The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 228

of an ee.rly oonllid of Jesus wit.h t.he e.utho- anothcr, e.nd combine to refute the idyllio rities at Jerusalem, and tlmt they forget, in reproduction of the public ministry, which their eagerness to demonstrate the nuti- Ronan e.nd mo.ny others hnve attempted t.o ,Tewish che.moter of the Johnnnine Christ, fashion, by which the early life is represented 1hnt he here is represented e.s e. pious Jew, as enacted in one blaze of sunshine, and that 11 tten<ling the nRtione.l festivals e.nd jealous its close alone wo.s shrouded in clouds and for the honour of the temple. The cbrono- darkened by the Lord's l"(,'Ckleee nnd suicide.I logit'e.l diffit'ulties the.t arise if the two rnsbing on his fote. We therefore oonolude, <'leansings are identified e.mount to the with numerous critics, that there is (1) no g-rossest ine.eeumcy on the pa.rt either of the ree.sou to believe thnt John misplaced the ~ynoptiets or John. Liicko, De Wette, temple cleansing; nnd (2) that he does not Ewald, treat the synoptists e.s inaccurate, and preclude the second e.ct of the like kind re- .Tobn's o.ooount, being that of an eye-witness, corded in the synoptists; (3) while the n, the reduction of the evllnt to its proper synoptists imply occurrences whicll nre plat'e in the history. It is obvious tl,e.t the detailed in John, but omitted in their narra- ~ynoptists (Mntt. xxvi. 61 ; Mark xiv. 58) tive, yet the cllnre.cter of the proceeding knew that words which John recounts he.d, differs on both occasions. nt au earlier period, me.de e. deep impression Ver. 14.-He found in the temple (/epov); upon 1he multitude. The thief on the cross the ve.st enclosure, surrounded by colonnades, (Matt. uvii. 38-44), and the insulting where the courts of the Gentiles were situ- crowJs (l\Inrk xv. 27-29), nnd Stephen after- ated beyond and outside the courts of " the wards (Acts vi. 14), reveal fnmilie.rity with women" e.nd "the priests." Within the nu utterance which John alone recounts, latter was the se.nctuary (va&s), or snored but which he.d been misunderst.ood. An adytwm, where the e.ltnrs of sacrifice and in- ingenious "Titer in the National Review, 1857 cense faced the veil of the holiest of all. In (Mr. R. H. Hutton," Theological ESSBys "), the court of the temple had been allowed a believes, uot only tllat the entire scene in the secule.r market for se.crificie.l beasts. An ex- temple, but that Christ's claim to be the Hee.d change for money we.s also set up, where Jews of the kingdom, the po.re.hies of " wicked were ready to furnish, on usurious terms, the husbandmen" e.nd "two sons," and the re- proper coin, the sacred half-shekel (value, ference to the "he.ptism of John," should e.ll one shilling and threepence), in which form be transferred, together with the triumphal alone wns the temple-tax received from the entry, to the period in which John be.a placed provincial visitors or pilgrims from distant the firtit temple-clea.nsing. He thinks that lands. No coin bee.ring the image of Cre~ar, the reference to the " baptism of John " was or any foreign prince, or e.ny idolatro11s sym- more reasonable e.t that period than two bol then so common, would be e.llowed in the years nfterthe death of John, and that (Matt. sacred treasury. So the Lord found those x:ri. 11) the reference to "JeSUB of N e.zareth" that sold oxen and sheep e.nd doves, e.nd the was more appropriate e.t the beginning the.n exchangers of money sitting ; a busy bazaar, e.t the close of the ministry. But, on the deteriorating the idea of the temple with other hand, the inscription on the cross, e.dverse e.SBociations. The three se.erifieio.l "Jesus of Nazareth," e.nd the numerous re- animals mentioned were those most frequently ferences to the" baptism of John" e.te. much required. The strangers, doubtless, needed later date, quite refute this argument. There some market where these could be obtained, are those who strenuously assail the histori- and where the sufficient guarantee of their city of St. John's e.ceount, e.nd plead for the freedom from blemish could be secured. It greater accuracy of the synoptists (Stre.U£S, was also indispensable that exchange of Baur, Hilgenfeld, etc.). But, seeing the.t the coins should hnve been mnde fellSible for the ~ynoptic tradition takes no notice of this host of strangers. The profuno.iion effected preliminary ministry, in which our Lord by transacting these mee.sures in the temple g-ives specimens of nll his powers and glory, courts was symptomatic of widespread se- no reaBOn presents itself why they should cularism, an outward indication of the have singled out one n.o.rre.tive and mispla.ced corruption oft.he entire idea of worship, and it. So long e.s John's Goepel is held to have of the selfishness and pride which had " genuine historicity, his narrative ee.nnot vitiated the solemnity and spirituality of the be suffered to be e. romantic transposition to se.crifieie.l ritual. Geikie ho.s given 11, very med o. preconcehed idea of chronological brilliant description of this scene ; so e.lso development. The early foreshadowing of Edersheim, ' Life of Jesus the MeSBie.h.' the Lord's death and resurrection, coupled 1'he money (,clpµ.a) was probably derived with the reference to his being " lifted up" from n word (,ce!pw) meaning" to cut," and like tlle serpent of brass, e.nd the cruel treat- referred to the minute coins which were ment rec,eived from the people at Nazareth required for convenient exchange. 'fhe and from scribes o.nd Pharisees nt Caper- 1t.OJo.Jw/3os, which gives its nameto,coJ,.Jo.u/3,0"r~s mrnm, e.re in liviu~ harmony with one of 1he following wrse, is also the no.me of a rJII, 11, 1-26,] 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 81)