Church Fathers Commentary Mark 11:15-18

"And they come to Jerusalem: and he entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and them that bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves; and he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the temple. And he taught, and said unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made it a den of robbers. And the chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, for all the multitude was astonished at his teaching." — Mark 11:15-18 (ASV)

The Venerable Bede: What the Lord had done figuratively when He cursed the barren fig tree, He now shows more openly by casting the wicked out of the temple. For the fig tree was not at fault for not having fruit before its season, but the priests were blameworthy, which is why it is said, And they come to Jerusalem; and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out those who sold and bought in the temple. It is probable, however, that He found them buying and selling things in the temple that were necessary for its ministry. If, then, the Lord forbids people from conducting worldly business in the temple—matters they could freely attend to anywhere else—how much more do those who carry on unlawful activities in the temple consecrated to Him deserve a greater measure of heaven's anger?

It goes on: and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers.

Theophylact of Ohrid: He calls them moneychangers, who exchanged a particular kind of money, as the word itself refers to a small brass coin.

The Venerable Bede: Because the Holy Spirit appeared over the Lord in the form of a dove, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are fittingly represented by the name "doves." Therefore, the Dove is sold when the laying on of hands, by which the Holy Spirit is received, is sold for a price. Again, He overturns the seats of those who sell doves because those who sell spiritual grace are deprived of their priesthood, either before men or in the eyes of God.

Theophylact of Ohrid: But if a person, by sinning, gives up the grace and purity of baptism to the devil, he has sold his Dove and for this reason is cast out of the temple.

There follows: And would not allow that anyone should carry any vessel through the temple.

The Venerable Bede: He is speaking of those vessels that were carried there for the purpose of commerce. But God forbid that this should be taken to mean that the Lord cast out of the temple, or forbade people to bring into it, the vessels consecrated to God. For here He shows a type of the judgment to come, as He thrusts the wicked away from the Church and, by His everlasting word, restrains them from ever again entering to trouble the Church.

Furthermore, sorrow sent into the heart from above removes the sins that were in the souls of the faithful, and divine grace assists them so that they never commit them again.

It goes on: And He taught, saying to them, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer.

Pseudo-Jerome: This is according to Isaiah 56:7. But you have made it a den of thieves, according to Jeremiah 7:11.

The Venerable Bede: He says, "to all nations," not to the Jewish nation alone, nor in the city of Jerusalem alone, but over the whole world. And He does not say a house of bulls, goats, and rams, but of prayer.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Furthermore, He calls the temple "a den of thieves" on account of the money being gained there, for thieves always band together for profit. Since they sold those animals offered in sacrifice for the sake of profit, He called them thieves.

The Venerable Bede: For they were in the temple for this purpose: either to persecute with physical punishment those who did not bring gifts, or to spiritually kill those who did. The mind and conscience of the faithful is also the temple and the house of God. But if it produces perverse thoughts to the harm of anyone, it may be said that thieves haunt it as a den.

Therefore, the mind of the faithful becomes a den of thieves when, leaving the simplicity of holiness, it plots what may harm others.

St. Augustine of Hippo: John, however, relates this in a very different order, which makes it clear that the Lord did this not just once, but twice. The first time was related by John, and the last by the other three. ¹

Theophylact of Ohrid: This also leads to the greater condemnation of the Jews, because even though the Lord did this multiple times, they still did not correct their conduct.

St. Augustine of Hippo: In this, Mark again does not keep the same order as Matthew. Matthew connects the facts with the sentence, And He left them, and went out of the city into Bethany (Matthew 21:17). According to his account, it was after returning from there in the morning that Christ cursed the tree. Therefore, it is more probable that Matthew has preserved the correct order of events regarding the ejection of the buyers and sellers from the temple. Mark, therefore, passed over what was done on the first day when Jesus entered the temple. Remembering it later, he inserted it after he had said that Jesus found nothing on the fig tree but leaves—an event that both he and Matthew testify occurred on the second day. ²

Glossa Ordinaria: But the Evangelist shows what effect the Lord's correction had on the ministers of the temple when he adds, and the Scribes and Chief Priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. This is according to the saying of Amos: They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly (Amos 5:10). From this wicked design, however, they were kept back for a time solely by fear.

This is why it is added, For they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His doctrine. For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes and Pharisees, as is said elsewhere.

1. de Con. Evan, ii, 67
2. de Con. Evan, ii, 68