The log cabin Democrat., 1908-01-23
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
Sunday School Lesson for Jan. 26. 1908
Specially Prepared for This Paper

over was April 11-17
 PLACE.-In the temple at Jerusalem. PLACE IN THE HISTORY.-Early In the first year of Jesus ministry. The sec ond of his first two signs" Illustrating his work as Redeemer.
 Comment and Suegest;vs Thought The first sign which Jesus gave was the revelation of his glory at Cana of Galilee related in the first part Of the chapter in which our lesson is found. At the close of our last lesson We left Jesus and his five or six disciples on the way from Betha6Ara to Galilee. The disciples had as yet but slight acquaintance with Jesus, his charac, ter, his powers and his mission. They believed in him, but they needed deeper foundation for their faith and fuller knowledge of his work. Everything about this miracle must have been strange and wondrous rev elation of Jesus to them, as a light | from within. or as the sunlight shin | ing through dull stainedglass windows reveals the true nature of the picture | wrought in them, and they are abaze | with royal colors such as are the ex- | quisite lamp shades of Favrile glass, | that require the electric bulb within | to bring out their lovely hues. Jesus was a prince in disguise, and he threw off his outward guise and appeared in his own royal glory.
 What Did This Miracle Reveal to the Disciples Concerning the True Ma ture of Jesus ?-O It revealed the miraculous powers residing in him which would enable him to do the work the Messiah was to do.
 CD It made known to them that he was sent from God as his son with divine credentials worthy of his or igin and his mission.
 The Second Sign" The Cleansing of the Temple.-Not long after the "sign" at the wedding a strange, al most discordant, note was heard in that anthem of love and joy and hope That experience did not express the whole of life, nor the whole of the mis- | sion of Jesus. The new sign was as I Illuminating and marvellous and un- expected as was the first. It was the act of a hero, a patriot, a reformer, and a king.
 13) And the Jews passover" the great annual religious feast of the Jews to which all good Jews were ex- | pected to come Sometimes, according | to Josephus, as many as 2,000,00O wis itors were present. Jesus went up from Capernaum (v. 12) "to Jerusa- lem" Jesus was particular to attend | these great feasts, for however much they were often perverted and mls- used by some, they were divinely ap- pointed services.
 Jesus Heroic Act of Patriotic Re form-When Jesus entered the tenn pie, and saw this desecration of his Fathers house-which he had seen many a time during his youth-his soul famed with indignation. What he saw was contrary to all law, Jew ish, Roman and Divine, and what he did was patriotic toward all three kingdoms under which he lived
 (5) He alone, unaided, unknown. made a scourge of small cords ropes made of rushes like a Roman fla gellum or scOurge with several lashes, and drove them all out of the tenn ple," the court, 'the sheep and the | oxen" and those who trafficked in them. He did not strike the men, most probably not even the animals, and such a scourge would not hurt them. The owners would naturally follow their cattle without the gates. Poured out the changers money" Upon the marble pavement, thus stopping their traffic.
 | 06) "And said unto them that sold doves" The doves, being in cages could not be driven out:
 Take these things hence."
 The boldness of the act may well have given a hush to the noisy crowd and the voice of Jesus rang out: Make not my Fathers house a house of merchandise"
 How Was It Possible for Jesus tc Succeed in This?-Why did this great burly crowd of drovers, and soldiers and elders in authority yield to the sin gle voice of an unknown young man
 Because they knew that they were in the wrong. Conscience makes towards of us all" Because they knew that God was on his side, and "one with God Is a majority"
 Because Jesus embodied in himself as a prophet, the moral sentiment o the nation. "All the true friends O. law, who must have been long grievet by this disorder, would defend the righteousness of his action, thus ren dering resistance impossible.
 What This Sign" Revealed as tt the Nature of Jesus and His King dom-Let no mistake be made con corning what is meant by Christian spirit. Let us not, as is too often done take one side of the character 0 Christ in forming an estimate of thu whole.
 Note how Jesus acted for the reform of the world. He did not spend hi time in denunciations of the Roman