Window 15

Counting from the front on the north side, the fifth window explains itself.  It pictures the story in Luke 19:41-46.  The scene in the window happened on Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and, at the sight of the city, began to weep.  The faith of the people and their leaders had gone bankrupt.  They did not recognize Jesus as their promised Messiah.  Furthermore, their religious life had degenerated into an outward obedience to rules and regulations required of them.  Their worship of God was neither respectful nor devout. Outward displaying their rote religion, the Jewish high priests, for a commission, allowed business men to carry on their money making in the temple precincts with all the accompanying noise and stench.  It may have more conveniently served people’s needs to carry out God’s directions for offering the right money and the right sacrifices, but at the huge price of  irreverence to the sacredness of the place.  The window depicts Jesus, lash in hand, driving the money changers and the pigeon and lamb sellers out of the temple.