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CHRIST GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE
IT is said, concerning our blessed Lord, that he “endured, in a most extraordinary degree, the contradiction of sinners against himself [Note: Heb_12:3.].” And in reading his history, we are struck with it continually. There was not any thing which he either said or did, which was not made a subject of cavil to his enemies. Even his most beneficent acts were condemned as violations of the law [Note: Joh_5:8-9; Joh_5:16.], or as affording occasion for “the Romans to destroy both their place and nation [Note: Joh_11:43-44; Joh_11:47-48; Joh_11:53.].” In the chapter before us, we have a remarkable instance of their carping at an action in his Disciples, which, if done by any other person, would have caused no complaint. Our Lord was going with his Disciples through a corn-field, on the Sabbath-day; and they, being hungry, plucked some ears of corn, and rubbed them in their hands, and ate the corn. This the law of Moses expressly authorized them to do [Note: Deu_23:2.]; and therefore the act could not be condemned. But the law prohibited all kinds of labour on the Sabbath-day; and the Pharisees, with hypocritical malignity, interpreted this act as a kind of reaping and threshing-out the corn; and cast reflections on our Lord for sanctioning such a violation of the Sabbath. Our Lord therefore vindicated his Disciples: first, on the ground of its being a matter of necessity, in which case it superseded the observance of a ceremonial institution. In proof of this, he adduced the instance of David, who, having no food to satisfy himself and his followers on one particular emergency, took the loaves of shew-bread, which were to be eaten by none but the priests alone, and satisfied the calls of nature with that [Note: Lev_24:5-9. with 1Sa_21:6.]. This was generally acknowledged as a justifiable act in David, because of the urgency of the occasion; and on the same ground the conduct of his Disciples was justifiable, as was his also in permitting it. Our Lord next vindicated it on the ground of precedent: for, notwithstanding all the injunctions respecting rest on the Sabbath-day, the priests in the temple engaged in labour, to a very great extent, on every Sabbath, being occupied in slaying and offering the appointed sacrifices. They, notwithstanding they thus “profaned the Sabbath, were blameless,” because the service of the temple required it. In like manner, the Disciples, being engaged in his work, were blameless: for “He was greater than the temple;” and, consequently, was entitled to suspend the observance of the Sabbath, so far as his service required it; for “He was Lord even of the Sabbath-day [Note: ver. 1–8.].”
In discoursing on this subject, I will,
I. Confirm our Lord’s assertion—
Our blessed Lord did not so fully declare his Messiahship to the Pharisees as he did to some of a more candid disposition; as the Samaritan woman [Note: Joh_4:25-26.], and the man who had been born blind [Note: Joh_9:35-37.]. Yet, on proper occasions, he was not backward to assert his superiority to all the sons of men. Jonas was a prophet; and Solomon a king; but he was, in every view, greater than either the one or the other of them [Note: ver. 41, 42.]. And, of all the structures in the universe, the temple was infinitely the most august and sacred: yet did he, without hesitation, declare himself to be greater than the temple [Note: Whether we read ì å ß æ ù í or ì å ß æ ï í , denoting a person or a thing, we must of necessity understand it of our Lord himself: only, in the latter case we must suppose him to point to his own body; as he did when he said, “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up:” Joh_2:20-21.].
In order to confirm this assertion, I shall not enter generally into the proofs of the divinity of Christ, but shall consider minutely the comparison here instituted between the temple and him: and, stating those things which most ennobled the temple, I will distinctly mark the superiority of Christ in every particular.
The temple then, with every vessel in it, was made after a pattern formed by God himself; and given to David, and to Solomon, for that end [Note: 1Ch_28:11-12; 1Ch_28:18-19.]—
[But the Lord Jesus Christ was himself formed by the very hand of God. He was formed, as no other person ever was, by the immediate agency of the Holy Ghost; as the angel had announced to the Virgin Mary: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore, also, that Holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God [Note: Luk_1:35. compared with Heb_9:11.].” Nor was it in his person only, but in his offices also, that he was pre-eminently the product of Divine wisdom and power. In him are combined the kingly, prophetic, and sacerdotal offices; all of which he executes, in a spiritual manner, over the face of the whole earth, yea, and in heaven itself too; and will continue so to do, even to the end of time. It was in reference to him and his offices that the temple itself was formed, and all its ordinances were appointed. They were but the shadow, of which he was the substance: and consequently his superiority in this respect is fully established [Note: Mark carefully the precision with which this is stated in Heb_8:5.].]
