Lucas 19

Lucas 19

Vincent says, imply “by all nations.” He suggests the rendering of the Revision, “for all nations.” Vincent remarks that the word “thieves” of the A.V., should be “robbers.” The word “thief” in Greek is kleptēs, whereas, the word here is leµisteµs, “a robber.” He says: “The robber, conducting his operations on a large and systematic scale, and with the aid of bands, is thus to be distinguished from the kleptēs, or thief who purloins or pilfers whatever comes to hand. A den would be appropriate to a band of robbers, not thieves.” Swete says: “No bandit’s cave along the Jericho road (Luke 10:30), by which our Lord had lately come, was the scene of such wholesale robbery as the Mountain of the House.” The money changers: Every male Jew had to pay a Temple tax every year of half a shekel, equal to nearly two days' pay for a working man. A month before the Passover, booths were set up in all the towns and villages and it could be paid there; but by far the greater part was actually paid by the pilgrims in Jerusalem when they came to the Passover Feast. In Palestine all kinds of currencies were in circulation, and, for ordinary purposes, they were all--Greek, Roman Tyrian, Syrian, Egyptian--equally valid. But this tax had to be paid either in exact half shekels of the sanctuary or in ordinary Galilaean shekels. That is where the money changers came in. To change a coin of exact value they charged one maah, which was equal to 1 pence. If a larger coin was tendered a charge of one maah was made for the requisite half shekel and of another maah for the giving of change. It has been computed that these money changers made a profit of between 28,000 and 9,000 British pounds per anum. The sellers of animals: Almost every visit to the Temple involved sacrifice. Victims could be bought outside at reasonable prices; but the Temple authorities had appointed inspectors, for a victim must be without spot or blemish. It was, therefore, far safer to buy victims from the booths officially set up in the Temple. But there were times when a pair of doves would cost as much as 75 pence inside the Temple and considerably less than 5 pence outside. Again it was a deliberately planned victimization of the poor pilgrims, nothing more or less than legalized robbery. Worse, these Temple shops were known as the Booths of Annas and were the property of the family of the High Priest. That is why Jesus was brought first before Annas when he was arrested (John 18:13). Annas was delighted to gloat over this man who had struck such a blow at his evil monopoly. Jesus cleansed the Temple with such violence because its traffic was being used to exploit helpless men and women. It was not simply that the buying and selling interfered with the dignity and solemnity of worship; it was that the very worship of the house of God was being used to exploit the worshippers. Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight. But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN" - Den is more literally a cave. Caves were places where robbers lurked. NET Note adds "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. Jeremiah 7:11 “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” declares the LORD. Den (4693)(spelaion from speos = a cave; Eng - speleology, spelunker) means a cave (Jn 11:38 - demon possessed man's haunt), a den as used by robbers for hiding away from j5ustice and for storing their loot. Figuratively spelaion is used here of the misuse and abuse of the Temple privileges by the dishonest priesthood - a den of robbers (Mt 21:13 Mk 11:17 Lk 19:46). They were hiding out as it were in full view of God and man! But the God-man soon remedied that ruse! Describes the place Lot took refuge from God's wrath on Sodom and where the daughters committed incest with him (Ge 