What is the meaning of Matthew 21:13?

And He declared to them

• Jesus has just entered Jerusalem amid Hosanna shouts and gone straight to the temple courts (Matthew 21:1-12).

• His deliberate action—overturning tables and driving out merchants—reveals righteous zeal, not impulsive anger (cf. Mark 11:15-17).

• By “declaring,” He publicly confronts sin, showing His divine authority over the temple (John 2:14-16).

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It is written

• Jesus anchors His rebuke in Scripture, underscoring its final authority (Matthew 4:4; Psalm 119:89).

• Quoting the Word silences debate and reminds listeners that God’s standards never change (Isaiah 40:8).

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My house will be called a house of prayer

• Jesus cites Isaiah 56:7, where God welcomes “all nations” to pray in His house.

• The temple’s core purpose is communion with God—intercession, worship, repentance (1 Kings 8:27-30; Luke 18:1).

• By calling it “My house,” Jesus affirms His identity as Messiah and Son, the rightful Lord of the temple (Malachi 3:1).

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But you are making it a den of robbers

• Jesus blends Isaiah 56:7 with Jeremiah 7:11—“Has this house… become a den of robbers in your eyes?”

• The merchants and money-changers turned worship space into a profiteering hub, exploiting pilgrims through unfair exchange rates and inflated animal prices (Amos 8:4-6).

• A “den” is where thieves retreat to feel safe; Jesus exposes their hypocrisy—using religious cover to hide greed (1 Timothy 6:10; Matthew 23:14).

• His cleansing warns every generation that religiosity without righteousness invites judgment (Malachi 3:2-3; 1 Peter 4:17).

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summary

Matthew 21:13 shows Jesus asserting His lordship over worship, restoring the temple’s true purpose as a place of prayer for all people. By rooting His rebuke in Scripture, He upholds the unchanging authority of God’s Word and exposes the danger of turning holy spaces—or our own hearts—into shelters for sin. His call remains: honor God’s house, seek Him in sincere prayer, and guard against any practice that exploits or distracts from genuine worship.