Again: the temple was richly furnished with every thing which could conduce to the glory of God, or to the welfare of man—
[The candlestick, the table of shew-bread, the altar of incense, the censer, the ark of the covenant, with numberless other vessels, all of the purest gold, and of the most exquisite workmanship, distinguished this building far beyond any that ever existed upon earth. But they were very faint shadows of his incomprehensible fulness and excellency. In Him their respective uses were all combined. He was at once the sacrifice, the altar that sanctified it, and the Priest that offered it. He was “the light of the whole world;” and “the living bread, of which whosoever eats shall live for ever.” He was the laver in which every child of man must wash both his person and his offerings. He was the ark, which contained in it the law, and was covered in all its exact dimensions by the mercy-seat; for, by his own fulfilment of the law for us, he rendered the exercise of mercy commensurate with the necessities of fallen man. Here again, then, compare the shadow with the substance, and say whether the Lord Jesus Christ do not infinitely surpass the temple in the very things which constituted its chief grandeur.]
But further: the temple had the Shechinah, the bright cloud, the symbol of the Deity, constantly residing in it—
[This was doubtless its highest glory. (I speak of the former temple, previous to the Babylonish captivity; and not of the latter, in which many of its principal ornaments were wanting.) But in the Lord Jesus Christ dwelt, not a symbol of the Deity, but the Deity himself, “even all the fulness of the Godhead bodily [Note: Col_2:9.].” This explains that prophecy of the Prophet Haggai, that “the glory of the latter house should exceed the glory of the former [Note: Hag_2:9.].” How could that be, it may be asked, when in the latter temple were wanting the Shechinah, the Urim and Thummim, and the fire that came down from heaven? The answer is plain: The Lord Jesus Christ himself came to the latter house: and his presence in it was an honour infinitely exceeding all that ever was conferred on the first temple; because he was not a symbol of the Deity, but the great God himself in an incarnate state, even “Emmanuel, God with us [Note: Mat_1:23.].”]
I add yet once more: the temple was the place of confluence to all the tribes of Israel, even to all who desired to have access to God, or to obtain blessings at his hands [Note: Psa_122:4.]—
[And whither does every sinner in the universe go, but to Jesus [Note: Joh_6:68.]? To him is every eye directed [Note: Isa_45:22.]: “through him alone can any man have access to God [Note: Eph_2:18.]:” in him does every saint “desire to be found [Note: Php_3:9.]:” and through him shall all blessings, temporal, spiritual, eternal, flow down in richest abundance upon all who believe in him [Note: Eph_1:3.]. Indeed, in this respect his superiority is most amply marked: for all that he does, is by virtue of the “one offering of himself once offered:” whereas the offerings in the temple, because of their inefficacy, were renewed from year to year [Note: Heb_10:1-4; Heb_10:10.]: his grace also extends to sins which the law of Moses could not reach [Note: Act_13:39.]; and confers benefits which that was unable to impart [Note: Heb_7:19.]; and endures, not for a year only, like that under the law, but through the countless ages of eternity [Note: Heb_10:11; Heb_10:14; Heb_10:17-18.].]
To add any thing further would be superfluous. The superiority of Christ to the temple is so evident, that, without dwelling any longer upon it, I will proceed to,
II. Point out the peculiar interest which we have in it—
Here again we go back to our text, that we may derive from thence as much as possible for the elucidation of our subject. The establishment of Christ’s superiority to the temple shews,
1. His right to command—
[That was the precise point at issue between him and the Pharisees: Had he a right to authorize a deviation from the letter of the Mosaic law? He affirmed he had. They themselves admitted, that the strict observance of the Sabbath was dispensed with for the service of the temple: and if He was greater than the temple, the same right was vested in him. Nothing less than divine authority could in any case supersede a divine command: and, if be were greater than the temple, a divine authority must reside in him; consequently, he exercised no other right than what strictly, and of necessity, pertained unto him.
Now, there are divine commands, which we also, under all ordinary circumstances, are bound to obey. We must yield compliance with the lawful edicts of the civil magistrate [Note: Tit_3:1.]: we must “obey them, not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake:” and “if we resist his lawful authority, we shall receive to ourselves damnation [Note: Rom_13:1-2; Rom_13:5.].” Yet, if the civil magistrate enjoin what is contrary to the command of Christ, or forbid any thing which Christ has enjoined, we must obey Christ in preference to him. The Apostles, when forbidden to preach or teach in the name of Jesus, appealed to his very judges, saying, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye: for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard [Note: Act_4:19-20; Act_5:29].” In like manner, we are commanded to love and honour our parents: and so important is that command, that it is distinguished from the rest, by being enforced, as the Apostle observes, with a special promise [Note: Eph_6:2.]. Yet even that is superseded, when they exert their authority in opposition to Christ. Nay, more: strange as the injunction sounds, we are commanded even to “hate father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, in comparison of him; and on no other terms can we ever be acknowledged as his disciples [Note: Luk_14:26.].” (Of course, no one will be so absurd as to imagine that this declaration is to be understood in any other than a comparative view: for in any other view we are not authorized to hate an enemy, much less our nearest relatives.) Our duty to the Lord Jesus Christ is of paramount obligation, and supersedes every thing that is opposed to it. The law of self-preservation is strongly binding upon us: but if fidelity to Christ require the sacrifice of it, “not even life itself must be dear to us [Note: Act_20:24.]:” we must be willing to lay it down at any time for his sake [Note: Act_21:13.]: and if, at the expense of our duty to him, we save our lives, we shall lose them to all eternity [Note: Mat_10:39.].
