Sacred Spaces, Sacred Purpose - Luke 19:45-48

Friday, 22 November - 33rd week in Ordinary Time (Year B)

From the Gospel according to Luke

Jesus went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture,’ he said ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’
He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

The account of Jesus cleansing the Temple in Luke 19:45-48 is situated during His final week in Jerusalem, immediately following the triumphant entry into the city. This dramatic event appears in all four Gospels (Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-22), though John's Gospel uniquely places it earlier in Jesus' ministry. Luke's rendering stands out for several distinctive features. It presents the most concise version among the Synoptic Gospels while emphasizing Jesus' daily teaching activities in the Temple. Luke also refers to the "leading citizens" joining the opposition against Jesus, a detail absent in other accounts. Furthermore, Luke uniquely highlights the people's deep connection to Jesus' teaching, noting how they "hung on his words."