But, on the other hand, there are references, equally decisive, though fewer in number, in which both the temple and its worship are regarded as of quite subordinate importance. Thus in Mt 12^, where Christ speaks of Himself as 'greater than the temple,' He was uttering words which, at all events to Jews, must have implied a depreciation of the temple ; in the same passage the quotation from Hos 6* ' I will have mercy and not sacrifice ' (repeated in Mt 9^^) pointed distinctly to the rela- tive unimportance of sacrifice. Again, the parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates what Christ thought of the priesthood (Lk 10^^) ; and most striking is His reply to those who lavished praise on the beauty of the temple : ' Verily, I say unto you, There shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down' (Mt 24^, Mk IS^-^, Lk 2F- ^), in connexion with which must be taken Jn 4-^i ' Neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem shall y\) worship the Father. ' f
This twofold, and apparently contradictory, atti- tude of Christ towards the temple and its worship has also a twofold explanation. There can be little doubt, in the first place, that Christ's realization of the relatively minor importance of the temple and its worship stood in the closest relation to His second coming (wapovaia) and the doctrine of the last things. This is very distinctly seen in that it is immediately after the prediction of the de- struction of the temple (Mt 24^, Mk I31, Lk 21") J that He recounts the signs which shall precede His second coming (see esp. Mt 25^i*-, cf. 2 Th 2^-'^^) ; the near approach of the end (Mt 24i'*) emphasized the temporary character of the temple and all that pertained to it.§ In the second place, it is to be
* See Bousset, Religion des Judentums, p. 94.
t This attitude of Christ towards the temple and its worship receives corroboration in an exceedingly interesting fragment of a lost Gospel, discovered at Oxyrhynchus, which contains an account of a visit of Christ and His disciples to the temple ; they meet there a Pharisee who reproaches them with neglecting to perform the usual purification ceremony before entering the 'holy place ' (presumably the Court of the Israelites is meant). Christ, in reply, emphasizes the need of inward purity, com- pared with which the outward ceremonial is as nothing (cf.
Mt 232-1 26, Lk 1137-40). ^ '^
t On the ' Abomination of Desolation ' see Cheyne in Encve. Bibl. i. cols. 21-23.
§ This was in direct contradiction to the Jewish belief in the inviolability of the temple, see Jos. BJ vi. v. 2 ; cf. Bousset, op. cit. p. 97 ; cf . Ac 74«f.
explained by the ever-widening conceptions which Christ experienced regarding His Person and work. In the early part of His ministry the influence of Jewish up-bringing and environment was strongly marked ; but as tlie realization of His own Divine Personality and the world-embracing character of His work grew more and more clear, all that was distinctively Jewish and of local colour receded into comparative insignificance. The evolution of Christ's Divine consciousness brought with it a new perspective, which revealed Him to Himself not merely as King of the Jews, but also as the Divine Saviour of the world (cf. Mt 24").
Cleansing of the temple. — This episode, together with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, is one of the few events (apart from the story of the Passion) recorded by all four Evangelists ; this is significant, for its importance can scarcely be exaggerated. There are slight variations in the four accounts, but the substantial fact is identical in each (Mt 2p2-i7, Mk lli5-'«, Lk 19^5. 46^ Jn 2"-2i). It is neces- sary to realize clearly that this act of ' cleansing ' (the expression is quite misleading) belonged to a definite course of action marked out by Christ for Himself, and that it formed the last great act [the narrative in Jn. being misplaced] of His public ministry prior to the Passion. It is therefore im- portant to connect it with the leading events of the few months preceding it.
According to Mk., which may be regarded as offering the earliest and most strictly historical account, that which definitely and irrevocably marked the final breach between Christ and the ecclesiastical authorities was the question of Sab- bath observance (cf. Burkitt, The Gospel History and its Transmission, p. 68 ff. ) ; the controversy on this subject culminated in the healing of the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath (Mk 3^^). This occurred in the country under the juris- diction of Herod Antipas, i.e. during the Galilaean ministry, which had as one of its most notable re- sults the adhesion to Christ of the masses. It Avas on account of this popular support that the religious authorities deemed it advisable to get help from the secular arm, if this movement, so dangerous from their point of view, was to be checked. For this reason they appealed to the Herodians (Mk 3^) ; their appeal was evidently successful, for Christ found it necessary to leave Galilee, and to remain in such parts of the country as were outside the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas ; thus freeing Him- self from the molestations of the Herodians. Dur- ing this time the multitudes flocked to Him ; but His main purpose consisted in preparing His dis- ciples for what was to come. This preparation went on for some months. Then Christ determined to go up to Jerusalem for the Passover and appear publicly once more,* though He knew what the result must be, and did not hide it from His dis- ciples (10^^"^). He thereupon entered Jerusalem publicly, accompanied by His followers (IV^-), and the next day the ' cleansing ' of the temple took place. That is to say, in the cycle of events just referred to, the ' cleansing ' formed the climax. Now, the essence of practical Judaism, according to the ideas of the religious official classes, consisted, above all things, in the strict observance of the Sabbath, and the due and regular carrying out of the sacrificial system. Christ had dealt Math the former of these, as referred to above ; and, in making it a real blessing, had of necessity run directly counter to the traditional rules of observ- ance ; that is to say, while holding firmly to the spirit of the Law, He abrogated the Sa])bath in the old Jewish sense of the word. The ' cleansing ' of the temple denotes His intention of doing the same