Trouble In The Temple

TROUBLE IN THE TEMPLE Spring Valley Mennonite; March 19, 2023; Matthew 21:12-25:46 For the next weeks leading up to Easter, we will leave our studies in Isaiah to concentrate on the events leading up to the Resurrection of our Lord. Of the 89 chapters in the Four Gospels, 51 chapters or 57% deal with the last week leading to the Resurrection. There are so many things that happened in that last week; literally dozens of chapters are devoted to that short time span by the four gospel writers. This morning I want to focus on the events of Monday and Tuesday of Holy week. Remember that Jesus was in Bethany on Saturday evening, enjoying a banquet given by Lazarus and his sisters. Mary anointed Jesus' feet with a very expensive perfume, an incident where Judas questioned the extravagance saying, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?" We are given the insight that as treasurer of the disciples, he often pilfered the treasury. The next day, Jesus entered Jerusalem making presentation of Himself as Messiah. This was the day we call "Palm Sunday". The crowds, as well as Jesus' followers, recognized that entering Jerusalem on the back of a donkey fulfilled the prophetic scriptures of the Messiah. After arriving in Jerusalem on "Palm Sunday" we find in Mark 11 that Jesus visited the Temple and "after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late." It is difficult to place all the events of the week of the Crucifixion into a timeline with absolute certainty. Each of the Gospel writers had their unique approach to these events, and we can place the things done and said with only reasonable certainty as to when they happened. The actions described today can most likely be placed in the timeframe of Monday and Tuesday of what we call "Holy Week". During this week we observe that Jesus was no longer avoiding confrontation with the Jewish leaders, but His actions and teachings were calculated to expose their sinful and evil hearts. The crowds continued to be fascinated by this open conflict with the Jewish leaders as the common people had little love or respect for these leaders. Most of these confrontations happened within the Temple grounds. It will add to our understanding if we take a moment to picture the Temple of the New Testament; this was Herod's Temple. I. HEROD'S TEMPLE The construction of this Temple began around 20 B.C., the project of Herod the Great. His purpose was most assuredly winning the support and admiration of the Jewish religious leaders. Herod was never able to shed the identity of an outsider; the fact being that he was not Jewish, but of Edomite heritage. The Edomites, descendants of Esau, originally lived southeast of the Dead Sea, but had been displaced by the Babylonians and had settled in the southern part of Israel. Herod had been installed as King by the Romans around 40 B.C. He was the King who had all the babies slaughtered in Bethlehem, dying a few years after Jesus' birth. Herod greatly expanded the area of Temple mount, and the main Temple building itself was renovated and expanded relatively quickly, although the construction of other buildings in the area continued for many years. John 2:20 quotes the Jews as saying the Temple had taken 46 years to build. Actual embellishments to the temple grounds continued until 64 A.D. just six years before it was destroyed by the Romans. The Temple area consisted of several terraced courts, each level being a bit higher as it approached the Temple itself. At the center of the courts was the Temple itself, a long and tall building, divided into two parts, the holy place, containing the golden lampstand, table of incense and the table of unleavened bread and the Holy of Holies, separated from the Holy Place by a thick veil or curtain. The Temple was surrounded by the inner court of the Priests where the sacrifices were made. The next area outside of the court of the priests was the court of the Jews, divided into men's and women's areas. The outermost court, surrounded by a covered portico, was called the Court of the Gentiles. Under this portico was where schools of the rabbis met, and where Jesus did most of His teaching. In the original Tabernacle constructed in the wilderness, and in Solomon's Temple, the Holy of Holies contained the Ark of the Covenant which contained the two tablets of the Ten Commandments. On the top of Ark was the Mercy Seat where the blood was applied on the annual Day of Atonement. Two golden cherubim spread their wings over the mercy seat, and in the Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple the Shekinah Glory of God dwelt over the mercy seat. But as Judah lapsed into gross idolatry, the Temple became polluted with idols. Listen to a scene inside the temple shown to the prophet Ezekiel (Read Ezekiel 8:6-13). Just previous to the Babylonian invasion, because of the repeated defilement of the Temple by idols, the Shekinah Glory of God departed from the Temple. Ezekiel 10 and 11 describe this sad scene; turn there if you will, for this has application to the Temple of Jesus' day. (Read Ezekiel 10:4, 18-19; 11:23) God's glory was no longer dwelling above the mercy seat; His glory had departed. 600 years later, a baby was born in Bethlehem. John 1:14: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." When the Babylonians destroyed Solomon's Temple in 586 B.C., the Ark of the Covenant disappeared. Speculation has it that it was removed by priests before the Temple destruction, but no one really knows what happened to the Ark. I suppose it still could exist, and its discovery would certainly spur on the rebuilding of the Temple; a Temple does exist in the Tribulation Period. In the Temple built by those returning from Babylonian exile, the Holy of Holies became a bare room with no furnishings at all. God's Shekinah Glory never returned to either the Temple of Ezra and Nehemiah's day, or to Herod's Temple. In Herod's Temple, a bare rock was exposed in the Holy of Holies, and on this rock the yearly blood sacrifice was poured and prayer offered by the High Priest for the people. All this background explains how the High Priests, who were appointed by the Romans and were of the sect of the Sadducees could enter the Holy of Holies with impunity and did not die for defiling the Holiness of God. The Temple, magnificent as it was, was little more than a symbol, although it did have value as a place of worship, and Jesus called it "my house". It was a place of worship for the righteous and a place of prayer for all people. It was here that Jesus entered on Monday morning and cast out the merchants and money-changers. Understanding the background of the Temple, we come to the Jesus' cleansing of the temple. What was the significance of what He did? II. