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Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom
From Behind the Veil: The Epistles of John
Deep Exegesis:The Mystery of Reading Scripture
1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary
The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter
A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons
Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature
Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen
The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism
A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel
From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution
Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper
A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature
Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays
Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
Jesus first uses lestes, “brigand,” when He’s in the temple in Matthew 21:31. When the high priest’s guard comes to arrest Him, He asks why they are armed as if to arrest a lestes (26:55).
On the cross, the brigands are back, and Jesus is in the midst of them. AS the living temple, He is crucified between two of the brigands who populate the temple. It is a macabre ark of the covenant, Yahweh enthroned between two false cherubim-guardians, who do not stand guard at the temple gates but instead pollute it.
Jesus says the temple is a robbers’ den; He is crucified among robbers. He condemns the temple; He is the temple. All that to say: Jesus goes to the cross to suffer the temple’s fate. Zeal for His Father’s house so consumes Him that He gives Himself in its place.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 6:57 am
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