19:30). The cave of Machpelah was the Abraham's burial site of his wife Sarah (Ge 23:19), later the place of Abraham's burial (Ge 25:9-10) and Jacob (Ge 49:29-30, 50:13). At the time of the Seal Judgments in Revelation 6 we read "Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains." (Rev 6:15+) Spelaion - 6x in 6v - cave(1), caves(2), den(3). Matt. 21:13; Mk. 11:17; Lk. 19:46; Jn. 11:38; Heb. 11:38; Rev. 6:15 Spelaion - 55x in 45v in the Septuagint - Gen. 19:30; Gen. 23:9; Gen. 23:11; Gen. 23:17; Gen. 23:19; Gen. 23:20; Gen. 25:9; Gen. 25:10; Gen. 49:29; Gen. 49:30; Gen. 49:32; Gen. 50:13; Jos. 10:16; Jos. 10:17; Jos. 10:18; Jos. 10:22; Jos. 10:23; Jos. 10:27; Jdg. 6:2; Jdg. 15:8; 1 Sam. 13:6; 1 Sam. 22:1; 1 Sam. 24:3; 1 Sam. 24:8; 1 Sam. 24:10; 2 Sam. 23:13; 1 Ki. 18:4; 1 Ki. 18:13; 1 Ki. 19:9; 1 Ki. 19:13; 1 Chr. 11:15; Ps. 57:1; Ps. 142:1; Isa. 2:19; Isa. 7:19; Isa. 32:14; Isa. 33:16; Isa. 65:4; Jer. 4:29; Jer. 7:11; Jer. 12:9; Jer. 50:26; Ezek. 33:27; Hab. 2:15 Robbers (3027)(lestes) from lizoma = to plunder, seize) means one who steals openly and by violence in contrast to kleptes which denotes one who steals by stealth. A robber, highwayman, bandit (Mt 27:38; Mk 11:17; 15:27; Lk 10:30, 36; J 10:1, 8; 2 Cor 11:26). A revolutionary, insurrectionist, one who favors the use of force (Jn 18:40). Figuratively lestes speaks of unscrupulous, greedy, or overambitious leaders (Jn 10.8) Zodhiates - Judas was a thief (kleptes [John 12:6]) doing no violence to anyone. He stole secretly. Barabbas was a robber (lēstés [Jn 18:40 {cf. Mk 15:7}]). Palestine was infested by robbers to whom its walks and caves afforded a great deal of cover and shelter (cf. Jdg. 9:25; Hos. 6:9; 7:1), hence, the expression "den of robbers" (Jer. 7:11; Mt. 21:13). The temple became a haunt of robbers. The dealers in the temple market were notorious for their extortion, but it gave them fancied security in their evildoing. It is probable that some of these robbers were really zealots in rebellion against the authority of Rome, so that there was an element of misplaced patriotism and even religion in their proceedings. Josephus identified robbers with zealots. (Borrow The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) Gilbrant - Each of the Synoptic Evangelists makes a considerable point of the fact that Jesus was not a lēstēs. This is not to say that He was ever regarded as a “thief” or “robber”; rather, what is at stake for them is an understanding of lēstēs similar to Josephus’ and Rabbinic Judaism. Jesus was in no way a political zealot; those who crucified Him charged Him with that crime and executed Him as such. The denouncement of such a misconception of Jesus’ mission is lucid (e.g., Matthew 26:55; Mark 14:48; Luke 22:52; cf. Acts 5:36,37). The soldiers did not need swords to take Jesus as they would a violent insurrectionist. Elsewhere we are given clues that Jesus’ kingdom is neither earthly nor political. The hierarchy, however, accused Him of “subverting our nation” (Luke 23:2, NIV), “inciting...rebellion” (Luke 23:14, NIV). The description of Barabbas in John as a lēstēs is telling. Here we see evidence that Barabbas—described as “in prison with the insurrectionists” by Mark (15:7, NIV; Greek stasiastōn [see 4564B])—was actually a political prisoner, a Zealot-type bandit rather than a common thief (cf. Mark 15:7; John 18:40). Jesus himself rejected all such violent false messiahs (John 10:1). The people, however, chose such a one in the person of Barabbas instead of the true Messiah, Jesus. (Complete Biblical Library) Lestes - 15x in 15v - robber(5), robbers(6), robbers'(4). Matt. 21:13; Matt. 26:55; Matt. 27:38; Matt. 27:44; Mk. 11:17; Mk. 14:48; Mk. 15:27; Lk. 10:30; Lk. 10:36; Lk. 19:46; Lk. 22:52; Jn. 10:1; Jn. 10:8; Jn. 18:40; 2 Co. 11:26 = "dangers from robber"