"The man from the desert On the Money-changers" 



I was a stranger in Jerusalem. I had come to the Holy City to behold the great temple, and to
sacrifice upon the altar, for my wife had given twin sons to my tribe. 

And after I had made my offering, I stood in the portico of them temple looking down upon the
money-changers and 
those who sold doves for sacrifice, and listening to the great noise in the court. 

And as I stood there came of a sudden a man into the midst of the money-changers and those
who sold doves. 
He was a man of majesty, and He came swiftly. 

In His hand He held a rope of goat's hide; and He began to overturn the tables of the
money-changers and to beat the pedlars of birds with the rope. 

And I heard Him saying with a loud voice, "Render these birds unto the sky which is their
nest." 
Men and women fled from before His face, and He moved amongst them as the whirling wind
moves on the sad-hills. 

All this came to pass in but a moment, and then the court of the Temple was emptied of the
money-changers. Only the man stood there alone, and His followers stood at a distance. 

Then I turned my face and I saw another man in the portico of the temple. And I walked
towards him and said, "Sir, 
who is this man who stands alone, even like another temple?" And he answered me, "This is
Jesus of Nazareth, a 
prophet who has appeared of late in Galilee. Here in Jerusalem all men hate Him." 

And I said, "My heart was strong enough to be with His whip, and yielding enough to be at His
feet." 

And Jesus turned towards His followers who were awaiting Him. But before He reached them,
three of the temple doves flew back, and one alighted upon His left shoulder and the other two
at His feet. And he touched each one tenderly. Then He walked on, and there were leagues in
every step of His steps. 

Now tell me, what power had He to attack and disperse hundreds of men and women without
opposition? I was told 
that they all hate Him, yet no one stood before Him on that day. Had He plucked out the fangs
of hate on His way to the court of the temple?