Lost in Translation The Jerusalem Temple as a Den of Ravenous Wild Beasts!
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of 'Lost in Translation', the host explores the misinterpretation of biblical texts, focusing on Jesus's cleansing of the temple and the phrase 'den of thieves'. The discussion delves into the original Greek and Hebrew meanings, arguing that the temple was likened to a 'den of violent ones' rather than thieves, reflecting Jesus's opposition to the sacrificial system. The video challenges traditional views, suggesting that both Jesus and the prophet Jeremiah intended the temple as a 'house of prayer for all nations', not a place of bloodshed.
Takeaways
- 📜 The speaker is discussing mistranslations in the English Bible, focusing on a specific verse from the Gospel of Mark where Jesus quotes Jeremiah.
- 🕊 The phrase 'den of thieves' is a mistranslation and has led to misunderstandings about the original intent of the temple.
- 🦅 The Greek word 'spalon' and the Hebrew word 'lez' are more accurately translated as 'cave' or 'den' and 'violent ones' rather than 'robbers'.
- 🐑 Jesus' criticism of the temple as a 'den of thieves' is interpreted as a reference to the sacrificial system, which he opposed.
- 🗡 The term 'Leas' in Greek and 'Paritz' in Hebrew are associated with violence and rebellion, not merely theft.
- 🌍 Jesus is believed to have intended for the temple to be a 'house of prayer for all nations' rather than a place of animal sacrifice.
- 📖 The speaker suggests that interpolations by Priestly scribes have altered the original messages of texts, particularly regarding sacrifices.
- 🔍 The analysis of Jeremiah 7 and Isaiah 56 reveals a potential discrepancy between the original messages and the added emphasis on sacrifices.
- 🦇 The term 'den of thieves' is revisited to argue that it refers to the temple being turned into a place of violence, akin to a lair of wild animals.
- 🕋 The speaker points out that the original purpose of the temple, as expressed in Solomon's prayer, was for prayer and drawing near to God, not for sacrifices.
- 📝 The video concludes by highlighting the importance of understanding the original context and intent of biblical texts, especially in light of potential mistranslations and interpolations.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the 'Lost in Translation' miniseries?
-The main theme of the 'Lost in Translation' miniseries is to clarify the mistranslations and misinterpretations of texts from the English Bible, focusing on verses that have been commonly misunderstood due to translation issues.
Why does the speaker believe the phrase 'den of thieves' is a mistranslation?
-The speaker believes 'den of thieves' is a mistranslation because the original Greek word 'spalon' means 'cave' and 'leas' refers to 'violent ones', not thieves, indicating a place of violence rather than theft.
What does the speaker suggest as a more accurate translation for 'den of thieves'?
-The speaker suggests that a more accurate translation would be 'a cave of violent ones' or 'a lair of wild animals that rip apart their prey', emphasizing the violent nature of the actions taking place in the temple.
What biblical figures does the speaker discuss in relation to the temple's true purpose?
-The speaker discusses Jesus and the prophet Jeremiah in relation to the temple's true purpose, highlighting how both figures criticized the sacrificial system and its transformation of the temple into a place of violence.
According to the speaker, what was the original intent for the temple as described in the scriptures?
-According to the speaker, the original intent for the temple was to be a 'house of prayer for all nations', not a place of sacrifice or violence.
What does the speaker argue about the historical accuracy of sacrifices in the Torah?
-The speaker argues that the historical accuracy of sacrifices in the Torah is questionable, suggesting that Priestly writers may have interpolated passages to include sacrifices that were not originally intended or commanded.
What is the significance of the word 'parat' in the Hebrew context of the temple?
-The word 'parat' in Hebrew means to break apart, shatter, or shred, and its use in the context of the temple signifies the violent act of animal sacrifices, which the speaker suggests was not the original purpose of the temple.
How does the speaker interpret Jesus' actions in the temple as described in Mark 11:15-19?
-The speaker interprets Jesus' actions as a symbolic act against the sacrificial system, suggesting that Jesus was blocking the entrance to the temple to protest its transformation into a place of violence and commerce, rather than prayer.
