John-The Better Temple
Orient-Cleansing of the Temple
This passage shows Jesus entering the public sector and engaging for the first time in conflict with the Pharisees as they question His authority. Though He doesn’t perform a miraculous sign, He does display His identity as the Messiah by fulfilling the prophetic words of Micah 3:1 and Psalm 69:9. As we will see throughout the book, Jesus’s explanations confuse many, as here He uses symbolism to explain how His body is the true temple, the place where God dwells with man and points to the ultimate sign of His deity—His resurrection. The synoptic gospels record a 2nd temple cleansing near the Passover which immediately precedes His crucifixion.
Introduction
When you think of the character of Jesus, what images come to mind? A shepherd with a staff gently leading sheep? A teacher walking with His disciples enlightening the mind? A miracle worker, feeding 5,000 with leftovers collected in baskets? What about a 30-year old who fashions a whip out of cords, turning the tables over on the trade being done in a house of worship? Was Jesus angry at the people, or was the One who knew the hearts of all men full of righteous indignation at how their capacity for worship was overshadowed by greed? When we read Scripture, it is important to notice what God loves and hates as a way to know Him more deeply. In today’s reading, it is clear that Jesus is zealous that God’s house will be a place to be set aside for worship alone.
Opening Prayer
God I long to worship You and You alone. Disrupt in me the places that compete for sincere worship. As Your temple, I invite You in to drive out the things that have tainted Your presence within me. Purify my heart and show me once again Your worthiness for You know what is within me. I entrust myself to You to speak to me about my worship. I will listen and ask You to let me come away changed. Amen
Meditation
Read and reread the following passage, taking God’s word in deeply. As you do be sensitive to a phrase or verse the Holy Spirit emphasizes to you personally.
John 2:13-25 (ESV)
The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
Paraphrase
Rewrite the phrase or verse that the Holy Spirit highlighted during meditation. What is your take away?
Reflect
1. Jesus wants his church to be a place people can worship. All people. By setting up tables in the court of the Gentiles to do business, it prevented non-Jews from encountering God and changed a place to pray into a place to purchase. Think about your church? Are there any hindrances to worshiping God?
2. The Jews wanted a sign so Jesus could prove to them He had the right to cleanse the temple. How often do we want Jesus to prove over and over who He is to us? His answer was that He would raise up the temple of God, His body in three days pointing to His resurrection. The ultimate sign that God is able to do anything in your life is that He raised His body from death. Death is the ultimate enemy of man and Jesus is victorious over it. In what ways do you doubt God? How does considering His resurrection increase your faith?
3. When Jesus was on earth, His body was the ultimate temple. Now that He has ascended to the right hand of the Father[1] and sent His Spirt to live within us, we have become his temple[2]. How are you glorifying God in your body? As in our opening prayer today, what things need to be cleaned out? If confession is not a regular habit in your life of discipleship, consider spending some time repenting to the Lord.
4. Twice in this passage, John notes that the disciples (of which he is one) remembered the words He had said and believed the Scripture. There is a connection between Scripture and the words of Jesus. If Jesus is your Lord, then He has authority over you. Further, Scripture, as it it breathed out by God[3], should also be something we submit to speak over our life. Is there an area of your life that is not submitted to the word of God as found in Scripture?
5. Jesus cleaned the temple because He saw the fruit of what was in man: greed, arrogance, , and irreverence. Verse 25 says that He “needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” How often do we judge others by what we see on the outside and measure them by worldly standards instead of the things God values? How often do we entrust ourselves to others that don’t deserve our admiration? The bible calls this the fear of man, a warped-view that can be remedied by having a greater reverence of God.
Closing Prayer
God, I commit today to doing all I can to worship You with a pure heart. Let me bring real worship to your house and remove every obstacle from others who long to draw near to You. Let me trust You as my Savior and know that nothing is too difficult for You. You have conquered death and are the Victor who has made a way for me to experience forever life with You. My body is now Your temple. Show me how You are working within me to sanctify me, so that You can more comfortably dwell in a vessel who is becoming less strangled by sin. I long to trust Your words as recorded in Scripture. When I read something that grates against me, let me declare it is true and my thoughts and deeds need to change. Let me give myself to You, as the only one who is able to judge rightly. See into my life as You know what is in me and I often can’t see my blind spots. Let me fear Your holiness more than mortal men, for You alone are eternal and righteous.
Continue praying personally to the Lord with what He showed you during mediation and reflection.
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