In Matthew the withering of the fig tree takes place at once. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall, the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heaven shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And they sought to lay hands on him, but they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet ( Matthew 21:43-46 ). It is easy to see how quickly such a system could lead to lax sacrificial standards and monopolistic price gouging. It is natural and inevitable that, in our human need and with our human hearts and our human weakness, there should be things which we feel we cannot bear. must mean, "Let even the angels in the highest heights of heaven cry unto God, Save now!". The once rejected Christ will come in glory as the glorious Heir of all things. So here, at one and the same time, we see the courage of Christ, the claim of Christ, and the appeal of Christ. Matthew 21:12. (i) I shows us his courage. Indeed, it was involved in the words said before "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." Instead of being a Jewish thing, this is what supplanted it. We must be careful to see the real meaning of that. This "court" was not of equal dimensions all the way round the temple. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. A dove, pigeon. The Romans came, as the executioners of the sentence of God (according to the just forebodings of the unjust high priest Caiaphas, who prophesied not without the Holy Ghost), and took away their place and nation, not because they did not, but because they did, kill Jesus their Messiah. Here I want to know the particulars; there every trace and shade are full of instruction to me. Often a king came riding upon an ass, but when he did, it was the sign that he came in peace. It was indeed the power of the Spirit of God that controlled his heart; even as to Christ "the porter opened." They sold beasts for sacrifice, for the convenience of those that could more easily bring their money with them than their beast; and they changed money for those that wanted the half shekel, which was their yearly poll, or redemption-money; or, upon the bills of return; so that this might pass for the outward business of the house of God; and yet Christ will not allow of it. There were actions still to be done and teaching still to be given. This was particularly the case on the southeast corner; and it was here, probably, that Satan wished our Saviour to cast himself down. Therefore, if God calls Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it is not an unmeaning thing. It is to swell the great capital of tradition out of those that once served God, but are now gone, whose testimony, is no longer a sting to the guilty. The works that he is said to have performed in the temple, therefore, are to be understood as having been performed in the courts surrounding the sacred edifice. For the time Israel is passed away. Moreover, these men had other business, in a way of exchange, than this to do; and especially at such a time as the passover, when persons came from different parts to attend it; and who, might want to have their foreign money changed for current coin; or bills of return, to be changed for money: add to all this the following account, which will show the large and perpetual business of these men c. "In the sanctuary there were before them, , "continually", or "daily", thirteen chests (and there were as many tables d); every chest was in the form of a trumpet: the first was for the shekels of the present year, the second for the shekels of the year past; the third for everyone that had a "Korban", or vow upon him to offer two turtledoves, or two young pigeons; the one a burnt offering, the other a sin offering: their price was, cast into this chest: the fourth for everyone that had the burnt offering of a fowl only on him, the price of that was cast into this chest. It was so called because Gentiles might come into it, but they could proceed no further. Our Lord Jesus not only allowed it, but was very well pleased with it, and quoted a scripture which was fulfilled in it (Psalms 8:2), or, at least, may be accommodated to it; Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise; which, some think, refers to the children's joining in the acclamations of the people, and the women's songs with which David was honoured when he returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, and therefore is very fitly applied here to the hosannas with which the Son of David was saluted, now that he was entering upon his conflict with Satan, that Goliath. Pomegranates and figs were part of the treasures which the spies brought back to show the rich fertility of the land ( Numbers 13:23). It is interesting when Jesus was quoting the prophecy of Isaiah concerning Himself when He was in the Synagogue in Nazareth. It was Julian, the Roman Emperor, who tried to turn the clock back, tried to banish Christianity, and to bring back the old pagan gods. Jesus said to them: "This is the truth I tell you--the tax-collectors and harlots go into the Kingdom of Heaven before you. Jesus apparently stayed in Bethany until Monday when He entered Jerusalem. Jesus turning over a table of a money changer in the temple. The Time. "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's." It is remarkable that in our gospel this was permitted. I admit that in the resurrection of Christ God is for us, for the believer. Therefore it was that, refusing to believe, they were unable to understand. THE CLAIM OF THE KING ( Matthew 21:1-11 continued). But far more than that, He speaks as one who not merely had relations with them, but had made promises to them, which never yet were accomplished. The temple authorities were angered at such behaviour by the children in the temple, but Jesus responded that the children clearly saw what the religious leaders could not, namely, that Jesus was the Messiah (Matthew 21:14-16). In John He says, "Touch me not;" and the reason is, "for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." But if He falls on you, then He'll grind you to powder. Prayer is the means whereby we receive power to do things for ourselves. A. (6:20-cr-00115-DCC-1) Submitted: December 7, 2022 Decided: July 12, 2023 Before NIEMEYER and GREGORY, Circuit Judges, and TRAXLER, Senior Circuit Judge. Cele Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. And he had this thing going, a kickback. He finds men selling and buying in the temple (that is, in its buildings) overthrows their tables, and turns out themselves, pronouncing the words of the prophets, both Isaiah and Jeremiah. This interpretation derives support, then, if that be needed, from the parable that immediately follows (verses 32, 33). Again and again in the religious history of Israel, when a prophet felt that words were of no avail against a barrier of indifference or incomprehension, he put his message into a dramatic act which men could not fail to see and to understand. A certain Rabbi, Simon ben Gamaliel, was remembered with gratitude because "he had caused doves to be sold for sliver coins instead of gold." Shekalim, c. 6. sect 1. e Misn. It was an address both to the multitude and to the disciples, with woes for Scribes and Pharisees. His scope excluded such details, and, I am persuaded, rightly so, according to the mind of God's Spirit. 