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE We read of these actions of Jesus in Matthew 21:12-17 (READ). We remember that at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus had driven merchants and money changers out of the Temple, as recorded in John 2:13-16 (READ). In both of these instances, the merchants and money changers had set up their businesses in the Court of the Gentiles, rendering it unsuitable for any semblance of quiet worship and prayer. We can imagine the loud bargaining and dickering going on with the sellers of animals and souvenirs. We can imagine the filth of animal droppings polluting the court. The required exchange of money from the various currencies of the Roman Empire to the official temple shekel carried with it a surcharge for the procedure. Roman and other currencies, because they bore the likeness of men, were judged profane, and were unacceptable. The Talmud, the Jewish writings of the day, tells us that if the value of your coin was more than the temple tax, the excess change was liable to another charge! The whole money changing process was designed to defraud the worshipper and enrich the money changer and his superiors. The Talmud also gives us a very important fact that figures largely into the opposition of the Chief Priests to Jesus: the whole business operation on the temple grounds belonged to the family of Annas, the High Priestly family. When Jesus upset the merchants and money changers, chasing them out of the Court of the Gentiles, He was depriving the Chief Priests of revenue! He was hitting them right in their wallets. This largely explains the opposition of the Sadducees, who were the ruling aristocratic class of Israel and Jerusalem. One more word of explanation about the High Priests: They were appointed by the Romans, no longer holding the official office for life. They served at the discretion and pleasure of the Roman government. The High Priest of this period was named Caiaphas. Caiaphas held the office from 18-36 A.D. He had succeeded His Father-in-law Annas. The Chief Priests spoken of in the Gospels were Annas, Caiaphas, and other family members of Annas. Annas had five sons who each served at High Priest. Josephus, the Jewish historian, notes that Annas was "'a great hoarder up of money,' very rich, and as despoiling by open violence the common priests of their official revenues." Rightly did Jesus call the Temple a "den of robbers". By casting out those selling in the Temple Court of the Gentiles along with the money-changers, Jesus was implying that the High Priests were evil sinners and robbers! But the Sadducees were not the only ones Jesus confronted during these two days... III. FURTHER CONFRONTATIONS WITH THE JEWISH LEADERS Jesus continued to teach and heal the sick during Monday and Tuesday. Note the words of Matthew 21:14-15. (READ) The response of the chief priests and scribes (who were also called lawyers, experts in the Jewish Law, and of the sect of the Pharisees) to miracles of healing? They became indignant! They objected to the praises of children crying "Hosanna to the Son of David". Jesus' parables during these days also directly accused the Jewish leaders. Look at Matthew 21:28-32 (READ) Can you imagine their response to Jesus' words in v. 31? (Tax collectors and harlots will get into the Kingdom before you!) Look at 21:33-46 (READ) Consider the words of v. 43: the kingdom would be taken from the Jews and given to the Gentiles. This was the leaders' worst fear, and their response is seen in v. 45-46. They understood clearly that Jesus was talking to them. But they could do nothing for the crowds were on Jesus' side, probably thoroughly enjoying this exchange! Another challenge was raised by a group of Jews of the Herodian political party (those supporting Herod's dynasty) Matthew 22:15 reveals a plot to trap Jesus: (READ VV. 15-22). Jesus used amazing logic, recognized by the Jews themselves, effectively silencing this group. This principle sets the standard for how we Christians are to conduct themselves in relation to the government in regard to taxation, as well as honoring and obeying our government. In addition to challenging and confronting each of the leading groups of the Jewish leadership, the Chief Priests, Sadducees, Pharisees, Scribes, and Herodians, Jesus taught extensively during these two days to the crowds and His followers. Jesus was clearly setting the stage for His arrest, trials and crucifixion, for His hour had come. He deliberately and publicly condemned the Jewish rulers. But many were attracted by the truth of His message and His teaching with authority. I believe that many who heard Jesus on these days became part of the 6000 who believed on the Day of Pentecost almost two months later. Remember that Jesus' disciples and close followers, as they watched these confrontations, were expecting Jesus at any moment to openly announce He was Israel's Messiah and take the Throne of David. This explains their shock and extreme surprise when Jesus was arrested and put to death. They did not understand the Messiah had to come and offer Himself as the one acceptable sacrifice in order to pay for our sins. Jesus came to earth the first time for one purpose: to die for our sins. 1