Jesus driving out money changers.
Luke 19:46 ...It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Luke 19:46 “It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer’ but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’
It has been written: and this house will be my house of prayer. You yourselves, however, made it a den of thieves.
Here, Jesus is quoting the prophets (not "the law," Moses) Isa 56:7 ("house of prayer") and Jer 7:11 ("Den of robbers"). As is usual, Christ's Greek follows the Greek Septuagint.
The English translations vary a bit from the Greek. First, as usual, the "it is written" is the wrong tense. It should be "it has been written." And Jesus says "this house is my house of prayer" where the house of prayer is designated as God's house. They change this because they don't recognize how close the Greek definite article ('the") is to a demonstrative article ("this/that").
Everyone's house should be a house of prayer.
It is(WT) written, (OS) My house is(OS) the house of prayer: but ye (MW) have(WT) made it a den of thieves.
- WT -- Wrong Tense -- This verb is the past perfect tense, which requires a "has been" before the verb.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek missing word "and" after "written" is in the source we use today.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- This is the future tense in the source we use today but it was the present tense the source that the KJV translators used.
- MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "yourselves" after "you" for emphasis.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
“It is(WT) written, (MW) ‘My house will be a(WW) house of prayer’ but you (MW) have(WT) made it ‘a den of robbers.’
- WT -- Wrong Tense -- This verb is the past perfect tense, which requires a "has been" before the verb.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "and" after "written" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "a" should be something more like "the".
- MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "yourselves" after "you" for emphasis.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
It -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
missing "has" -- (WT) The helping verb, "has", is needed to show the past perfect tense of the verb.
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. It is the future tense, not present. However, it is part of a perfect past form, "has been".
written -- "Written" is a common phrase used by Jesus to refer to what was written in the Jewish holy books. It is in a form where the subject acts on itself, "It has written itself".
missing "and" -- (OS) The untranslated word "and" is used as the conjunction "and" but it also is used to add emphasis, "even", "also" and "just". It is in the source today, but not in the KJV Greek source.
my -- "My" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive form, so "my" or "of me".
house -- The Greek word translated as "house", is any dwelling place but not exclusively a separate house. It means the household or clan that lives in the building as well.
is -- (OS) This is the future tense in the source we use today but it was in the present tense in the source that the KJV translators used. The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. It is the future tense, not present.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the", which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those") than the English "the". See this article for more.
house -- The Greek word translated as "house", is any dwelling place but not exclusively a separate house. It means the household or clan that lives in the building as well.
of -- This word "of" comes from the possessive form (genitive case) of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
prayer -- The word translated as "prayer" means both the act of talking to the divine and the place for it as well.
but -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but", "however" and "on the other hand". Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
ye -- The pronoun "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It sometimes precedes a verbal adjective or infinitive where it is not part of the verb. It is plural.
missing "yourselves" ---- (MW) The pronoun is used here explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since this information is already in the verb, the sense is repetitive as we say "you yourselves".
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
made -- The Greek word translated as "have made" has the primary meaning of "making" or "producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do", which covers all actions, productive or not.
it -- The word translated as "it" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word means "the same" when used as an adjective.
a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
den -- The term translated as "den" means "cave" or "grotto".
of -- This word "of" comes from the possessive form (genitive case) of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
thieves -- The term translated as "of thieves" means "robber" or "pirate".
