12 And JESUS went into the Temple of GOD, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the Temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, "Among all the miracles wrought by our LORD," (says an ancient Father,) "this seems to me the most wonderful; that one man, so humble in His worldly estate, and while the Scribes and Pharisees were exasperated against Him by seeing their gains thus cut off, was able to cast out such a multitude. Surely a flame darted from His eyes, and the majesty of the Godhead was radiant in His countenancem !". . . . . It will be remembered, that this was the second cleansing of the Temple effected by our LORD. The first, marked the beginning of His Ministry": the present occasion marks its close. By the recurrence of so striking and significant a transaction we are reminded that, (like the dream which was doubled unto Pharaoh twice,') 'the thing was established by GOD. Besides its mystical import, elsewhere noticed, the act was symbolic of one purpose of CHRIST'S Coming; namely, to purge away iniquity from His Church and people. He came "suddenly to His Temple," as had been foretold; and by the alarm He inspired, set forth in type the terrors of m Jerome,-who seems to be recollecting what he had read in een. ren. xli. 32. that Second Advent to which the Church directs the eyes of her children, and concerning which the prophet had written,-"But who may abide the Day of His Coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth?"... The Reader will find more on this great subject in the note on St. John iii. 15, to which he is referred. St. Mark adds here, that CHRIST "would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the Temple":" and said unto them, It is written, My 13 House shall be called the House of Prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. Concerning these quotations from the ancient prophets, the Reader is referred to the notes on St. Mark xi. 16. And the Blind and the Lame came to Him 14 in the Temple; and He healed them. Most significant, truly, is this exquisite record. These were indeed the days of MESSIAH, of which it had been written-"Then the eyes of the Blind shall be opened: then shall the Lame man leap as an hartt." The eyes were opened 'in the Temple,' (that is, in the Church,) to see the way";' and there, also, were the feet made strong that they might walk therein. "Open Thou mine q Malachi iii. 2. s Isaiah lvi. 7, and Jerem. vii. 11. r St. Mark xi. 16. t Isaiah xxxv. 5, 6. " Acts ix. 2 (see the margin) : xix. 9, 23, &c. 15 eyes that I may see the wondrous things of Thy Law ." "Shew me Thy ways, O LORD; teach me Thy paths" "cause me to know the way wherein I should walk "." "I will run the way of Thy Commandments when Thou hast set my heart at liberty a.". . . . By such symbolic language did the Law anticipate the Gospel: and by such symbolic acts does the Gospel interpret the Law! Consider how many acts of Divine Power are hinted at, not described, in this short verse. And when the chief Priests and Scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the Children crying in the Temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they 16 were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest Thou what these say? : These Children, who had perhaps caught up the sound of the acclamations they had already heard", "were regardless of the frown of the Pharisees for their simplicity of heart gave them a courage which many weak believers, more advanced in age, had not; and inspired them to do what others would not have dared." Thus were little Children at first, His martyrs ; next, the pattern which He set before His Church; and now, at last, they are heard singing His praises x Ps. cxix. 18. a Ps. cxix. 32. y Ps. xxv. 4. z Ps. cxliii. 8. c St. Matth. ii. 16. d First in St. Matth. xviii. 1 to 4. Next in St. Mark x. 13 to 16. in the Temple. "His own Priests are silent, or only break silence to blaspheme His Name; but little children cry' Hosanna to the Son of David!' Over His own people He weeps, but with these babes He rejoices. Even the women, He bids to 'lament for themselves;' but He encourages the little Children to rejoice!." And JESUS saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise? I suppose,' (says an ancient Writer,) that they who praised, knew not what they praised; but the SPIRIT, who suddenly inspired them, poured forth the words of Truth.' This seems indeed to have been the case. Consider St. Matthew xi. 25. The quotation is from Psalm viii. 2; by adducing which, our LORD seems to say, 'Be it so. It is My fault that these cry thus. But is it My fault that, a thousand years ago, the Prophet foretold that so it should bes? Take notice that in directing the attention of His enemies to that beautiful Psalm, the Holy One referred them to one of the most glorious declarations in Prophecy, of His own entire dominion over all created beings in Heaven and Earth h And He left them, and went out of the 17 city into Bethany; and He lodged there. "Seeking, surely, to rest His Body where His f Williams. g 'seudo Chrysostom. h Consider Hebr. ii. 6 to 8. 18 Spirit also found repose. For so it is with all holy men: they love to be, not where sumptuous banquets are, but where Holiness abounds i.” To retire to Bethany seems to have been the practice of our Divine LORD on every Evening during Holy Week. The blessed Company may have withdrawn first, to the garden of Gethsemane1, which lay at the foot of the Mount of Olives: and thence proceeded to the village of Bethany, which lay, at the distance of about half an hour, on the other side of the Mount". An ancient writer says, "It is to be understood that our LORD was in so great poverty, and was so far from having courted any one, that He had found in all Jerusalem neither entertainer nor abode; but He made His home at Bethany, in the House of Lazarus and his sisters"." Now in the morning as He returned into 19 the City, He hungered. And when He saw a Fig tree in the way, He came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only; and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the Fig tree withered away. The Evangelist is relating an incident which had happened on the previous morning,-Monday. What follows, belongs to the History of Tuesday. 1 Pseudo Chrysostom. St. Matth. xxi. 17; St. Mark xi. 11, &c. |