Adult Christian Life: 2nd Quarter 2014

By Dr. Jerry B. Madkins

Adult Christian Life contains Sunday school material for people ages 25 and older. The exposition of the Scripture, with life-centered insights, is preceded by an introduction to the lesson designed to help learners gain a greater understanding of the text under discussion relative to context, content, and meaning for life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Jan 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781589427877

Book preview

LESSON 1

Bible Study for Week of April 6, 2014

PRESERVING PLACES OF HERITAGE

Unifying Topic: Jesus Cleanses the Temple

ISAIAH 56:6-7; JEREMIAH 7:9-11; MARK 11:15-19

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: ISAIAH 56:6-8; JEREMIAH 7:8-15; MARK 11:15-19

The New National Baptist Hymnal, 21st Century Edition, #501 (NNBH #372); God’s Promises Bible, Isaiah 56:6-7; Jeremiah 7:9-11; Mark 11:15-19; Boyd’s Commentary for the Sunday School

Isaiah 56:6-7; Jeremiah 7:9-11; Mark 11:15-19

King James Version

ALSO the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

• • • Jeremiah 7:9-11 • • •

WILL ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?

11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version

AND the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant—

7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

• • • Jeremiah 7:9-11 • • •

WILL you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known,

10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are safe!—only to go on doing all these abominations?

11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your sight? You know, I too am watching, says the LORD.

MAIN THOUGHT: Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:11, KJV)

King James Version

• • • Mark 11:15-19 • • •

AND they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and over-threw the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

New Revised Standard Version

• • • Mark 11:15-19 • • •

THEN they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves;

16 and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.

17 He was teaching and saying, Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.

18 And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching.

19 And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

LESSON SETTING

For today’s lesson, it is important to understand that when the Gospel writers speak of the temple, they are referring to the entire temple complex, not just the temple itself. Entering the temple area, the worshiper first came into the court of the Gentiles. This large, open area was not considered holy by the Jews; the temple became increasingly holy as one entered farther in. Gentiles were permitted in the court of the Gentiles. It was here that today’s lesson is focused. In order to enter the area around the temple itself, worshipers mounted a set of stairs that took them twenty-two feet up to the temple platform. Only Jews were permitted to enter this area. A portion of this area was referred to as the women’s court because it was the place where women could bring their offerings. A large area around the temple, referred to as the court of Israel, was accessible only to Jewish males. Within the court of Israel was the court of the priests. It contained the altar of burnt offering and the laver. In the center of the court of the priests, raised twelve steps above the court of the priests, was the temple itself, accessible only by the priests. (For more information, see Merrill C. Tenney, ed. The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979], 835.)

EXPOSITION

Thomas Jefferson is reported to have said, "When angry, count ten before 9 you speak; if very angry, a hundred! The New Testament certainly counsels us not to lash out in anger. Our anger, the author James observes, worketh not the righteousness of God" (1:20, KJV). But is all anger sinful? In Mark’s account of Jesus’ cleansing of the temple, we see Jesus’ anger. He was angry about the commercial operations being conducted in His Father’s house. He dealt with the situation by confronting the moneychangers and running them out of the temple. Today’s lesson is focused on two important Old Testament events before turning to Mark’s account of the cleansing of the temple.

FOREIGNERS

(Hebrew: BENE HANNEKHAR)

(Isaiah 56:6)

This phrase literally means the sons of the stranger. It refers to those who were not a part of God’s covenant people, and it reminds us of the universal intent of God’s salvation.

I. A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL PEOPLE (Isaiah 56:6-7)

Through the prophet Isaiah, God declares to Israel that His house shall be called an house of prayer for all people (Isa. 56:7, KJV). Isaiah is reminding Israel of God’s inclusive love for all people. He loves the outcast and oppressed of every nation, not just Israel. When the oppressed come to Him, they come into His care, and He will hear their petitions and prayers for His intervention (see Isa. 56:3-5). He is a divine Warrior; He is a Champion of the oppressed, and He protects them with His love. God desires that His temple be a place where all people of the world can find solace and refuge no matter their ethnic