9 to 12: Matthew Savoie, Pavel Mintyukov, Conor Geekie and Denton Mateychuk. The baptism of John, whence was it? "When a man went to an exchanger, and changed a shekel for two half shekels, he gave him an addition to the shekel; and the addition is called "Kolbon"; wherefore, when two men gave a shekel for them both, they were both obliged to pay the "Kolbon".''. Donald C. Coggins, Jr., District Judge. Josephus says that in the rising of the sun it reflected so strong and dazzling an effulgence that the eye of the spectator was obliged to turn away. We are answerable for the way in which we have carried out the task God gave us to do. In this way, as I believe, we may and should account for the difference between Matthew and Mark in this particular, without in the smallest degree casting the shadow of an imperfection upon one any more than on the other; while the fact, already pressed, that eye-witnessing, while employed as a servant, is never allowed to govern in the composition of the gospels, bespeaks loudly that men forget their true Author in searching into the writers He employed, and that the only key to all difficulties is the simple but weighty truth that it was God communicating His mind about Jesus, as by Matthew so by Mark. (b) It tells of God's patience. The latter scene of the chapter is, to a simple mind, evident enough. 13 He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you are making it a den of robbers." Commentary on Matthew 21:12-17. I will, therefore, but skim its surface now, just enough to indicate its outlines, and specially its distinctive features. 121. Even the action of the cultivators was not out of the common. "Who is this?" On the inside of this wall, between the gates, were piazzas or covered porches. And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. T. Sanhedrin, fol. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! That was in fact what Jesus did. And, if anyone says anything to you, say, 'The Master needs them.' Again he dispatched other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. He did not even stand over them to exercise a police-like supervision. Here, then, Messiah answers to the cry of faith of these two blind men. They may flee away because of the abomination that makes desolate, but this is a contrast rather than a similar feature. Matthew 22. The rest of that prophesy the next phrase is, and to declare the day of the judgement of our God. To this court there was an ascent of fifteen steps. [Note: Hoehner, Chronological Aspects . This trade gave ready means for fraud, which was only too common. Few honest readers of the Bible would deny that this is perhaps the most uncomfortably difficult passage in the New Testament. This only came out after the death and resurrection of Christ. This promise was evidently a special one, given to them in regard to working miracles. Owen Pickering, Pittsburgh Penguins. So these moneychangers were conveniently there in the temple to change your Roman currency for the temple shekel. And was everyone who bought or sold a dove a mere formalist? 12Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying(B) and selling there. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, Did you see how quick that fig tree withered away! It is evident that the greater completeness here exhibited beyond what appears in any other gospel is according to special design. There is such a thing as the deliberately assumed ignorance of cowardice. is. & Bartenora in ib. (ii) The second "stone" picture is in Matthew 21:44, although it is to be noted that some manuscripts omit this verse altogether. . It was not the kingship of the throne which he claimed; it was the kingship of the heart. Confusion has changed a story Jesus told into an action Jesus did. Pilgrims came from all parts of the world to keep the Passover, to offer their sacrifices, sin-offerings, or thank-offerings, according to the circumstances of each case. The Lord Jesus has been presented to the people, has preached, has wrought miracles, has instructed disciples, has met all the various classes of His adversaries, has launched into the future up to the end of the age. The other is Jesus himself. & Bartenora in Misn. Believe it or not, the Messiah was about to take His seat at the right hand of Jehovah. There was every danger of shameless exploitation of poor and humble pilgrims--and it was that exploitation which raised the wrath of Jesus. As he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken. And he left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there. The folly of their thoughts too was manifest in this, that the difficulty presented was wholly unreal it only existed in their imagination. But at the same time there is another trait noted here only: the blind and the lame (the "hated of David's soul,"2 Samuel 5:8; 2 Samuel 5:8) the pitied of David's greater Son and Lord) find a friend instead of an enemy in Him who loved them, the true beloved of God. Antiochus was determined to stamp out Judaism and to introduce into Palestine Greek ways of life and worship. The works that Christ did, recommended themselves to every man's conscience. There are two pictures behind Jesus' dramatic action. When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these cultivators?" And they said unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons ( Matthew 21:34-41 ). The fig tree was the favourite of all trees. That seems on the face of it to be an entirely necessary function; but the trouble was that these money-changers charged the equivalent of 1p for changing the currency at all; and, if the coin was of greater value than a half-shekel, they charged another lp for giving back the surplus change. 