and rulers to their God. Christ’s work was to
establish an altogether different worship.
With searching glance, Christ takes in the scene before Him as He
stands upon the steps of the temple court. With prophetic eye He looks
into futurity, and sees not only years, but centuries and ages. He sees
how priests and rulers will turn the needy from their right, and forbid
that the gospel shall be preached to the poor. He sees how the love of
God will be concealed from sinners, and men will make merchandise
of His grace. As He beholds the scene, indignation, authority, and
power are expressed in His countenance. The attention of the people
[158] is attracted to Him. The eyes of those engaged in their unholy traffic
In His Temple 123
are riveted upon His face. They cannot withdraw their gaze. They
feel that this Man reads their inmost thoughts, and discovers their
hidden motives. Some attempt to conceal their faces, as if their evil
deeds were written upon their countenances, to be scanned by those
searching eyes.
The confusion is hushed. The sound of traffic and bargaining has
ceased. The silence becomes painful. A sense of awe overpowers the
assembly. It is as if they were arraigned before the tribunal of God
to answer for their deeds. Looking upon Christ, they behold divinity
flash through the garb of humanity. The Majesty of heaven stands as
the Judge will stand at the last day,—not now encircled with the glory
that will then attend Him, but with the same power to read the soul.
His eye sweeps over the multitude, taking in every individual. His
form seems to rise above them in commanding dignity, and a divine
light illuminates His countenance. He speaks, and His clear, ringing
voice—the same that upon Mount Sinai proclaimed the law that priests
and rulers are transgressing—is heard echoing through the arches of
the temple: “Take these things hence; make not My Father’s house an
house of merchandise.”
Slowly descending the steps, and raising the scourge of cords
gathered up on entering the enclosure, He bids the bargaining company
depart from the precincts of the temple. With a zeal and severity He
has never before manifested, He overthrows the tables of the moneychangers.
The coin falls, ringing sharply upon the marble pavement.
None presume to question His authority. None dare stop to gather up
their ill-gotten gain. Jesus does not smite them with the whip of cords,
but in His hand that simple scourge seems terrible as a flaming sword.
Officers of the temple, speculating priests, brokers and cattle traders,
with their sheep and oxen, rush from the place, with the one thought
of escaping from the condemnation of His presence.
A panic sweeps over the multitude, who feel the overshadowing
of His divinity. Cries of terror escape from hundreds of blanched
lips. Even the disciples tremble. They are awestruck by the words
and manner of Jesus, so unlike His usual demeanor. They remember
that it is written of Him, “The zeal of Thine house hath eaten Me up.”
Psalm 69:9. Soon the tumultuous throng with their merchandise are
far removed from the temple of the Lord. The courts are free from
unholy traffic, and a deep silence and solemnity settles upon the scene
124 The Desire of Ages
[159] of confusion. The presence of the Lord, that of old sanctified the
[160]
[161]
mount, has now made sacred the temple reared in His honor.
In the cleansing of the temple, Jesus was announcing His mission
as the Messiah, and entering upon His work. That temple, erected for
the abode of the divine Presence, was designed to be an object lesson
for Israel and for the world. From eternal ages it was God’s purpose
that every created being, from the bright and holy seraph to man,
should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator. Because of sin,
humanity ceased to be a temple for God. Darkened and defiled by evil,
the heart of man no longer revealed the glory of the Divine One. But
by the incarnation of the Son of God, the purpose of Heaven is fulfilled.
God dwells in humanity, and through saving grace the heart of man
becomes again His temple. God designed that the temple at Jerusalem
should be a continual witness to the high destiny open to every soul.
But the Jews had not understood the significance of the building they
regarded with so much pride. They did not yield themselves as holy
temples for the Divine Spirit. The courts of the temple at Jerusalem,
filled with the tumult of unholy traffic, represented all too truly the
temple of the heart, defiled by the presence of sensual passion and
unholy thoughts. In cleansing the temple from the world’s buyers
and sellers, Jesus announced His mission to cleanse the heart from
the defilement of sin,—from the earthly desires, the selfish lusts, the
evil habits, that corrupt the soul. “The Lord, whom ye seek, shall
suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant,
whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when
He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and
He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the
sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver.” Malachi 3:1-3.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of
God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall
God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1
Corinthians 3:16, 17. No man can of himself cast out the evil throng
that have taken possession of the heart. Only Christ can cleanse the
soul temple. But He will not force an entrance. He comes not into the
heart as to the temple of old; but He says, “Behold, I stand at the door,
and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come
in to him.” Revelation 3:20. He will come, not for one day merely;
In His Temple 125
for He says, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; ... and they shall [162]
be My people.” “He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all
their sins into the depths of the sea.” 2 Corinthians 6:16; Micah 7:19.
His presence will cleanse and sanctify the soul, so that it may be a holy
temple unto the Lord, and “an habitation of God through the Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:21, 22.
Overpowered with terror, the priests and rulers had fled from the
temple court, and from the searching glance that read their hearts.
In their flight they met others on their way to the temple, and bade
them turn back, telling them what they had seen and heard. Christ
looked upon the fleeing men with yearning pity for their fear, and
their ignorance of what constituted true worship. In this scene He
saw symbolized the dispersion of the whole Jewish nation for their
wickedness and impenitence.
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
And why did the priests flee from the temple? Why did they not
stand their ground? He who commanded them to go was a carpenter’s
son, a poor Galilean, without earthly rank or power. Why did they not
resist Him? Why did they leave the gain so ill acquired, and flee at the
command of One whose outward appearance was so humble?
Christ spoke with the authority of a king, and in His appearance,
and in the tones of His voice, there was that which they had no power
to resist. At the word of command they re
