Jesus looked upon the innocent victims of sacrifice, and saw how the Jews had made these great convocations scenes of bloodshed and cruelty. In place of humble repentance of sin, they had multiplied the sacrifice of beasts, as if God could be honored by a heartless service. The priests and rulers had hardened their hearts through selfishness and avarice. The very symbols pointing to the Lamb of God they had made a means of getting gain. Thus in the eyes of the people the sacredness of the sacrificial service had been in a great measure destroyed. The indignation of Jesus was stirred; He knew that His blood, so soon to be shed for the sins of the world, would be as little appreciated by the priests and elders as was the blood of beasts which they kept incessantly flowing.

Jesus betragtede de uskyldige dyr, som skulle ofres, og så, hvordan jøderne havde gjort disse store sammenkomster til skueplads for blodsudgydelse og grusomhed. I stedet for ydmygt at angre deres synder havde de mangedoblet offerdyrenes tal, som om Gud kunne lade sig ære ved en sådan hjerteløs tjeneste. Præsterne og rådsherrerne havde forhærdet deres hjerter ved egoisme og ærgerrighed. Netop de symboler, der pegede hen til Guds Lam, havde de gjort til et middel til at skaffe sig vinding. På denne måde var offerhandlingens hellige karakter i høj grad blevet ødelagt i folkets øjne. Jesu harme vaktes. Han vidste, at hans blod, der om så kort tid skulle udgydes for verdens synd, ikke af præsterne og de ældste ville blive regnet for mere end offerdyrenes blod, som de ustandseligt lod flyde.