CHAPTER VIII. TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE ON THE OCTAVE OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.
(St. John viii. 12-59.)
The startling teaching on the last, the Great Day of the Feast' was not the only one delivered at that season. The impression left on the mind is, that after silencing, as they thought, Nicodemus, the leaders of the Pharisees had dispersed. [4027] The addresses of Jesus which followed must, therefore, have been delivered, either later on that day, or, what on every account seems more likely, chiefly, or all, on the next day, [4028] which was the Octave of the Feast, when the Temple would be once more thronged by worshippers.
On this occasion we find Christ, first in The Treasury,' [4029] and then [4030] in some unnamed part of the sacred building, in all probabilities one of the Porches,' Greater freedom could be here enjoyed, since these Porches,' which enclosed the Court of the Gentiles, did not form part of the Sanctuary in the stricter sense. Discussions might take place, in which not, as in the Treasury,' only the Pharisees,' [4031] but the people generally, might propound questions, answer, or assent. Again, as regards the requirements of the present narrative, since the Porches opened upon the Court, the Jews might there pick up stones to cast at Him (which would have been impossible in any part of the Sanctuary itself), while lastly, Jesus might easily pass out of the Temple in the crowd that moved through the Porches to the outer gates. [4032]
But the narrative first transports us into the Treasury,' where the Pharisees' - or leaders - would alone venture to speak. It ought to be specially marked, that if they laid not hands on Jesus when He dared to teach in this sacred locality, and that such unwelcome doctrine, His immunity must be ascribed to the higher appointment of God: because His hour had not yet come.' [4033] An archæological question may here be raised as to the exact localisation of the Treasury,' whether it was the colonnade around the Court of the Women,' in which the receptacles for charitable contributions - the so-called Shopharoth, or trumpets' - were placed, [4034] or one of the two chambers' in which, respectively, secret gifts [4035] and votive offerings [4036] were deposited. [4037] [4038] The former seems the most likely. In any case, it would be within the Court of the Women,' the common meeting-place of the worshippers, and, as we may say, the most generally attended part of the Sanctuary. [4039] Here, in the hearing of the leaders of the people, took place the first Dialogue between Christ and the Pharisees.
It opened with what probably was an allusion alike to one of the great ceremonies of the Feast of Tabernacles, to its symbolic meaning, and to an express Messianic expectation of the Rabbis. As the Mishnah states: On the first, [4040] or, as the Talmud would have it, [4041] on every night [4042] of the festive week, the Court of the Women' was brilliantly illuminated, and the night spent in the demonstrations already described. This was called the joy of the feast.' This festive joy,' of which the origin is obscure, was no doubt connected with the hope of earth's great harvest-joy in the conversion of the heathen world, and so pointed to the days of the Messiah.' In connection with this we mark, that the term light' was specially applied to the Messiah. In a very interesting passage of the Midrash [4043] we are told, that, while commonly windows were made wide within and narrow without, it was the opposite in the Temple of Solomon, because the light issuing from the Sanctuary was to lighten that which was without. This reminds us of the language of devout old Simeon in regard to the Messiah, [4044] as a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of His people Israel.' The Midrash further explains, that, if the light in the Sanctuary was to be always burning before Jehovah, the reason was, not that He needed such light, but that He honoured Israel with this as a symbolic command. In Messianic times God would, in fulfilment of the prophetic meaning of this rite, kindle for them the Great Light,' and the nations of the world would point to them, who had lit the light for Him Who lightened the whole world. But even this is not all. The Rabbis speak of the original light in which God had wrapped Himself as in a garment, [4045] and which could not shine by day, because it would have dimmed the light of the sun. From this light that of the sun, moon, and stars had been kindled. [4046] It was now reserved under the throne of God for the Messiah, [4047] in Whose days it would shine forth once more. Lastly, we ought to refer to a passage in another Midrash, [4048] where, after a remarkable discussion on such names of the Messiah as the Lord our Righteousness,' the Branch,' the Comforter,' Shiloh,' Compassion,' His Birth is connected with the destruction, and His return with the restoration of the Temple. [4049] But in that very passage the Messiah is also specially designated as the Enlightener,' the words: [4050] the light dwelleth with Him,' being applied to Him.