And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'" (Mark 11:17)
Jesus quoted 56:7, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The temple is a house of prayer for all nations. The core here is a house of prayer.
The most important function of temple, of course, is offering a sacrifice. It might be prayed at a certain part of temple as Jews recite the Psalm or pray at the Wall of Mourning. A sacrifice and a prayer can be distinguished strictly but it is not necessary here to do that for both are related to God. When we see the original contents from Isaiah, the above quoted sentence is followed after “Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar.” It is very clear that both are used as the same meaning.
The reason of today we go to church also worship and prayer. It is our religious activities to pour out all our spiritual concern to God. What does it point out practically? Firstly, it may remove all our desires of mundane world. As we fall into reading interesting books, only the Trinity God occupies our spiritual world.
It is not a simple thing like that. The reason is that his revelation, being method of God penetrates our life. It means there are many cases we are not able to distinguish what is a secular desire for ourselves and what is our concern toward God. The most important criterion is life; precisely speaking it is the mystery of life. If our soul is captured by the mystery of life that is fulfilled by God we are a true prayer to God and God worshippers.
Jesus quoted 56:7, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The temple is a house of prayer for all nations. The core here is a house of prayer.
The most important function of temple, of course, is offering a sacrifice. It might be prayed at a certain part of temple as Jews recite the Psalm or pray at the Wall of Mourning. A sacrifice and a prayer can be distinguished strictly but it is not necessary here to do that for both are related to God. When we see the original contents from Isaiah, the above quoted sentence is followed after “Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar.” It is very clear that both are used as the same meaning.
The reason of today we go to church also worship and prayer. It is our religious activities to pour out all our spiritual concern to God. What does it point out practically? Firstly, it may remove all our desires of mundane world. As we fall into reading interesting books, only the Trinity God occupies our spiritual world.
It is not a simple thing like that. The reason is that his revelation, being method of God penetrates our life. It means there are many cases we are not able to distinguish what is a secular desire for ourselves and what is our concern toward God. The most important criterion is life; precisely speaking it is the mystery of life. If our soul is captured by the mystery of life that is fulfilled by God we are a true prayer to God and God worshippers.
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