What does the speaker believe about the role of scribes in the biblical texts?
-The speaker believes that scribes, particularly those who were part of the Priestly class, may have altered or added to the biblical texts to support their interests in maintaining the sacrificial system and the temple as a place of commerce.
What is the speaker's view on the relationship between the temple's purpose and the concept of justice and righteousness?
-The speaker's view is that the true purpose of the temple is closely tied to the practice of justice and righteousness, with the temple being a place where people can turn to God in prayer and seek forgiveness, rather than relying on sacrificial rituals.
How does the speaker connect the ideas presented in the script to the broader themes of the Bible?
-The speaker connects the ideas by drawing parallels between the criticisms of the sacrificial system by Jesus and Jeremiah, the prophetic vision of a future where sacrifices are not necessary, and the emphasis on prayer and righteousness as the core of religious practice.
Outlines
📜 Lost in Translation: Jesus and the Temple's True Purpose
The script discusses the common misinterpretation of biblical texts, focusing on Jesus' actions in the Gospel of Mark, where he quotes from Jeremiah. The speaker aims to clarify the true meaning of the phrase 'den of thieves,' which has been mistranslated and leads to misunderstandings. The video explores the historical and cultural context of Jesus' cleansing of the temple, arguing that the original intent of the temple was as a 'house of prayer for all nations,' not a place for animal sacrifices, which Jesus and Jeremiah opposed.
📖 Mistranslation of 'Den of Thieves': The Violent Ones
This paragraph delves into the linguistic nuances of the Greek and Hebrew words behind the English translation 'den of thieves.' The speaker argues that the Greek 'spalon lees' and the Hebrew equivalent actually refer to a 'cave of violent ones,' not thieves. The discussion highlights how the mistranslation has led to a distorted view of Jesus' critique of the temple's sacrificial system, which he likened to a lair of wild animals due to the violence associated with animal sacrifices.
🦁 The Prophetic Call for a Return to the Temple's Original Intent
The speaker examines the words of Jeremiah, who also objected to the sacrificial practices in the temple, viewing them as a departure from the temple's intended purpose. The paragraph explores the original commandments given to the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt, which did not include animal sacrifices. It suggests that the emphasis on sacrifices in the temple's narrative may be due to later interpolations by priestly writers who had vested interests in maintaining the sacrificial system.
🌏 The Ideal of a Global House of Prayer: Challenging Sacrificial Practices
The script presents the ideal vision of the temple as a 'house of prayer for all nations,' as opposed to a place of animal slaughter. It discusses the prophetic call for justice, righteousness, and prayer, as opposed to the sacrificial practices that Jesus and the prophets critiqued. The speaker suggests that passages in the Torah may have been altered to include sacrifices, which were not part of the original commandments, and that this has led to a misunderstanding of the temple's purpose.
🔍 Unraveling Biblical Interpolations and the Temple's True Message
The final paragraph addresses the issue of biblical interpolations, where later scribes may have added or altered texts to fit their theological or practical agendas. The speaker points out inconsistencies in the narrative regarding the temple's purpose, suggesting that the original message was about prayer and meeting with God, not about sacrifices. The video concludes with a promise of a future series exploring these interpolations in more detail and their impact on the interpretation of the temple's role.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Lost in Translation
💡Misinterpretation
💡Temple
💡Den of Thieves
💡Jeremiah
💡Sacrifice
💡House of Prayer
💡Violent Ones
💡Cave of Violent Ones
💡Interpolation
💡Priestly Writers
Highlights
The speaker is addressing common mistranslations and misunderstandings in biblical texts, focusing on the phrase 'den of thieves'.
The phrase 'den of thieves' has been mistranslated, leading to a misunderstanding of its original context and meaning.
Jesus' actions in the temple, as described in Mark 11:15-19, are examined for their true meaning and implications.
The Greek word 'spalon' is correctly translated as 'cave' or 'den', not necessarily implying theft.
