The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1924-08-16
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Lesson
Of the Evening School, Moody Bible Insti-
tute of Chicago.)
GO. 1924. Western Newspaper Union)
Lesson for August IL
JESUS cLEANsEs THE TEMPLE

LESSON TExT-John 2:1s-22.
GOLDEN TExT-"My house shall be
called the house Of prayer'"-Matt.
21:13.
PRIMARY ToPIc-Jesss Loves His
Fathers House.
JUNIOR TOPIc-Jesus and the Tenn
pie Traders.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Right Conduct in Gods House.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Reverence and Care for Gods House.
l. Jesus Attending the Passover
". 13).
He went up to Jerusalem very often
to attend the various feasts. Begin
ming at the age of twelve this custom
was habitual with Him to the end of
His ministry. He was under the law
and therefore He obeyed 1t (Deut.
is :16), butsprimarily He went up be-
cause it was His Fathers house. 1t
is important that all people from their
youth up should make the attendance
upon the house of God a habit of their
lives.
II. The Temple Defiled ". 14).
For the various sacrifices In the
temple many oxen, sheep and doves
were needed. Many persons came from
distant parts of the land therefore. 1t
was impracticable to bring their sac
rlfices with them. 81 they brought
money and bought the animals needed.
This privilege the Lord had granted to
them (Deut. IA :2426). This exchange
was necessary, but when evil men
used it as an opportunity for gain 1t
became an offense before God. II
| Christ were to come to many of u
| so-called houses of God today He
would find them polluted In just as ag-
g~ravating a way. His purging the
temple courts shows the need of
purity and order in all matters o n
nected with divine worship.
III. Jesus Cleansing the Temple
wv. 15-17).
1. Driving Out the Merchants and
Animals ". 15). Being the Lord of
the temple, the very Messiah who
should come to His temple, He had the
right to cleanse 1t, TO drive out those
who polluted 1t. 1t Is not said that
He used the scourge of cords but, at
any rate, 1t was the symbol of au-
thority.
2. His Command ". 16). MAKE
not my Fathers house an house of
merchandise" Merchandise Is legiti-
mate in its place. Any use of the
Lords house other than to worship
and honor Him is to make 1t a place
of. merchandise. to pollute 1t. There
is great danger of a worldly spirit in
truding into the domain of religion,
Men who unite with the church for
the house of worship with worldly
matters uppermost in their thought.
ministers who serve as professionals.
men who bring their ill-gotten gains to
help further the work of the Lord. In
fact all who do not behave properly
in the Lords house. are defling it and
therefore all such must meet His judg-
ment.
3. His Zeal ". ~. He was so
completely dominated by the passion
to do the will Of God that He unre-
servedly gave Himself TO His work.
This was according to the prophecy.
1.-THE zeal Of thine house hath eaten
me up." We should take His act as
an example to us In the divine service
and manifest ~commendable zeal. This
reform did not prove permanent. A
few years later He cleansed 1t again.
This shows how quickly the human
! heart is under the control of sin. The
only permanent reformation Is that
which is wrought In regeneration. The
new birth Is necessary.
w. The Jews Demanding a Sign
wv. 1929.
They demanded of Jesus that He
show His authority for such behavior.
He told them that the only sign that
would be given was His death and
resurrection. Destroying the temple
and raising 1t up in three days. refers
to His crucifxion and resurrection.
The resurrection Is an unalterable
proof of His divine sonship (Rom.
1:-4). Jesus came forth from the
grave of His W power. The Jews
did not want a sign. They were only
finding excuses for their wickedness.
Men today who are demanding proof
of Christ's divinity do not really wish
the proof but are only trying to find
excuses for their sins. Jesus had the
ability TO justify His ways before God
and man. After the resurrection the
disciples remembered the words of
Jesus on this occasion. This shows
that no sowing of the truth shall
eventually fail. This ought 10 be a
great comfort for Sunday school teach
ers and Christian workers.