12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. Matthew 21:12-16. It is in holy things that he rules, and in the temple of God that he exercises authority. The Pharisees were the high ecclesiastical party; the Herodians, on the contrary, were the low worldly courtier party: those, the strong sticklers for tradition and righteousness according to the law; these, the panderers to the powers that then were for whatever could be got in the earth. The only offering that you could give to God would be the temple shekel. These courts will now be described. The miraculous powers which He exercised were samples of the power which would fill the earth with Jehovah's glory, casting out the enemy, and effacing the traces of his power, and making it the theatre of the manifestation of His kingdom here below. "They all slumbered and slept." If you fall upon Him in repentance, you will be broken, true, but you'll come into a new, full, rich life. So he countered the question of the Jewish authorities with a question of his own, one which placed them in a dilemma. And except ye repent, the preaching of John shall condemn you in the day of judgment JST Matt. (18-22) Jesus' discourse in the temple. 12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, Read full chapter. For His testimony to the truth they consummated their worst deed; and this doubly, before the high priest as well as before the governor. While each of these services seems benevolent, beneath them lies greed and dishonesty. Jesus answered them, "I will ask you one question, and if you give me an answer to it, I too will tell you by what authority I do these things. Bethany was but two little miles from Jerusalem; thither he went on foot, to show that, when he rode, it was only to fulfil the scripture. 1 Now # Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-38 when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, . If this was a symbolic action, it was meant to teach something. One evil eye may too soon communicate its foul impression, and thereby many be defiled. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. Sin is deliberate opposite to God; it is the taking of our own way when we know quite well what the way of God is. There was no singleness of purpose, there was no fear of God, in these men so full of swelling words and fancied authority. 1. "How much is the "Kolbon?" So it is here. Toen unitan, c. 2. sect. Merchandize of holy things, simoniacal presentations, fraudulent exchanges, a mercenary spirit in sacred functions ecclesiastical employments obtained by flattery, service, or attendance, or by any thing which is instead of money; collations, nominations, and elections made through any other motive than the glory of God; these are all fatal and damnable profanations, of which those in the temple were only a shadow." Thus these nations or Gentiles are dealt with according to their behaviour to the messengers of the King, just before and up to the time that the King summons them before the throne of His glory. 7: . 19: 45). (Matthew 24:7 & Luke 21:11) 2) Increasing lawlessness and violence. Prior to completing the terms of this agreement, Notoriously this total ruin of the Jewish state came to pass when the disciples had grown up to be 'a public witness to the world, before the apostles were all taken away from the earth; then their whole national polity sunk and disappeared when Titus sacked Jerusalem, and sold and scattered the people to the ends of the earth. He was here offering himself to the people, at a time when Jerusalem was surging with Jews from all over the country and from all over the world, as the Anointed One of God. They must not imagine that it would be like an ordinary judgment in providence, which sweeps here, not there, and sweeps here indiscriminately. So should the blow fall suddenly on all its objects. Matthew 21:12 in all English translations. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. (i) There is the picture of Zechariah 9:9, in which the prophet saw the king coming to Jerusalem, humble and riding upon an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass. Jesus, according to our evangelist's account, comes to the temple and cleanses it. It may be that men reject Christ, and refuse him, and seek to eliminate him, but they will yet find that the Christ whom they rejected is the most important person in the world. There seems to be nothing lie against these men being the very persons, whose tables Christ overturned, unless it should be objected, that this was not the time of their sitting; for it was now within a few days of the passover, which was in the month Nisan; whereas it was in the month Adar, that the half shekel was paid: but it should be observed, according to the above account, that they did not begin to sit in the temple to receive this money, until the twenty fifth of Adar; and it was now but the tenth of Nisan, when Christ entered the temple and found them there: so that there was but fifteen days: between the one and the other; and considering the large numbers that were obliged to pay, and the backwardness and poverty of many, they may reasonably be thought to be still sitting on that account: and what Maimonides before relates deserves notice, and will strengthen this supposition; that on the twenty fifth: of Adar, they sat in the temple to collect this money; and that henceforward they urged and compelled persons to pay it. [Note: See the diagrams of Jerusalem and Herods Temple at the end of these notes. 120. What a contrast, too, with Jesus afterwards, when the trial came! Jesus saith unto them [such is the application], Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. In both instances, His righteous indignation comes as a result of seeing such total disrespect for Gods house. Shekalim, c. 1. sect. But this was not the only testimony which God gave. Now the parable, of course, is directed against them. These buyers and sellers imitated them. That is why I tell you that the Kingdom of God will be taken from you, and will be given to a nation which produces its fruits. Returning thus, to the horror and shame of His adversaries, in or out of the land, the first thing spoken of here is His mission of His angels to gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
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matthew 21:12; mark 11:15
