Blog Post: Expelling Merchants from the Temple: No Room for "All Nations"

TL;DR:
Jesus' dramatic cleansing of the Temple wasn’t just about opposing corruption. It was a powerful act tied to His passion for world evangelism. Quoting Isaiah 56:7, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,” Jesus condemned the takeover of the Court of the Gentiles, which left non-Jews without a place to worship. By occupying that space, the merchants effectively posted a "No Room for Gentiles" sign. That was an exclusion that deeply grieved Jesus, especially just days before His crucifixion for all people. This oft-overlooked detail reveals that welcoming all and engaging in world missions was at the heart of Jesus' design for ministry by His people. This Bible passage should challenge the church today to be on the lookout for barriers that hinder people of “all nations” from coming to God.

World Missions: The Heart of God

• All four Gospels tell the story of Jesus expelling merchants and money changers from the Temple.
• The cleansing of the Temple shows how much world evangelism was on Jesus' mind in the days before His crucifixion.
• When we lightly pass over the last three words of Isaiah 56:7 — "for all nations" — we may miss a key reason Jesus was upset at the merchants and money changers.
• Thieves had "stolen" from the Gentiles their assigned place of worship in the Temple at Jerusalem.

Commentary on Mark 11 — How is Jesus driving the money changers out of the Temple in Jerusalem related to world evangelism?

"[Jesus] said to them, 'The Scriptures declare, "My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,"¹ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.'" — Mark 11:17

Rarely does this story (which is found in all four Gospels) lead to reflections about world evangelism. That is lamentable, given that Jesus quoted Isaiah 56:7 as the reason for His actions: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."

Discussions about the Temple cleansing seldom mention Isaiah's "for all nations" phrase. Only Mark includes the whole verse from Isaiah. Ignoring those three words ("for all nations") may obscure what really happened that day.

Corrupt commerce was certainly bad, but the core issue may have been that the Court of the Gentiles was overtaken, leaving no room for non-Jews to worship. The Temple had ceased to be "a house of prayer for all nations."

Matthew, Mark, and Luke place the Temple cleansing on Monday of Holy Week. By Friday, Jesus had died as a sacrifice "for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2). His concern for all peoples likely weighed heavily as Passover began — perhaps already forming the words: "Preach the gospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15), "be my witnesses ... to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

What thievery had the money changers committed?

Given what Jesus would face later that week, it's logical His heart was focused on "all nations." This made Him especially sensitive to the occupation of the Gentile area by money changers. While price-gouging and fraud desecrated the Temple, what likely enraged Jesus was that Gentiles were pushed out. The Temple could no longer serve as "a house of prayer for all nations."

Jesus’ life begins in Bethlehem with “no room in the inn.” Isn’t it ironic that at the end of His earthly life, He faced another "no room" sign?

This time, it was a “No Room for Gentiles” sign in the Temple. Shortly thereafter, Jesus was arrested and crucified — for those very Gentiles! No wonder His emotions boiled over. Shouldn't ours when barriers are placed in the way of "all nations" hearing the call to worship?

Reflection Questions

1. What is the significance of "for all nations" in Isaiah 56:7? Does Jesus’ reference reflect His passion for world evangelism?
2. Why are discussions about the Temple cleansing often missing the "for all nations" phrase? How central is it to the story?
3. What was the impact of the Court of the Gentiles being taken over? How does that relate to the Great Commission?
4. Does the “no room” sign at Jesus' death echo the one at His birth? What do these messages say to the cause of world evangelism?

¹ In the Bible, "nations" means people groups — societies sharing a language, culture, and geographic origin — not political states like China or the USA. "Nations" is synonymous with "peoples."

-- Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu

This blog post is part of the Engage magazine's "Heart of God" series on world missions.

Background: The Presence of Money Changers in the Temple

The money changers provided two services:

1. Temple Tax: Jewish males paid a half-shekel annually in sacred currency. Money changers exchanged Roman or local coins for this.
2. Animal Purchases: Many travelers bought sacrificial animals at the Temple instead of bringing them from home. Money changers were involved in these purchases.

Background: The Court of the Gentiles

This was the outermost Temple courtyard during the Second Temple era, open to Gentiles. Here's what we know:

1. The Court accommodated Gentiles who were not allowed in the inner courts.
2. It welcomed those drawn to Judaism who wished to pray to Israel's God.
3. It symbolized God’s openness to all peoples.
4. It was used for teaching — Jewish leaders often spoke with visiting Gentiles there.
5. It reflected the cultural diversity of First-Century Jerusalem.
6. It was large — about 35 acres, similar to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool (30 acres) or the Lincoln Park Zoo (33 acres).

Sadly, this space was overrun by commerce, leaving no room for "all nations."

Image source: https://www.etsy.com/listing/768991323/jewish-temple-the-soul-of-jerusalem

Noteworthy Quotes on the Relevance of Mark 11:17 to World Evangelism

• “Jesus’ cleansing of the temple was not merely an act of purification but a prophetic sign that the temple was to be a place for all nations. By quoting Isaiah 56:7, He emphasized that God's house was intended as a house of prayer for all peoples.” — Christopher J.H. Wright, The Mission of God, p. 526.
• “The phrase ‘house of prayer for all nations’ underscores the missionary dimension of Jesus’ ministry. His actions critique any exclusivism that hinders Gentile inclusion in worship.” — R.T. France, The Gospel of Mark, p. 446.
• “By declaring the temple a 'den of robbers,' Jesus condemned corruption that turned a place meant for all nations into a marketplace. It’s a call for the church to welcome all ethnicities.” — N.T. Wright, Mark for Everyone, p. 157.

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