Visiting The Temple Again

JESUS and his disciples have just spent their third night in Bethany since arriving from Jericho. Now the early morning light of Monday, Nisan 10, finds them already on the road to Jerusalem. Jesus is hungry. So when he catches sight of a fig tree with leaves, he goes over to it to see whether it might have some figs. The tree's leaves are unseasonably early, since the season for figs is not until June, and it is now only late March. However, Jesus evidently feels that since the leaves are early, the figs might also be early. But he is disappointed. The leaves have given the tree a deceptive appearance. Jesus then curses the tree, saying: "Let no one eat fruit from you anymore forever." The consequences of Jesus' action and it significance are learned the following morning.

Continuing on, Jesus and his disciples soon reach Jerusalem. He goes to the temple, which he had inspected the previous afternoon. Today, however, he takes action, just as he did three years earlier when he came to the Passover of 30 C.E. Jesus throws out those selling and buying in the temple and overturns the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. He does not even allow anyone to carry a utensil through the temple.

Condemning those who are changing money and selling animals in the temple, he says: "Is it not written, "My house will will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?" But you have made it a cave of robbers." they are robbers because they demand exorbitant prices from those who have little alternative but to buy from them the animals needed for sacrifice. So Jesus views these business dealings as a form of extortion or robbery.

When the chief priests, scribes and principal ones of the people hear what Jesus has done, they again seek a way to have him killed. They thereby prove that they are irreformable. Yet, they do not know how to destroy Jesus, since all the people keep hanging on to him to hear him.

Besides natural Jews, Gentiles have also come to the Passover. These are proselytes, meaning they have converted to the religion of the Jews. Certain Greeks, evidently proselytes, now approach Philip and ask to see Jesus. Philip goes to Andrew, perhaps to ask whether such a meeting would be appropriate. Jesus is apparently still at the temple where the Greeks are able to see him.

Next time: Conclusion of Visiting The Temple Again

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991