It -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
missing "has" -- (WT) The helping verb, "has", is needed to show the past perfect tense of the verb.
is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. It is the future tense, not present. However, it is part of a perfect past form, "has been".
written -- "Written" is a common phrase used by Jesus to refer to what was written in the Jewish holy books. It is in a form where the subject acts on itself, "It has written itself".
missing "and" -- (MW) The untranslated word "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis, "even", "also" and "just".
my -- "My" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek in the possessive form, so "my" or "of me".
house -- The Greek word translated as "house", is any dwelling place but not exclusively a separate house. It means the household or clan that lives in the building as well.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates the verb is in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
a-- (WW) The word translated as "a" is the Greek definite article, "the", which usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those") than the English "the". See this article for more. This word doesn't mean "a".
house -- The Greek word translated as "house", is any dwelling place but not exclusively a separate house. It means the household or clan that lives in the building as well.
of -- This word "of" comes from the possessive form (genitive case) of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
prayer -- The word translated as "prayer" means both the act of talking to the divine and the place for it as well.
but -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but", "however" and "on the other hand". Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
you -- The pronoun "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It is plural.
missing "yourselves" -- (MW) The pronoun is used here explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since this information is already in the verb, the sense is repetitive as we say "you yourselves".
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
made -- The Greek word translated as "have made" has the primary meaning of "making" or "producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do", which covers all actions, productive or not.
it -- The word translated as "it" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word means "the same" when used as an adjective.
a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
den -- The term translated as "den" means "cave" or "grotto".
of -- This word "of" comes from the possessive form (genitive case) of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
thieves -- The term translated as "of thieves" means "robber" or "pirate".
Γέγραπται ( verb 3rd sg perf ind mp) "It is written" is grapho which means "to mark", "to express by written characters", "to write a letter", "to write down" [a law], "to proscribe", "to ordain", "to write for oneself", "to enroll oneself", "to draw signs", "to describe a figure", "to brand" and "to indict".
“Καὶ (conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and" or "but". After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also". Also used to give emphasis, "even", "also" and "just".
ἔσται ( verb 3rd sg fut ind mid) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be", "to exist", "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen", and "is possible". (The future form is esomai. The 3rd person present indicative is "esti".)
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones".
οἶκός ( noun sg masc nom ) "House" is oikos, which means "house", "dwelling place", "room", "home", "meeting hall", "household goods", "substance" and "ruling family". It is any dwelling place but not exclusively a separate house.
μου (noun sg masc gen) "My" is emou, which means "me" and "mine".
οἶκος ( noun sg masc nom ) "House" is oikos, which means "house", "dwelling place", "room", "home", "meeting hall", "household goods", "substance" and "ruling family". It is any dwelling place but not exclusively a separate house.
προσευχῆς, (noun sg fem gen) "Prayer" is from proseuche, which means "prayer" and also "place of prayer", "sanctuary" and "chapel". Christ more commonly uses the verb form of the word, proseuchomai.
ὑμεῖς [92 verses](pron 2nd pl nom) "You" is hymeis, which is the plural nominative form of the second person, "you".
δὲ (conj/adv) "But" is de which means "but" and "on the other hand". It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be a weak connective ("and") and explanation of cause ("so").
αὐτὸν ( adj sg masc acc ) "It" is autos, which means "the same" and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself" or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her" and "it". It also means "one's true self", that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord". In the adverbial form, it means "just here" or "exactly there".
ἐποιήσατε ( verb 2nd pl aor ind act) "Have made" is poieo, which means "to make", "to produce", "to create", "to bring into existence", "to bring about", "to cause", "to perform", "to render", "to consider", "to prepare", "to make ready" and "to do".
“σπήλαιον (noun sg neut acc) "Den" is spelaion, which means "grotto", "cavern" and "cave". It is the source for our term for exploring caves, "spelunking". It also means "behind the scenes" in a theater and was slang for one's "private parts".
λῃστῶν.” ( noun pl masc gen) "Of thieves" is from lestes, which means "robber" or "pirate".
It is interesting how different all the three versions of this verse are in Matthew, Mark, Luke.
Why was money a bad thing in the temple.. The main currency of the time was the Tiberius denarius. The Tiberius silver denarius reads: "Ti[berivs] Caesar Divi Avg[vsti] F[ilivs] Avgvstvs" ("Caesar Augustus Tiberius, son of the Divine Augustus"). So the very title on the coin was blasphemous to the Judeans at the time. A point Jesus means later in the Gospel.