the desire of ages-第124节

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　addressed　them　as　rulers　of　Sodom　and　Gomorrah：　〃Hear　the　word　of　the　Lord；　ye　rulers　of　Sodom；　give　ear　unto　the　law　of　our　God；　ye　people　of　Gomorrah。　To　what　purpose　is　the　multitude　of　your　sacrifices　unto　Me？　saith　the　Lord：　I　am　full　of　the　burnt　offerings　of　rams；　and　the　fat　of　fed　beasts；　and　I　delight　not　in　the　blood　of　bullocks；　or　of　lambs；　or　of　he…goats。　When　ye　come　to　appear　before　Me；　who　hath　required　this　at　your　hand；　to　tread　My　courts？〃　〃Wash　you；　make　you　clean；　put　away　the　evil　of　your　doings　from　before　Mine　eyes；　cease　to　do　evil；　learn　to　do　well；　seek　judgment；　relieve　the　oppressed；　judge　the　fatherless；　plead　for　the　widow。〃　1　Sam。　15：22；　Isa。　1：10…12；　16；17。

He　who　had　Himself　given　these　prophecies　now　for　the　last　time　repeated　the　warning。　In　fulfillment　of　prophecy　the　people　had　proclaimed　Jesus　king　of　Israel。　He　had　received　their　homage；　and　accepted　the　office　of　king。　In　this　character　He　must　act。　He　knew　that　His　efforts　to　reform　a　corrupt　priesthood　would　be　in　vain；　nevertheless　His　work　must　be　done；　to　an　unbelieving　people　the　evidence　of　His　divine　mission　must　be　given。

Again　the　piercing　look　of　Jesus　swept　over　the　desecrated　court　of　the　temple。　All　eyes　were　turned　toward　Him。　Priest　and　ruler；　Pharisee

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and　Gentile；　looked　with　astonishment　and　awe　upon　Him　who　stood　before　them　with　the　majesty　of　heaven's　King。　Divinity　flashed　through　humanity；　investing　Christ　with　a　dignity　and　glory　He　had　never　manifested　before。　Those　standing　nearest　Him　drew　as　far　away　as　the　crowd　would　permit。　Except　for　a　few　of　His　disciples；　the　Saviour　stood　alone。　Every　sound　was　hushed。　The　deep　silence　seemed　unbearable。　Christ　spoke　with　a　power　that　swayed　the　people　like　a　mighty　tempest：　〃It　is　written；　My　house　shall　be　called　the　house　of　prayer；　but　ye　have　made　it　a　den　of　thieves。〃　His　voice　sounded　like　a　trumpet　through　the　temple。　The　displeasure　of　His　countenance　seemed　like　consuming　fire。　With　authority　He　commanded；　〃Take　these　things　hence。〃　John　2：16。

Three　years　before；　the　rulers　of　the　temple　had　been　ashamed　of　their　flight　before　the　command　of　Jesus。　They　had　since　wondered　at　their　own　fears；　and　their　unquestioning　obedience　to　a　single　humble

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Man。　They　had　felt　that　it　was　impossible　for　their　undignified　surrender　to　be　repeated。　Yet　they　were　now　more　terrified　than　before；　and　in　greater　haste　to　obey　His　command。　There　were　none　who　dared　question　His　authority。　Priests　and　traders　fled　from　His　presence；　driving　their　cattle　before　them。

On　the　way　from　the　temple　they　were　met　by　a　throng　who　came　with　their　sick　inquiring　for　the　Great　Healer。　The　report　given　by　the　fleeing　people　caused　some　of　these　to　turn　back。　They　feared　to　meet　One　so　powerful；　whose　very　look　had　driven　the　priests　and　rulers　from　His　presence。　But　a　large　number　pressed　through　the　hurrying　crowd；　eager　to　reach　Him　who　was　their　only　hope。　When　the　multitude　fled　from　the　temple；　many　had　remained　behind。　These　were　now　joined　by　the　newcomers。　Again　the　temple　court　was　filled　by　the　sick　and　the　dying；　and　once　more　Jesus　ministered　to　them。

After　a　season　the　priests　and　rulers　ventured　back　to　the　temple。　When　the　panic　had　abated；　they　were　seized　with　anxiety　to　know　what　would　be　the　next　movement　of　Jesus。　They　expected　Him　to　take　the　throne　of　David。　Quietly　returning　to　the　temple；　they　heard　the　voices　of　men；　women；　and　children　praising　God。　Upon　entering；　they　stood　transfixed　before　the　wonderful　scene。　They　saw　the　sick　healed；　the　blind　restored　to　sight；　and　deaf　receive　their　hearing；　and　the　crippled　leap　for　joy。　The　children　were　foremost　in　the　rejoicing。　Jesus　had　healed　their　maladies；　He　had　clasped　them　in　His　arms；　received　their　kisses　of　grateful　affection；　and　some　of　them　had　fallen　asleep　upon　His　breast　as　He　was　teaching　the　people。　Now　with　glad　voices　the　children　sounded　His　praise。　They　repeated　the　hosannas　of　the　day　before；　and　waved　palm　branches　triumphantly　before　the　Saviour。　The　temple　echoed　and　re…echoed　with　their　acclamations；　〃Blessed　be　He　that　cometh　in　the　name　of　the　Lord！〃　〃Behold；　thy　King　cometh　unto　thee；　He　is　just；　and　having　salvation！〃　Ps。　118：26；　Zech。　9：9。　〃Hosanna　to　the　Son　of　David！〃