This, then, must be a principle deeply fixed in our minds, That the authority of Christ is to rule us under all circumstances; and that nothing under heaven is to be suffered to interfere with it. Men who cast off his yoke will indeed clamour against us, and express their indignation against us for not complying with their will. But we may safely leave ourselves in the hands of Jesus; who, as our Advocate, will plead our cause; and, as our Judge, will pass a sentence of approval upon us in the last day. He will then at least, if not before, vindicate our conduct, and “make our righteousness to appear as the noon-day [Note: Psa_37:6.].”]
2. His sufficiency to save—
[To all who observed the institutions of the law in faith, they were effectual for the salvation of their souls. And who ever applied to Jesus in vain? Who ever relied on his sacrifice, and was confounded? What is there that shall be kept back from one who implores blessings at his hands? Shall pardon be refused? No: “though his sins were red as scarlet or as crimson, they should become white as snow.” “The blood of Jesus Christ should cleanse him from all sin.” Shall peace be denied to the believing suppliant? No: “being justified by faith, he shall have peace with God;” so that, instead of looking forward with terror to the eternal world, he shall even now “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Shall strength for future obedience be withheld? No: “the grace of Christ shall be sufficient for him;” and he shall be “able to do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth him.” Shall glory be deemed too good for him? No: the Saviour, in whom he has believed, will judge him, and exalt him to a participation of his own inheritance, his own kingdom, his own glory. The principal utensils of the temple, the lavers, the tables, the candlesticks, wore, in the temple, ten times more numerous than in the tabernacle [Note: Compare Exo_25:23; Exo_25:31; Exo_30:18. with 2Ch_4:6-8.]: and this marked the great superiority of the temple and its services to the tabernacle and the ordinances observed in it. And say I too much, if I say, that in Jesus our blessings are increased? Verily, they are increased, not tenfold, but a hundredfold: for, till he was glorified, they were sent forth only in slender portions: but from that time they have been poured out like a river [Note: Joh_7:39.].]
Let us then observe from hence,
1. How highly we are privileged under the Christian dispensation—
[Jesus came in person to the second temple, and thereby raised it above the first. And does he not come to his temple in our day? Yes, he does: not corporeally indeed, but spiritually, and with great power. He has promised that he would do so: “Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them [Note: Mat_18:20.].” And this he will continue to do: as he has said, “Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world [Note: Mat_28:20.].” Nor is it any disadvantage to us that he comes only in a spiritual way: for they who beheld him in person were stumbled at the meanness of his appearance; and could not conceive how one so poor and destitute and despised should possess the authority he claimed. But we have no such stumbling-block in our way. We know who he is, and what he is, even “the Mighty God, and the Prince of Peace.” We know too what he can do: and that all which was done, under the law by God, in his temple, he can and will do in the midst of us. To us he will give his answers of peace; yea, “he will give grace and glory: and withhold no good thing from us” in time or in eternity. Let us know, then, our exalted privilege, and have our expectations enlarged, in proportion to the advantages we enjoy.]
2. With what delight we should attend the ordinances of our God—
[Never should we go up to the House of God without expecting to meet our Saviour there. We should not go to public ordinances merely to perform a duty, but to enjoy a privilege; not to hear a preacher, but to meet our God and Saviour. O, what a different appearance would there be in ordinances, if we all attended them in a becoming frame! What devotion would there be in our prayers! what reverential attention to the word delivered! and what “showers of blessings” would be poured out upon our souls! Remember, I pray you, brethren, that, when you come up hither, you come to meet your Lord, who is already waiting here to receive you. Be never satisfied, if you do not see him: and, if at any time his word be applied with power to your souls, acknowledge him in the gift: for it is through his power alone that the word is effectual for any spiritual good [Note: 2Co_10:4.]. Thus shall your worship here prepare you for higher services above; and your acknowledgments of his goodness be a prelude to your Hosannahs in the realms of bliss [Note: Rev_5:12.].]