Any vessel - Any vessel used in cooking, or connected with the sale of their articles of merchandise.

Should carry any vessel - Among the Jews the word כלי keli, vessel, had a vast latitude of meaning; it signified arms, Jeremiah 21:4; Ezekiel 9:1; clothes, Deuteronomy 22:5, and instruments of music, Psalm 71:22. It is likely that the evangelist uses the Greek word σκευος in the same sense, and by it points out any of the things which were bought and sold in the temple.

And would not suffer that any man,.... He was more strict and severe than the day before; and gave orders, that they should be so far from being allowed to sit and trade in that sacred place, that no man

should carry any vessel through the temple; should make a, thoroughfare of it, by carrying through to any other place, any vessel that was for common use, or any sort of burden whatever: and this they could not well find fault with, nor complain of, since it was agreeable to one of their own canons; for they say (h),

"a man may not go into the mountain of the house, with his staff (in his hands); nor with shoes (on his feet); nor with his girdle, and his money in it; nor with a bag thrown over his shoulders; nor with dust upon his feet; nor might he make it, "a thoroughfare", and much less spit in it.''

(h) Misn. Beracot, c. 9. sect. 5. Vid. T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 62. 2. & Yebamot, fol. 6. 2. & Midrash Kohelet, fol. 70. 3. & Maimon. Hilch. Beth Habbechira, c. 7. sect. 1, 2, 3.

Vessel (σκεῦος)

See on Matthew 12:29; and Mark 3:27.

Temple (ἱροῦ)

See on Matthew 4:5. The temple enclosure, not the ναός, or sanctuary. People would be tempted to carry vessels, etc., through this, in order to save a long circuit. The court of the Gentiles, moreover, was not regarded by the Jews as entitled to the respect due to the other part of the enclosure. This our Lord rebukes.

And would not suffer that any man should carry any {c} vessel through the temple.

(c) That is, any profane instrument (of which those men had many) that made the court of the temple a marketplace.

11:15-19 Jesus went into the temple. For notes on this cleansing of the temple see Mt 21:12-13. Compare Lu 19:45-48.

11:16 He suffered not that any should carry a vessel through the temple - So strong notions had our Lord, of even relative holiness! And of the regard due to those places (as well as times) that are peculiarly dedicated to God.

11:12-18 Christ looked to find some fruit, for the time of gathering figs, though it was near, was not yet come; but he found none. He made this fig-tree an example, not to the trees, but to the men of that generation. It was a figure of the doom upon the Jewish church, to which he came seeking fruit, but found none. Christ went to the temple, and began to reform the abuses in its courts, to show that when the Redeemer came to Zion, it was to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. The scribes and the chief priests sought, not how they might make their peace with him, but how they might destroy him. A desperate attempt, which they could not but fear was fighting against God.