Helen Bond

He's knocking over the tables of the money changers and the dove sellers.

So who knows what he's doing next?

We've only got the Gospels to tell us, but what statement is being made in that action of turning over the table?

But in a way, it doesn't really matter.

He's in the temple at the most holy time of year, one of the most holy times of year, and he's causing a disturbance.

So I think it's quite likely that Pilate has probably been watching him for some time.

He's probably had a report from

Herod Antipas back in Galilee.

He'll know that he's been moving around.

He'll know maybe he's not a big threat.

He's not inciting people to take up arms.

But the fact that he comes to Jerusalem with a following at the busiest time of year means that he has to be stopped.

Once he starts doing things like demonstrating in the temple, he has to be stopped.

And I think the gospel suggests that the prime movers in all of this were the chief priests, the Jewish leadership, the priestly leadership in Jerusalem.

And I think, although I wouldn't say that they're the main people in all of this, it's not at all unlikely that they had a hand in it too, because they were actually Roman appointments.

The high priest has been put there by Pontius Pilate, um,

And the whole point is that he's got to tow a pro-Roman line.

And if he doesn't, he's out.

Somebody else is in.

And probably they thought, well, this guy's a bit misguided.