| We read in the first book of Esdras the Scribe, chapter 6, that king Darius gave orders to Esdras, the scribe, to go to Jerusalem and himself to cleanse the temple. King Darius signifies Christ, who drove out from the temple buyers and sellers. Thus he cleansed the temple of the Lord from unlawful practices, giving by this to understand that the temple of the Lord is a house of prayer, and not a place of merchandise. |
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We read in the fourth chapter of the first book of Maccabees that Judas Maccab¾us ordered the Jews to cleanse and sanctify the temple because it had been polluted against the law. Maccab¾us himseelf signifies Christ, who, having made a scourge of small cords, cast out buyers and sellers and forced them out, saying, "make not the house of My Father a house of merchandise." | ||||||
| Hosea 9.15. | "I will cast all out of My house." | (Ps. 49.9). | The zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up. | |||||
| Image: Darius purifies the temple |
Image: Christ vs. the moneychangers
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Image: Judas Machabeus cleanses the temple | ||||||
| He (Daniel) orders the temple to be cleansed and a feast proclaimed. | Maccab¾us sets himself to purify Thy sacred places, O God! | |||||||
| Amos 5.10 | They held in hatred Him who hastened in at the gate. | Zachariah 14.21. | There was no longer any merchant in the house of the Lord. | |||||
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Christ drives out those who bought and sold in the temple.
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