καὶ ἐδίδασκε λέγων αὐτοῖς· Οὐ γέγραπται ὅτι ὁ οἶκός μου οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν; ὑμεῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ἐποιήσατε σπήλαιον λῃστῶν
Mark 11:17 records Jesus’ authoritative teaching during his cleansing of the temple. Quoting Scripture, he declares the true purpose of the temple and exposes the corruption that had distorted it. The Greek construction carries urgency, rebuke, and a call back to God’s design for worship.
Grammatical Foundations
καὶ ἐδίδασκε λέγων αὐτοῖς—“And he was teaching, saying to them.”
- ἐδίδασκε—imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular from διδάσκω, indicating ongoing action: “he was teaching.”
- λέγων—present active participle, nominative masculine singular, explaining the content of his teaching: “saying.”
Οὐ γέγραπται—“Is it not written?”
- γέγραπται—perfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular from γράφω, meaning “it has been written” (and still stands written). This introduces a scriptural citation with enduring authority.
ὅτι ὁ οἶκός μου οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν—“that my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
- ὅτι introduces the quotation content.
- ὁ οἶκός μου—”my house,” referring to the temple.
- οἶκος προσευχῆς—”house of prayer,” defining its purpose.
- κληθήσεται—future passive indicative, 3rd person singular from καλέω, “shall be called,” emphasizing God’s designation.
- πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν—dative plural, “for all the nations,” highlighting the temple’s intended openness and universality.
ὑμεῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ἐποιήσατε σπήλαιον λῃστῶν—”But you have made it a den of robbers.”
- ὑμεῖς—emphatic “you,” setting sharp contrast to God’s intent.
- ἐποιήσατε—aorist active indicative, 2nd person plural from ποιέω, “you made.”
- σπήλαιον λῃστῶν—”den of robbers,” a metaphor for a place of criminal activity, drawing from Jeremiah 7:11.
Exegetical and Theological Implications
Jesus contrasts God’s original purpose for the temple with the human corruption that had overtaken it. The temple was to be a house of prayer for all peoples, but the leaders and merchants had turned it into a place of exploitation. The future passive κληθήσεται stresses that this divine purpose was unchanging—even if human actions violated it.
The combination of Old Testament quotations (Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11) connects worship, justice, and inclusivity. True worship demands integrity. Jesus’ rebuke is not merely about economic practices but about the very heart of covenant fidelity.
Linguistic and Historical Perspectives
σπήλαιον λῃστῶν evokes images of criminal hideouts—places of refuge for those who had committed violence. By using this phrase, Jesus accuses the temple authorities of harboring injustice under the guise of religious observance.
πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν is a radical phrase in the first-century Jewish context, reminding that the temple’s mission was never solely ethnic but was intended to be a house of prayer open to all nations. This aligns with broader Lukan and Markan themes about the universal scope of the gospel.
Table: Verbal and Structural Features in Mark 11:17
| Text | Greek Verb / Phrase | Form | Function / Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark 11:17 | ἐδίδασκε λέγων | Imperfect indicative + present participle | “He was teaching, saying”; frames Jesus’ authoritative speech |
| Mark 11:17 | γέγραπται | Perfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular | “It is written”; appeals to the enduring authority of Scripture |
| Mark 11:17 | κληθήσεται | Future passive indicative, 3rd person singular | “Shall be called”; prophecy of divine designation |
| Mark 11:17 | ἐποιήσατε | Aorist active indicative, 2nd person plural | “You made”; sharp accusation against the hearers’ corruption |
The Verse as a Paradigm of Koine Greek Richness
Mark 11:17 displays the power of Koine Greek to blend prophetic rebuke, theological depth, and social critique. With a few carefully chosen verbs and powerful contrasts, Jesus confronts religious hypocrisy and calls God’s people back to authentic, inclusive worship rooted in justice and truth.
