A place of sacrifices
Palm Sunday is a big celebration of when Christ came into Jerusalem seven days before his crucifixion on a donkey with the crowds shouting, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Mt21:9). After that triumphant entrance he came into the temple and noticed that instead of praying and worshipping, they were selling things. The place where sacrifices of praise were to be conducted was changed to a marketplace; a strange sacrifice was conducted. It was kind of like what Aaron’s two eldest son Nadab and Abihu did in the tabernacle where they offered strange fire unto the Lord (Lv10:1-2). God had to change the place where the sacrifices were made from the tabernacle to out and away from the gate of it. So, Moses made another tabernacle called the meeting place, where all the sacrifices were to be made. Everyone needed to go out of the temple to worship and offer their sacrifices (Ex33:7). Jesus told the Samaritan women that the time is now where worshippers will not worship in a fixed place but in spirit and in truth (Jh4:21-23).
Hebrews 13:11-15
11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
The purpose of the sacrifices was to sanctify the people, and so Jesus too had to suffer outside of the temple. He was both the priest and the offering for the ultimate sacrifice (Heb9:11-12). His offering was a sin and peace offering, and like the people who accompanied their offering we too must come that we might be sanctified. Once we come to Christ we are sanctified once and for all by his blood (He10:10). Then we have access to the throne of grace by which we can offer our sacrifices of praise from our lips. But what is a sacrifice of praise? Well, Luke says that it is the fruit of our lips in giving thanks to his name. It is also an act of devotion and obedience to God. Jeremiah says that out of them shall proceed a voice of thanksgiving that make others merry (Jer30:19).
Matthew 21:9
9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
Leviticus 10:1-2
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.
Exodus 33:7
7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that everyone which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Hebrews 9:11-12
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Hebrews 10:10
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Jeremiah 30:19
19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.