Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-27
REVERENCE OF JESUS FOR
HIS FATHERS HOUSE"
John, 2.13-22.
Golden text-My house shall be
called a house of prayer.-Matt..
2113.
By Rev. H. T. Stevenson.

The dramatic and intensely interest
ing incident of this weeks study took
place during the first passover of the
Lords public ministry. The circle of
the Masters influence had been con-
fined to His family. friends and few
followers. The miracle at Cana of
Galilee had confirmed the faith of the
five recruits who had enrolled as the
first disciples of the Lord, who had Sc
lected Capernaum as the headquarters
of His ministry. The cleansing of the
temple, that was controlled by leaders
whom John the Baptist had denounced
as "a brood of vipers," was the first
public manifestation of Jesus that He
proposed to follow out Johns policy
boldly by attacking the deadly corrup-
ton and apostacy of the temple au-
thorities and make His public entrance
upon His meSsianic mission by an ap-
peal to the national conscience.
The hour selected by the Lord Jesus
to make His public manifestation was
at the passover when Jerusalem would
be crowded with worshipers because
that religious festival attracted more
people than any other patriotic or re-
liSious function. All Jewish males over
twelve were required to be present at
the passover, which commemorated the
fetal lamb was typical of His own
coming death. 1t was the assembling
of the multitudes that caused the tenn
pie. which had been erected for the
communion of man with God through
worship, to become place of barter.
BARGAINING and business.
whenever throughout the world a
great crowd assemblies the dealer in
trinkets. souvenirs and relics will be
found mingling with the multitude.
selling for a profit his wares. Instead
OF this trade being restricted to the ad-
jacent streets. it had been permitted to
profane the precincts of the temple.
Upon one pretext or another. trade
the court of the Gentiles. The real
reason was due to graft. For the sake
of personal profit, officers of the tenn
pie had permitted the cattle dealers.
money changers and vendors of sacri-
fetal goods-salt. meal. frankincense
and oil-to enter within the Enclosure
of the temple courtyard and dispose of
their wares. which were required in
making the burnt offerings of the tenn
pie. People coming from a great dis
their offerings of cattle with them.
which the priests would probably con-
denim as unfit for the offering. He was
especially apt to do SO when he had an
interest in some temple supply COM
pany This accounted for the develop
ment of cattle trading within the tenn
pie area.
The presence of the money changer was
due to the TACT that every Jew had 10 pay
tax of half a shekel annually into the
temple treasury las an atonement money
for his SOUL This could only be paid in
the sacred coin. because the coins of seq
ular governments were a rule defiled
with heather inscriptions symbols.
This could be sent to the priests by any
one from a distance. but each individual
preferred to pay it in person. The wor-
shipper was therefore compelled to patron
iZe the money changers, who. Charged
him 5 per cent. as the usual kolbon or
agio.' for exchanging the foreign cur
rency for coins of the Jewish state. that
alone could be accepted by the authori-
ties This was almost necessity. as the
temple officials had virtually corner
upon the market of the sacred coins De-
cency called for the conduct of this bust
ness outside Of the temple area.
from distance to have place near the
temple where they could buy their Offer
ings and exchange their money, The en-
croachments may have even been gradual,
and the slow growth of the custom may
have blinded the eyes of the authorities.
who were not connected with the graft
ers. to it's moral significance.
Anything that brings worldly methods
and spirit into the house of God RAPIDLY
changes the very atmosphere of God 9
house." 1t will crowd out the religious
element and make the material dominate
the spiritual and the temporal the eternal.
1t was this that caused the Lord to purify
the courts of the temple.
The clamor of the traders, the tumult