God’s Word for You
Mark 11:11 A quiet hour in the temple
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Thursday, December 16, 2021
11 Jesus went into the temple courts in Jerusalem and looked around at everything. Since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
From the Mount of Olives to the Golden Gate of Jerusalem it is less than 200 yards, or two football fields, but it seems to have taken Jesus all afternoon to get there. This was due to the crowds of people who wanted to see him, crowding around and slowing the donkey’s pace to a few steps per minute. But at last, as evening was falling and Jesus did not make any signs of feeding the crowds by means of a miracle, the people dispersed and the Lord went into the temple courts. He would have witnessed the evening sacrifice and its prayers.
The high priest took the lamb before the huge altar. Waves of heat from the bronze altar’s fire rippled in the afternoon air and made the temple wall in the background seem to skip and dance. The priest’s hand was quick and businesslike. The lamb’s throat was cut, the blood was caught, and the animal was carried up to the huge bronze surface of the altar of the temple. It was big enough to hold nine of the altars Aaron and Moses had known, three rows by three rows. The priest laid the lamb’s body there on one of the burning fires, retraced his steps, and descended back to the courtyard. He lifted up his hands and spoke the prayer. “Let my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice,” David had written (Psalm 141:2). Did other words of that Psalm enter into Jesus’ thoughts at that moment? “Keep me safe from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety” (Psalm 141:9-10).
Jesus looked at the courtyard of the Holy Place. The tall front porch was the most impressive thing in the city from where he was probably standing, looking up from down the curved steps and the Court of the Women (not having come to make a sacrifice on this evening, he would have had no reason to approach the upper Court of the Priests). Flanking the big doors were the pillars, Jakin and Boaz. These pillars were so tall that they appeared to taper quite a bit before reaching their capitals. Despite the spring breeze, the massive pillars did not sway in the least but stood stony and unmoving as the inscribed Law.
The courtyards were emptying now. Tables were being taken down and put away as the sun set. Jesus had in mind to correct the disrespectful and sinful practices of these courtyards, but just now it was too late in the day; most of the men who were the moneychangers and the dove salesmen were already home reclining at their dinner tables. Tomorrow would be soon enough to say something, or do something, or both. More than two years ago he had fashioned a whip and had done the same thing he planned to do in the morning (John 2:15). His human nature seethed over their sin and his divine nature as always was in perfect accord.
He turned, and the disciples turned with him like a school of fish. It was time to walk back to Bethany and spend the evening. Leaving the city would prevent the Sanhedrin from murdering him secretly, and he knew this was in their hearts (Matthew 26:4). He had predicted it with one of his parables, and the words he used were perfectly suited to this moment: “When some of the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance’” (Matthew 21:28). But they would have to throw him out of the vineyard first (Matthew 21:29), and tonight he wasn’t going to linger in what they thought was their vineyard.
Driving the moneychangers out (and leading them, perhaps, to repentance) or at least removing them so that truly faithful people could at least get to the temple to worship, was truly a part of Jesus’ work. He is the Key of David (Isaiah 22:22), the guardian of all heavenly treasures. “The Lord Jesus” Dr. Becker said, “has the keys to all the treasures of heaven and power to bestow or to withhold them according to his will” (Revelation: Distant Triumph Song p. 67).
As they wound their way through the streets of the eastern quarter, they saw that there were few if any rooms left for pilgrims coming to the city even today, five days before the Passover. The rich might find a room, but Jesus was not rich. Already they could see some people spreading blankets to sleep under in the fields in the Kidron Valley. The stones were unmerciful pillows, but the stars were coming out, watching over the faithful like the unseen angels. But the stars are fewer in number. Far fewer.
Oh, come, O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel!
Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel, vs. 4
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.