Into the Robbers’ Den

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.