The term 'leaste' in Greek and 'paratz' in Hebrew refer to 'violent ones' rather than 'robbers', indicating a different interpretation of the temple's misuse.
Jesus is likened to blocking the main entrance of the temple, symbolizing a challenge to the sacrificial system.
Jesus' reference to 'my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations' is contrasted with the actual state of the temple as a 'den of robbers'.
The original intent of the temple was to be a place of prayer, not a place of sacrifice or violence.
The speaker suggests that the sacrificial system in the temple was not originally intended by God, as per the teachings of Jesus and the prophets.
Jeremiah's criticism of the temple as a 'den of robbers' is explained to mean a place of violence and not theft.
The speaker argues that the term 'den of thieves' has been misinterpreted due to translation errors from Greek and Hebrew.
The concept of the temple as a 'house of prayer for all nations' is contrasted with the actual state of violence and sacrifice.
The speaker discusses the possibility of interpolations in the biblical texts, particularly regarding the inclusion of sacrifices.
The ideal future envisioned by the prophets, including Isaiah 11, is one where the temple is a place of peace and prayer, not violence.
The speaker concludes that Jesus' and Jeremiah's criticism of the temple aligns with a vision of it as a peaceful place of prayer for all people.
The talk suggests a reevaluation of the traditional understanding of the temple's purpose and the role of sacrifices in biblical narratives.
The speaker will continue to explore biblical texts and their interpretations in future episodes, focusing on potential interpolations and their impact.
Transcripts
hello everyone welcome to another
episode in this little miniseries that
I'm doing called Lost in
Translation I'm taking texts of the
English Bible that have been often
mistranslated and therefore
misinterpreted misunderstood misapplied
and trying to straighten that out a
little bit in terms of what various
texts and verses might have really meant
so today I have a very interesting
example for you in fact you could call
it a double
example it goes back to Jesus in The
Gospel of Mark but he's quoting a
scripture from
Jeremiah and the quotation of Jesus as
well as the quotation of Jeremiah are
both Lost in Translation so there's sort
of a double impact to misunderstanding
this verse and it has led to all kinds
of misleading
conclusions because of the
mistranslation so I'm going to share my
screen so here you see the title Lost in
Translation why did Jesus call the
temple a den of Thieves because of that
translation the phrase den of Thieves
has actually become almost a proverb in
our English language we refer today to a
group of people that are very corrupt as
a den of Thieves so let's take a look
Mark 11:1 15 the setting here if you
don't remember Mark too well is the last
week of Jesus Jesus has come to
Jerusalem he's going to be crucified
this very week by the Romans and where
we're picking this up in verse 15 it's
actually the second day the day before
Jesus had come into Jerusalem that's
when he rides the Donkey down the Mount
of Olives and enters the temple and it
says that he looked around and he stayed
until Nightfall and because it's late in
the day he went back to Bethany which is
on the other side of the Mount of Alives
where he's staying with his disciples so
we pick it up here in verse 15 and they
came to Jerusalem so this is the next
morning second day he enters the temple
this is the herodian Temple of Jerusalem
you can see my series on YouTube on
Jesus archaeology and I have videos and
slides and pictures of the temple and
where all of this took place and he
began to drive out those who sold and
those who bought in the temple and he
overturn the tables of the money
changers and the seats of those who sold
pigeons some of the animals that are
represented but notice this and he would
not allow anyone to carry anything
through the Temple so as I pointed out
in my series on Jesus archaeology we
know the entrance that he went into the
H the gates up into the area where the
money changers and the animals were
being kept before they were taken into
the temple to the place of
sacrifice and so Jesus has actually
blocked the doors of the main entrance
into the temple on the south and then we
read and he taught them and said to them
is it not written now that refers back
to Something in the Hebrew Bible or the
Old Testament the scriptures for Jesus
Jesus is Jewish and when you say the
holy scriptures in this time it means
the tanak the Torah the prophets and the
writings which is made clear various
places in the New Testament so he's
actually referring here to two
quotations one's from Isaiah 56 and the
other is from Jeremiah 7 and the phrase
