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MATTHEW - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand!
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Matthew
PART 4 - Jesus' Last Ministries in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1 - 25:46)
A - A Dispute in the Temple (Matthew 21:1 - 22:46)

2. Jesus Cleanses the Temple (Matthew 21:10-17)


MATTHEW 21:14-17
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children who were crying in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?’” 17 He left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there.

Christ is the temple of God, and in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. God worked through Him to save many. Jesus is also the true High Priest, and the Lamb of God who offered Himself for us so that the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s blessing might dwell in us. Consequently, He is simultaneously the Temple, the High Priest, and the sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the world. These three roles meet all of the legal requirements regarding the priestly duties for reconciliation with God.

Where Christ is, miracles appear. When He healed the sick, the blind, and the lame, He not only proved His divinity, but He also drew people’s attention away from the stones of the physical temple to Christ Himself as God’s true temple.

The blind and the lame were not allowed to enter David’s palace (2 Samuel 5:8), but they were admitted into God’s house because the honor of God’s temple does not lie in earthly glories. The blind and lame must keep their distance from princes’ palaces, but only the unrepentant, wicked, and profane are barred from God’s temple.

The temple became profane when it was made into a market place, but it was honored when it became a hospital. Doing good in God’s house is more honorable than making money there.

Sometimes children recognize the essence of a person faster than an adult does. In this portion of scripture, the children began to shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” They may not have realized that they were greeting the Divine King. They intended only to greet Jesus, the merciful Healer that the crowds had been applauding the day before.

Children imitate what they see and hear so easily that great care must be taken to set them good examples for them. A Latin proverb says, “Our behavior with the young should be conducted with the most scrupulous care.” Children learn from those who are with them, either to curse and swear, or to pray and praise. The Jews taught their children to carry branches and shout “Hosanna!” at the Feast of Tabernacles, but in this portion of Scripture, God teaches them to apply it to Christ.

The teachers and leaders of the people were furious and angry about this display of praise in the temple. Fearing political and national disorder, they watched Jesus closely. Would He seize power by force? When nothing like this happened, and no angels were called up from heaven to destroy the Romans, the people came to Jesus and asked him, “What do you say when you hear your followers calling you the Son of David?” Jesus replied that the Holy Spirit would speak out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants if the leaders and princes did not worship Him. By these words, He asked the Jewish council to submit willingly to His majesty. This submission did not happen, and the people were actually planning to kill Him. So Jesus left Jerusalem and went to Bethany.

PRAYER: Father, we are in dire need of purification, revival, and regeneration in the recess of our hearts that we may not look like a den of thieves. Drive away our thoughts that contradict Your love and kindness. Remove our pressing worries from within that we may be sanctified by the blood of Your Son, that Your Holy Spirit may dwell in us, making our mouths and hearts sing, for You are worthy of praise at all times.

QUESTION:

  1. What is the difference between the singing children in a temple and the angry chief priests and scribes?

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