CHAPTER 72.
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Levi
Jesus in Jerusalem. Drives the merchants out of the temple. The priests resent, and he defends himself from the standpoint of a loyal Jew. He speaks to the people.
The Jewish paschal feast time came and Jesus left his mother in Capernaum and journeyed to Jerusalem.
2 And he abode with one a Sadducee, whose name was Jude.
3 And when he reached the temple courts the multitudes were there to see the prophet whom the people thought had come to break the yoke of Rome, restore the kingdom of the Jews, and rule on David’s throne.
4 And when the people saw him come they said, All hail! behold the king!
5 But Jesus answered not; he saw the money changers in the house of God, and he was grieved.
6 The courts had been converted into marts of trade, and men were selling lambs and doves for offerings in sacrifice.
7 And Jesus called the priests and said, Behold, for paltry gain you have sold out the temple of the Lord.
8 This house ordained for prayer is now a den of thieves. Can good and evil dwell together in the courts of God? I tell you, no.
9 And then he made a scourge of cords and drove the merchants out; he overturned their boards, and threw their money on the floor.
10 He opened up the cages of the captive birds, and cut the cords that bound the lambs, and set them free.
11 The priests and scribes rushed out, and would have done him harm, but they were driven back; the common people stood in his defense.
12 And then the rulers said, Who is this Jesus you call king?
13 The people said, He is the Christ of whom our prophets wrote; he is the king who will deliver Israel.
14 The rulers said to Jesus, Man, if you be king, or Christ, then show us signs. Who gave you right to drive these merchants out?
15 And Jesus said, There is no loyal Jew who would not give his life to save this temple from disgrace; in this I acted simply as a loyal Jew, and you yourselves will bear me witness to this truth.
16 The signs of my messiahship will follow me in words and deeds.
17 And you may tear the temple down (and you will tear it down) and in three days it will be built again more glorious than before.
18 Now Jesus meant that they might take his life; tear down his body, temple of the Holy Breath, and he would rise again.
19 The Jews knew not the meaning of his words; they laughed his claims to scorn. They said,
20 A multitude of men were forty and six years in building up this house, and this young stranger claims that he will build it up in three score hours; his words are idle, and his claims are naught.
21 And then they took the scourge with which he drove the merchants out, and would have driven him away; but Philo, who had come from Egypt to attend the feast, stood forth and said,
22 You men of Israel, hear! This man is more than man; take heed to what you do. I have, myself, heard Jesus speak, and all the winds were still.
23 And I have seen him touch the sick, and they were healed. He stands a sage above the sages of the world;
24 And you will see his star arise, and it will grow until it is the full-orbed Sun of Righteousness.
25 Do not be hasty, men; just wait and you will have the proofs of his messiahship.
26 And then the priests laid down the scourge, and Jesus said,
27 Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king! But you can never see the king while you press sin as such a precious idol to your hearts.
28 The king is God; the pure in heart alone can see the face of God and live.
29 And then the priests cried out, This fellow claims to be the God. Is not this sacrilege! away with him!
30 But Jesus said, No man has ever heard me say, I am a king. Our Father-God is king. With every loyal Jew I worship God.
31 I am the candle of the Lord aflame to light the way; and while you have the light walk in the light.