John 2:12-22 (New International Version)
Jesus Clears the Temple
12After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. 13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" 17His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."[a] 18 Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." 20 The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
Footnotes: John 2:17 Psalm 69:9
I. Message:
Content:
- Jesus went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples ( v12)
- Jesus went from Capernaum up to Jerusalem (v13)
- Jesus clears the temple (v14-16)
- Regarding Jesus’ cleansing of the temple, his disciples remembered that it is written (v17)
- Regarding Jesus’ cleansing of the temple, the Jewish leader expressed discontent (v18)
- Jesus compared his body to the holy temple (v9-11)
Theme:
- Jesus clears the temple
- Consuming zeal for the God’ house
II. Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? Who is Holy Spirit?
- Jesus Christ valued familial ties (v12)
- Jesus observed the law (v13)
- Jesus shows his anger in righteousness (v13-16)
- Jesus cleanse the temple (v13-16)
- Resurrected Christ (v19-21)
III. What is God teaching me (command, promise, model, rebuke, warning)?
1) Keeping the temple pure (v13-16)
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. (v13-!6)
According to the Gospel, Jesus cleared the temple twice. The first time was at the beginning of his ministry, as recorded here in the book of John. The second incident was towards the end of his ministry recorded in three other Gospels: Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17 and Luke 19:45-46. Jesus cleansed the temple at his time, likewise we should upkeep the purity of God’s house today. This means letting God’s house be a place of worship, praise; it is a place filled with the Holy Spirit and where God’s presence and glory is manifested.
Reflection: How do I treat the house of God today? Do I see it as holy and do I upkeep its purity?
2) Why keep the temple clean
The trading of cattle, sheep and doves in the temple were meant to facilitate offering requirements for pilgrims from all over the world. It was out of good and appropriate intention. However, the misuse of power and corruption among the high priests and merchants gradually became common practices. Moreover, according to the Jewish law, foreign currencies were considered unclean, not proper for offering. That is why currency exchange was set up at the temple. Once again, human nature being sinful resulted in the money changers to profit unlawfully from the legitimate services they were providing. These services became tools for dishonest business practices.
God’s house of prayer became a place for fraud and of injustice. No wonder Jesus was so angry that he drove out the cattle, flipped the tables and severely scolded them: “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"
Reflection: Have I ever used church’s name for personal gain?
3) Zeal for the kingdom of God (v17)
When Jesus was clearing the temple in Jerusalem, his disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me.": (v17) Zeal means passionate, consumed. This is to say for the temple of the Lord, he was consumed and was passionate.
Today, people are passionate for many different causes. For examples: for love, for interest, for money, for fame… etc. But how many people are consumed by zeal for God’s house, and are passionate for His kingdom? Obviously, the rise and decline of a church is not without reason. If there are more and more people who are zealous for the kingdom of God, then a church revival could be reality.
Reflection: What are my priorities? How important is God’s kingdom, church ministry to me?
4) Compare his body to the temple (v19-22)
“Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.” (v19-22)
Indignant to Jesus’ act of clearing the temple, the Jewish leaders challenged Jesus and said: “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus replied: "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." To this perplexing response, the Jews rebutted: "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" In fact Jesus was referring to his own body not the temple of Jerusalem. He was comparing his body to the holy temple.
‘Destroy the temple’ refers to how the Jews shall kill Jesus. ‘And I will raise it in three days’ alludes to his death and resurrection in three days. When Jesus said this, no one could understand its meaning. . After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. When Paul addressed the church of Corinthians, He said: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” Therefore, we should lead a life of purity. Let our body be a pure, a temple for the Holy Spirit.
Reflection: Is my life pure? Is my body pleasing to the Holy Spirit?
IV. Prayer/ Life Application
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