of the nervous sheep, and
the fluttering of pigeons in cages piled high on the ground made great
confusion. Even this early in the morning dust filled the air over the
courtyard.

High above the Temple area rose four stone towers. Andrew shaded his
eyes and looked up. Steel armor glinted in the sunlight. From this
lookout, called the Tower of Antonia, Pilate's Roman soldiers kept keen
watch over everything that happened in the Temple.

But it was not the tethered animals or the bustling crowds that caught
Jesus' attention. Not even the Roman fort interested him after the first
glance. What grated most disagreeably upon him was the bickering of the
priests. Even above the noise the disciples could hear the priests
arguing with pilgrims who needed an animal to sacrifice.

Jesus and the Twelve stopped to watch one priest. As they listened,
Peter saw his Master's anger rising. A Galilean had brought a young bull
all the way from his home. To the disciples he looked like a farmer who
did not have much to live on. Such men usually sacrificed a sheep or a
pigeon. But this man must have wanted to give a better sacrifice. He was
watching the priest examine the legs of his bullock. Finally the priest
straightened up.

"No! This beast will not do."

"But I brought this bull all the way from Galilee," protested the
farmer.

"I can't help that," answered the priest. "He is not good enough."

"Not good enough!" cried the man in dismay. "That is the best bull I
ever raised!"

"All right, then; look!" The priest pointed to a small cut on the rear
leg of the bullock.

"But that happened on the trip," explained the farmer. "There is nothing
really wrong with him."

"Do you want to offer a sacrifice to God which is not perfect?" The man
did not answer. "I'll tell you what I will do," the disciples heard the
priest say. "I will trade you a perfect sheep for this bull."

The farmer's face reddened angrily. For an instant he seemed about to
strike the priest; then he jerked at the tether and led his bullock out
of the Temple court without replying.

Jesus turned to the disciples, his voice indignant. "That man brought
the best he had--and was turned away!"

Jesus walked toward the Beautiful Gate, between the outer courtyard and
the inner court where the Temple building stood. At the foot of the
steps which led through the gate he stopped. On each side of the gate
were money-changers. Everyone who wished to give money had to