading the Bible to learn. Jesus left the city to stay in Bethany.

Early the next morning Jesus did an odd thing, cursing a fig tree, causing it to wither (18-19). Jesus’ hunger and his unmet expectations from the tree, mirrored his experience in the temple. The priests, the temple, and all Jerusalem would share the same fate as the fig tree, soon to be destroyed. This amazed the disciples (20). Their wonder and faith gave Jesus great hope and joy. By their prayer and obedience, the church – Jesus’ body, the true temple – is now a place where broken people are being healed and children joyfully worship. Our prayers for all nations are being answered in every generation. We participate in prayer by faith.

Prayer: Father, thank you for Jesus’ body, the church, the true temple. There are many things we expect from your church, but let us pray with faith for all nations, becoming a place where the gospel brings healing and our children worship the Savior.

One Word: Faithful prayer moves mountains