the Gospel John part 4

Intro

a unique story that shows us a few themes repeated and one that is difficult to wrestle with sometimes

why would God give us such an emotion as anger?

is God ever just to be angry?

Jesus Angry

the timing on which people base the idea that Jesus’ ministry was about three years- this passover

he is here for an important religious event and goes to the temple

he finds it being used for the wrong things

this is the place where people are meant to think of God dwelling among his people

Jesus himself is meant to be a continuation of that

Does Jesus have a right to be angry? Is anger something that a loving God should ever show? Is wrath something that a loving and just God should have any part of?

I think yes and this is illustrated by Jesus here in this small way

anger is never a sin in and of its self, but when it leads to sin

Jesus wants these people to see God and not their own wallets

sometimes, not every time, not even most times, but sometimes, the only way to open people’s eyes to the horrible thing they are doing is by showing them how angry it makes you

every emotion and facet of us given by God and with a purpose

Destroy the Temple

Jesus speaks with authority and challenges that of those who are ruling over the place

they are fine with the people trading here, they have allowed it for so long

Jesus will destroy what that temple stands for to these people in so many words

He will destroy the real place that God is residing among his people in that moment

He will do something they won’t understand until its done

What is in a Man

a weird little paragraph before the next story that is kind of foreshadowing for what will happen next

Jesus goes and does the usual stuff that he spends his ministry doing while he is there in the big city

they believe in his name, his name has a pretty big meaning

but he doesn’t tell anyone the plan yet because he knows them and knows they won’t understand or that they will use him for their own gain

the character that comes next will be one who gets an interesting conversation

but even he doesn’t follow Jesus or understand him until the end

Application

this passage is meant to show you all of the frustrations of Jesus wrapped up together

as well as give the reader the most clear telling of what Jesus has come to do from the get go

he will see people misusing and misunderstanding all the things God gave them to draw close to him before

he will tell them he is the fulfillment of prophecy come to save them and they will reject him and plot against him

he will heal and teach and help and they still won’t understand

how would that make you feel?

and yet, how often does Jesus lose his composure?

and when he does can’t we see clearly the point he is making?