, 1908-01-22
LESSON FOR
NEXT SUNDAY
INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL
SERIES COMPILED ESPEci-
ALLY FOR REPUBLICAN.
Jesus Cleanses Temple, story Coming
from Second Chapter of John
Feast Of Passover Drew Jews 20
Jerusalem, n During This Evert
Incidents Occurred as Related.

The Republican herewith presents an
outline of the Sunday school lesson
for next Sunday, prepared for this pa
per by a member of the Albany County
Sunday School association and for the
especial benefit of the Sunday schools
in the county. 1t is lesson 4 Of the first
quarter of the present Sunday school
year. The title is Jesus Cleanses the
Temple" taken o John ii, 1922.
Golden text, Holiness becometh thing
house, o Lord, forever" Ps. xciii, 5.
Jesus in Temple.
Jesus had been in the temple before
the events of this lesson. His pious
mother had Him taken to the temple
very early in Ills life. 1t was then that
good old Simeon took Jesus in his
arms and blessed God that his eyes
had been permitted to see the Messiah.
AT the age of twelve we fine Him again
in the temple. At that age a Jewish
boy became u "Son of the Law" We
recall how He had developed, how He
astonished the Jewish students of the
law in the temple by the depth Il the
breadth of His wisdom, how He mysti,
fed His mother by the strange an.
swers He gave her. Thus early He
showed that love and zeal for Gods
house, which to the surface in
this lesson.
Devoted and Sincere Worshiper.
1t was His custom to attend the
Passover feast as a devoted and sin.
cere ~worshiper. He had doubtless cen
the abuse of Gods house on previous
occasions, but upon this occasion He
comes with authority and power. He
mad been publicly proclaimed as the
Messiah by John the Baptist. He had
shown His divine power at the wedding
at Cana, where He performed His first
miracle. The time has now come for
Him to assert Himself before the Jews
at Jerusalem. Malachi had written
concerning the Messiah that He would
suddenly come to this temple and that
He would purify the sons of Levi.
Bartering in the Temple.
When He came to the temple Hs
found the court of the Gentiles o.
cupied by those dealing in sacrificial
animals, and making change from com.
mon money into the sacred money oil
the temple. This was a proclamation of
the holy place. 1t was necessary that
the Jews living abroad should be able
when they came to the feast to buy
suitable animals for sacrifice and 70
procure the sacred money with which
to make their offerings. This traffic
was therefore necessary and prope~.
But it was improper to bring it into
the temple. That the Jewish rule }
had allowed this shows that worldli-
ness had made large inroads upon
sacred things.
connivance of High Priest.
This whole business was especially
wicked because it was only possible
through the connivance of the high
priest for a financial consideration. II
was a species Of graft" as We call it
today. Jesus could not overlook sucn
open Dissertation of the holy temple.
AS the Messiah of the Jews. He had
very positive authority in this place,
Contrary to His usual custom, Jesus
how asserts His authority.
Drove Business Away.
With a scourge of small cords He
urove out the animals. He overthrow
the tables of the money changers, and
He commanded those selling doves to
take them away. He commanded all
rot to make His Fathers house a house
of merchandise. The temple was q
sacred place. 1t was built for religious
use. 1t had been dedicated to God.
Jesus was plainly right in this act ct
publication of the temple. Even those
engaged in the traffic recognized this
right. They must have been impressed
also by Jesus strong personality, and
did not resist Him, which seems
strange considering that they were
acting under permission of the rulers,
and that Jesus was a stranger to them.
and without recognized authority.