Cleansing the Temple
21
King cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation!” “Hosanna to
the son of David!”
As the dignitaries of the temple beheld all this commotion, and
heard the happy unrestrained voices of the children, their old intoler-
ance returned and they set about ting a stop to such demonstrations.
They represented to the people that the holy temple was polluted by the
feet of the children and by their noisy shouts and rejoicing. They who
had permitted and even engaged in angry altercations, and buying and
selling within those sacred walls, who had heard unmoved the distract-
ing noise of the various animals allowed within the precincts, were
apparently overwhelmed with indignation that the innocent rejoicing
of glad children should be tolerated within the temple court.
The priests and rulers, finding that they made no impression upon
the people who had felt and witnessed the power of the divine Teacher,
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ventured to appeal to Christ himself, “And said unto him, Hearest thou
what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read,
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?”
Had the voices of those happy children been silenced, the very pillars
of the temple would have sounded the Saviour’s praise. Jesus was
ever a lover of children; he accepted their childish sympathy and their
open, unaffected love. The grateful praise from their pure lips was
music in his ears, and refreshed his spirits which were depressed by
the hypocrisy of the Jews. On this occasion he had healed the maladies
of the children, clasped them in his arms, received their kisses of
grateful affection, and they had fallen asleep upon his breast while he
was teaching the people. Wherever the Saviour went the benignity
of his countenance, and his gentle, kindly manner won the love and
confidence of children.
The Pharisees were utterly perplexed and disconcerted at the turn
things had taken and the failure of their attempt to quell the enthusiasm
of the people. One was in command whom they could not intimidate
with their assumption of authority. Jesus had taken his position as
guardian of the temple. Never before had he assumed such kingly
authority; never before had his words and acts possessed so great
power. He had done great and marvelous works throughout Jerusalem,
but never in such a solemn and impressive manner.
Jesus, in taking charge of the temple court, had wrought there
a wonderful change. He had banished the buyers and sellers, the
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