we're going to drill in on and take a
look at is from Jeremiah 7 so is it not
written question mark my house shall be
called a house of prayer for all nations
in other words that's what it's supposed
to be but you have made it a den of
robbers so there's our phrase you've
made it a den of
robbers now is that the right
translation if you look at the Greek I
wrote wrote the Greek out for those of
you who work on Greek and then I
transliterated it into English sounds so
what we have here in Greek is spalon
Lees literally a cave of violent ones so
the first word spalon we know from
spelunking you know to be a cave
Explorer it's just the word cave a
cavern a den maybe a lair if you're
talking about an animal
and a Le tase is really badly translated
as a robber because you think of a cave
of robbers that is somebody stealing and
robbing and then meeting in a cave to
divide up the loot that's not the image
here actually the word leas in Greek and
we're going to go to Jeremiah because
he's quoting Jeremiah and it's even more
clear in Hebrew least means violent ones
for example in Mark 15 just a few
chapters later among the rebels in the
Insurrection who had committed murder
there was a man named barabus so
remember this exchange that ponches
pilate the Roman Governor offered the
crowd that wanted to kill Jesus what
about releasing barabus the murderer and
here you have the word rebel which is
one translation of lace taste but it
means Rebel in the sense of a brigon
somebody that's going to jump you on the
road and basically slit your throat to
commit
murder uh Josephus uses it for the
Sakari you know the dagger men that are
essentially gangs that attack people so
I would translate it a cave of violent
ones and as we're going to see from the
Hebrew it's very clear now when Jesus is
crucified mark 15: 27 notice this and
with him they crucified two thieves it's
the same word L tast well we see here
the violent ones two violent ones is the
idea not a couple people that had stolen
something but it's referring back to
this Insurrection we don't know the
history of the Insurrection but the idea
would be somebody tried to rebel against
Roman Authority or Jewish Authority
perhaps even in the temple and had
committed murder and so they're actually
called Le so two thieves meaning violent
ones dagger men
basically so a cave or a den of violet
ones essentially refers to making the
temple like a lair of wild animals that
rip apart their prey Jesus is referring
to the sacrificial system he's opposed
to it he doesn't think it was ever given
by God now I know that's going to shock
people and as he says here the original
intent for the temple was to be a house
of prayer for all the nations of the
world not a place of sacrifice or
ripping or shredding apart animals but
you've made it a den of wild animals
that rip apart beasts so the priests are
being likened to wild beasts can you
imagine the blood and all of the intrs
and all of the awful that takes place in
a temple where there are hundreds and
hundreds of sacrifices taking place it
would be an unbelievable slaughterous it
would be very much like our slaughter
houses today where you have this Mass
killing of these animals whether it's
bulls or cows or sheep or goats
or whatever it is they're being
slaughtered and the meat cut up and the
blood and the anils disposed of another
use of the word you see also in these
same chapters Mark
14:48 Jesus says when he's arrested in
the Garden of Gethsemane have you come
out against a lace tase in other words
do you think I'm a violent brigan that
I've got a band with swords and
therefore you brought swords and clubs
to beat us down and you can see how he's
using that same term lace taste it's
consistent I think now let's go to
Jeremiah and look at the source of the
quotation and it really becomes clear
that this is the meaning of the original
phrase and also Jesus's intent
reflecting Jeremiah by quoting
Jeremiah so what does Jeremiah say he
goes up to the temp temp Le in his own
time and this is before the destruction
of the temple by the Babylonians this
would be Solomon's Temple in the 6th
Century
BC and he says objecting also to the
sacrifices has this house which is
called by my name become a den of
robbers in your eyes okay that's how
it's translated in English and that's
why it gets translated like this in the
New Testament in English but what is the
Hebrew it doesn't mean that at all it's
not talking about thieves or robbers
it's very similar to the Greek Lees it's
a term of violence first of all the word
cave is very simple in Hebrew it's May
and the second word is
parit parit from the word paratz what
does paratz mean to break apart to
shatter to shred to utterly Crush
something if I were going to translate
this into English I think what I would
do is say how's this house which is
called by my name become a laay of
