Chapter 65—The Temple Cleansed Again
This chapter is based on
Matthew 21:12-16, 23-46
;
Mark 11:15-19,
27-33
;
Mark 12:1-12
;
Luke 19:45-48
;
Luke 20:1-19
.
At the beginning of His ministry, Christ had driven from the temple
those who defiled it by their unholy traffic; and His stern and godlike
demeanor had struck terror to the hearts of the scheming traders. At
the close of His mission He came again to the temple, and found it
still desecrated as before. The condition of things was even worse than
before. The outer court of the temple was like a vast cattle yard. With
the cries of the animals and the sharp chinking of coin was mingled the
sound of angry altercation between traffickers, and among them were
heard the voices of men in sacred office. The dignitaries of the temple
were themselves engaged in buying and selling and the exchange of
money. So completely were they controlled by their greed of gain that
in the sight of God they were no better than thieves.
Little did the priests and rulers realize the solemnity of the work
which it was theirs to perform. At every Passover and Feast of Taber-
nacles, thousands of animals were slain, and their blood was caught by
the priests and poured upon the altar. The Jews had become familiar
with the offering of blood, and had almost lost sight of the fact that it
was sin which made necessary all this shedding of the blood of beasts.
They did not discern that it prefigured the blood of God’s dear Son,
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which was to be shed for the life of the world, and that by the offering
of sacrifices men were to be directed to a crucified Redeemer.
Jesus looked upon the innocent victims of sacrifice, and saw how
the Jews had made these great convocations scenes of bloodshed and
cruelty. In place of humble repentance of sin, they had multiplied the
sacrifice of beasts, as if God could be honored by a heartless service.
The priests and rulers had hardened their hearts through selfishness
and avarice. The very symbols pointing to the Lamb of God they
had made a means of getting gain. Thus in the eyes of the people
the sacredness of the sacrificial service had been in a great measure
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