The　sound　of　these　happy；　unrestrained　voices　was　an　offense　to　the　rulers　of　the　temple。　They　set　about　putting　a　stop　to　such　demonstrations。　They　represented　to　the　people　that　the　house　of　God　was　desecrated　by　the　feet　of　the　children　and　the　shouts　of　rejoicing。　Finding　that　their　words　made　no　impression　on　the　people；　the　rulers　appealed　to　Christ：　〃Hearest　Thou　what　these　say？　And　Jesus　saith　unto　them；　Yea；　have　ye　never　read；　Out　of　the　mouth　of　babes　and　sucklings

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Thou　hast　perfected　praise？〃　Prophecy　had　foretold　that　Christ　should　be　proclaimed　as　king；　and　that　word　must　be　fulfilled。　The　priests　and　rulers　of　Israel　refused　to　herald　His　glory；　and　God　moved　upon　the　children　to　be　His　witnesses。　Had　the　voices　of　the　children　been　silent；　the　very　pillars　of　the　temple　would　have　sounded　the　Saviour's　praise。

The　Pharisees　were　utterly　perplexed　and　disconcerted。　One　whom　they　could　not　intimidate　was　in　command。　Jesus　had　taken　His　position　as　guardian　of　the　temple。　Never　before　had　He　assumed　such　kingly　authority。　Never　before　had　His　words　and　works　possessed　so　great　power。　He　had　done　marvelous　works　throughout　Jerusalem；　but　never　before　in　a　manner　so　solemn　and　impressive。　In　presence　of　the　people　who　had　witnessed　His　wonderful　works；　the　priests　and　rulers　dared　not　show　Him　open　hostility。　Though　enraged　and　confounded　by　His　answer；　they　were　unable　to　accomplish　anything　further　that　day。

The　next　morning　the　Sanhedrin　again　considered　what　course　to　pursue　toward　Jesus。　Three　years　before；　they　had　demanded　a　sign　of　His　Messiahship。　Since　that　time　He　had　wrought　mighty　works　throughout　the　land。　He　had　healed　the　sick；　miraculously　fed　thousands　of　people；　walked　upon　the　waves；　and　spoken　peace　to　the　troubled　sea。　He　had　repeatedly　read　the　hearts　of　men　as　an　open　book；　He　had　cast　out　demons；　and　raised　the　dead。　The　rulers　had　before　them　the　evidences　of　His　Messiahship。　They　now　decided　to　demand　no　sign　of　His　authority；　but　to　draw　out　some　admission　or　declaration　by　which　He　might　be　condemned。

Repairing　to　the　temple　where　He　was　teaching；　they　proceeded　to　question　Him：　〃By　what　authority　doest　Thou　these　things？　and　who　gave　Thee　this　authority？〃　They　expected　Him　to　claim　that　His　authority　was　from　God。　Such　an　assertion　they　intended　to　deny。　But　Jesus　met　them　with　a　question　apparently　pertaining　to　another　subject；　and　He　made　His　reply　to　them　conditional　on　their　answering　this　question。　〃The　baptism　of　John；〃　He　said；　〃whence　was　it？　from　heaven；　or　of　men？〃

The　priests　saw　that　they　were　in　a　dilemma　from　which　no　sophistry　could　extricate　them。　If　they　said　that　John's　baptism　was　from　heaven；　their　inconsistency　would　be　made　apparent。　Christ　would　say；　Why　have　ye　not　then　believed　on　him？　John　had　testified　of　Christ；　〃Behold

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the　Lamb　of　God；　which　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world。〃　John　1：29。　If　the　priests　believed　John's　testimony；　how　could　they　deny　the　Messiahship　of　Christ？　If　they　declared　their　real　belief；　that　John's　ministry　was　of　men；　they　would　bring　upon　themselves　a　storm　of　indignation；　for　the　people　believed　John　to　be　a　prophet。

With　intense　interest　the　multitude　awaited　the　decision。　They　knew　that　the　priests　had　professed　to　accept　the　ministry　of　John；　and　they　expected　them　to　acknowledge　without　a　question　that　he　was　sent　from　God。　But　after　conferring　secretly　together；　the　priests　decided　not　to　commit　themselves。　Hypocritically　professing　ignorance；　they　said；　〃We　cannot　tell。〃　〃Neither　tell　I　you；〃　said　Christ；　〃by　what　authority　I　do　these　things。〃

Scribes；　priests；　and　rulers　were　all　silenced。　Baffled　and　disappointed；　they　stood　with　lowering　brows；　not　daring　to　press　further　questions　upon　Christ。　By　their　cowardice　and　indecision　they　had　in　a　great　measure　forfeited　the　respect　of　the　people；　who　now　stood　by；　amused　to　see　these　proud；　self…righteous　men　defeated。

All　these　sayings　and　doings　of　Christ　were　important；　and　their　influence　was　to　be　felt　in　an　ever…increasing　degree　after　His　crucifixion　and　ascension。　Many　of　those　who　had　anxiously　awaited　the　result　of　the　questioning　of　Jesus　were　finally　to　become　His　disciples；　first　drawn　toward　Him　by　His　words　on　that　eventful　day。　The　scene　in　the　temple　court　was　never　to　fade　from　their　minds。　The　contrast　between　Jesus　and　the　high　priest　as　they　talked　together　was　marked。　The　proud　dignitary　of　the　temple　was　clothed　in　rich　and　costly　garments。　Upon　his　head　was　a　glittering　tiara。　His　bearing　was　majestic；　his　hair　and　his　long　flowing　beard　were　silvered　by　age。　His　appearance　awed　the　beholders。　Before　this　august　personage　stood　the　Majesty　of　heaven；　without　adornment　or　display。　His　garments　were　travel　stained；　His　face　was　pale；　and　expressed　a