ravenous beast in your eyes there's are
you ripping apart animals the way
ravenous beasts do here's an example of
the verb parat being used precisely in
that way Isaiah
359 and it's talking about the future
the way leading up to Jerusalem no lion
will be there nor any ravenous Beast
that word ravenous there is the verb
parat a ripping shredding Beast so
turning the temple from a House of
Prayer in the previous episode I talked
about Jesus giving the parable in Luke
18 of the two man who went up to the
temple to pray not to sacrifice and this
one went up Justified from his sins the
one who repented of his sins remember he
didn't offer any sacrifices so I believe
that Jesus is against these sacrifices
and the way they're being carried out
and does not believe they were ever
intended now I know many would question
that but you need to read further in
Jeremiah as he explains what he actually
means let's look at chapter 7 same
chapter verse 21 thus says the Lord of
hosts the god of Israel and this is
sarcastic add your burnt offerings to
your sacrifices and eat the flesh other
words go ahead and Slaughter these
animals cut them up spill the
blood for in the day that I brought you
out of the land of Egypt when I first
set you up as a nation I did not speak
to your fathers or command them
concerning burnt offerings and
sacrifices now if you immediately read
that and say now wait a minute I can go
back to the Book of Exodus and there's
all kinds of
sacrifices these are Priestly writers
that are pro- sacrifice and want the
temple to become a place of
sacrifice and want to charge for the
animals and want to turn it into a place
of commers and they have added these
accounts to the Torah Jeremiah goes on
to say in the next chapter that the
false pin of the scribes has made the
Torah a lie and he's referring
specifically to this violence that's
being done in the
temple so what did he tell them in the
day that he led them out of Egypt he
didn't want these burnt offerings and
sacrifices they're the ones that began
to do that with the golden calf offering
sacrif Rices like the Pagan Nations but
this command I gave them obey my voice
and I will be your God and you will be
my people and walk in all the way that I
command you that it may be well with you
now this idea that sacrifices were not
originally intended or even commanded
when God LED Israel out of Egypt is also
found in the Book of Amos read this
chapter in context and he's saying what
do you mean bringing me all these
sacrifices and he goes on to say but let
Justice roll down like Waters in
righteousness like an everflowinglife
that Jeremiah is saying that this was
not the original intent looking to the
Future according to the prophets and
this is Isaiah 11 which is about the
Messiah coming okay Christians believe
Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus's
followers believed he was the Messiah so
you can see how this would fit these
texts all go together and what does it
say at the very end it talks about the
bear and the lion and the Wolf and and
the lamb and poisonous animals and a
little child will lead them and it
concludes by saying they will not hurt
or destroy and the word destroy there is
shet which means to slaughter that's
what you do and this is talking about
the Holy Mountain of God and all my Holy
Mountain for the Earth will be full of
the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea so this is the ideal the
ideal is that people obey God that
people practice Justice and
righteousness and if they do sin and if
they do fail that they go to God it
becomes a house of prayer for All
Peoples and God hears the prayers of
people from the temple so the original
idea is that it didn't have anything to
do with sacrifices now this is a big
subject I
realize was Jesus supposed to sacrifices
were the prophets opposed to sacrifices
and do the Priestly writers of the Torah
interpolate passages into the Torah that
put the sacrifices in the narrative when
they weren't originally there well what
we find here at least in the mouth of
Jesus is that this is a house of prayer
for all people but you have made it a
den of robbers now if we go back to the
quotation is it not written my house
shall be called a house of prayer for
all nations and if I'm right that he's
objecting to the sacrifice and the
slaughter you made it a lair of wild
shredding
beasts then let's look at the quotation
this is from Isaiah 56 now notice this
this is
amazing I talked about the scribes the
Priestly writers adding things let's
just read Isaiah 56 where we get the
quotation just bear with me here I want
to show you something this is how
interpolations were in Isaiah 56 an open
invitation is given to foreigners House
of Prayer for all nations foreigners who
aren't Jewish who aren't Israelites who
join themselves to the lord they're
known as God fears they minister to God
they love the name of the Lord they love
God with all their heart they keep keep
the Sabbath day one of the Ten
Commandments and they don't profane it
they hold fast to the Covenant the 10
words are called the words of the
Covenant these I will bring to my Holy
Mountain now remember the Holy Mountain
is where there's no Slaughter right you
see that in Isaiah 11 and now we're in
Isaiah
56 now look at this part that's crossed
out we'll skip that for a minute and
make them joyful in my House of Prayer
for my house shall be called a house of
prayer for All
Peoples now look I've crossed out some
words here I believe that Priestly
scribes copying Isaiah added this
because they're very worried that if
there's going to be no Slaughter and
it's a house of prayer for all
people what are we going to do because
our whole business and industry and the
whole point of the Temple
is a place of animal sacrifice but we
just read in Jeremiah that that was
never intended right that animal
sacrifices were not
ideal and here Jesus is putting together
these two concepts Jeremiah 7 going back
to Jeremiah saying I never commanded you
concerning these things so why are you
doing
them and House of Prayer for all nations
you can tell when you read verse 7 that
nothing is missing these I will bring to
my Holy Mountain and make them joyful in
my house of prayer for my house shall be
called a house of prayer for All Peoples
thus says the Lord who gathers the
outcasts of Israel I will gather yet
others to him besides those already
gathered so you're talking about the in
gathering of the Exiles this is
something the prophets address often
when Israel is gathered back to the land
but foreigners or the nations are also
coming up to Jerusalem to learn the way
of God but they're not coming up with
burnt offerings and sacrifices but
they're coming up because it's a House
of Prayer now for all nations that's the
ideal and I believe it's very clear that
a Priestly scribal
interpolator has gotten worried that
sacrifices are not mentioned and you
read the rest of the chapter there's
nothing about
sacrifices so I think that translation
den of Thieves and also two thieves
crucified next to Jesus like we're
talking about people who are robbing
somebody the Romans don't crucify people
for stealing okay crucifixion is
reserved for brigin and Rebels and
insurrectionists and in fact Jesus was
crucified as an
insurrectionist even though the
witnesses against him were false
witnesses that he was going to destroy
the temple what he's doing here at least
according to the gospel of Mark is
exactly the same thing that Jeremiah
tried to do he reminds them that the
original purpose of the temple in the
Tabernacle it was called a tent of
meeting was to meet God not to slaughter
animals but to pray to God to turn to
God and I'll just add this you can look
this up on your own but if you go back
to the dedication of Solomon's
Temple it's in First Kings chapter 6 and
read Solomon's Prayer just the
prayer around it is all the sacrifices
which I think the Priestly writers added
but the prayer itself is most
interesting because Solomon never even
mentions sacrifice and he constantly
talks about prayer and this will be a
place of prayer and a place to draw near
to God and he says things like even the
heaven can't contain you you know so
what is this house that we've built for
you it's a place of prayer it's an
orientation in other words to pray
towards the Creator God and he even
mentions foreigners coming non-jews
coming from all over the world and
coming to the temple and praying nothing
about
sacrifices but after the prayer just
read the prayer you'll see that the
Priestly writers have given a whole
Narrative of the thousands and thousands
of offerings and sacrifices that were
made in the temple as if that was its
purpose so it's pretty obvious when you
study some of these texts that the
Hebrew Bible has various voices
competing voices in terms of the temple
and its purpose and what it's for
and the cult of the priests is very very
interested in
sacrifices and I'm convinced that Jesus
refers to them as did Jeremiah as a den
of wild shredding beasts and is critical
of that and wants the temple to become a
house of prayer for all nations so take
care everyone and in the future I'm
going to do another series different
from this one but related as you saw
today to some of these obvious
interpolations that have been added to
the text where you can be reading along
and there's a central idea and then the
interpolator butts into the text and
adds a point they want to make that has
nothing to do with the context and
that's very clear in Isaiah 56 that's
the false pen of the scribes that's made
the text a lie according to Jeremiah see
you next time
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