Temples and Tradition

"Today, we'll explore three key points from John 2:13-25:

Jesus' passion for pure worship,

the misunderstanding of His authority,

and the lessons for our worship today.

John 2:13–25 (ESV)

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 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. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 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.

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

TEMPLES AND TRADITIONS

Firstly, during Passover, Jesus drove out merchants and money changers from the temple, stating, 'Do not make my Father's house a house of trade.' His disciples remembered the scripture, 'Zeal for your house will consume me' (Psalm 69:9). Jesus was upset because the temple, a place meant for worship, had been turned into a marketplace.

Secondly, when the Jews demanded a sign for His actions, Jesus spoke of raising the temple in three days. They misunderstood, thinking He meant the physical temple, but He referred to His resurrection, which would establish a new covenant.

Finally, we should ask ourselves if we have devalued God's house. Are our churches more about the buildings than the worship? Jesus challenges us to focus on genuine worship and purity in our practices.

The narrative here, is clear-

Just as Purification vessels were used for the new wine,

Here Jesus enters the Temple- A place of sacrificial purification

And clears out the Temple of everything impure.

It is imperative that some history and context be added.

This is one of the few stories in the Gospels that is recorded in all four Gospels.

Matt, Mark and Luke all add OT Scripture Isa 56.7, and Jer 7.11. for Reference

Only Johns account mentions the animals and the whip

The biggest question of the account is not the validity, but the timing of it.

Matt, Mark and Luke have this account at the end of Jesus’ ministry and it is the main motive for the Jesus being arrested and ultimately crucified.

John details the event in the beginning of Jesus ministry and has the Raising of Lazarus from the dead as the motive for His arrest.

One does not invalidate the other. The conclusion I have come to is that all the Gospels record a single event.

John has chosen to move the telling of the chronology to the front of Gospel so it fits the over all outline of Johns Gospel.

The Passover Festival was held every year to remember the Israelites escape from Egypt, the passing over of the Death Angel of all the homes with the blood of the sacrificed lambs spread on the door posts.

Jews came to Jerusalem from all parts of the region to celebrate the Passover.

There has been much discussion about what exactly Jesus was so upset about.

The temple tax required of all Jewish men over 20, was even paid by Jesus and Peter.

Since pilgrims would travel great distances to partake of Passover, a vast business had grown in the Jerusalem marketplace in the buying of appropriate animals to be presented for the sacrifice.

"Merchants exploited pilgrims by declaring their animals unclean and forcing them to buy overpriced 'pure' animals, creating a corrupt marketplace."

Those traveling from outside the region had no choice but to participate in the charade, if they were to complete the Passover ceremony.

Jesus wasnt upset over the exchanging of the animals- impure for pure, for the ritual sacrifice, or even the money exchanging to pay the Temple tax.

This was all part of the Levitical Law.

His issue was that it all had been moved inside the Temple walls- In essence turning the Temple courtyard into a stable or barnyard.

God Temple was and is meant to be a House of Worship, free of everything but the Glory of God’s Holy Presence.

Moving the entire process inside the walls of the Temple had defiled what was supposed to be respected as Holy and Reverent.

"God's house should not be a place of business. It is meant to be a house of worship, filled only with the glory of God's presence."

This event was also recalled by the Disciples after Jesus death and resurrection- Causing more to believe on Him.

The conversation of Vvs 18-22 is unique to Johns Gospel:

Demanding a Sign to back up Jesus actions, the crowd insists He “Demonstrate His Authority”

Here, in what becomes a common occurence, Jesus’ statements are misunderstood.

While the crowd thinks He refers to the Physical Temple, which had taken Herod 46 years to build and would take another 20 years to complete…Jesus was referring to His own Death and Resurrection (The Three Days)

Of course, the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, issued in the New Covenant of God with His people.

Jesus becoming the Final and complete sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins and the Holy Spirit in-dwelling in the Spirit of every Believer.

It is interesting that in the end, no one questioned Jesus as to the validity of His actions.

Scripture was clear- Gods House was to be a place of Worship.

What was questioned was His Authority to act, basically, on behalf of God.

Many in the crowd that day seemed to be sensing there was “Godly” happening, the confusion came from the fact that it wasnt coming from the Priests but from one supposed to be a common man.

The question we must ask ourselves is this-

Have we today, corrupted or devalued the House of God?

Do we build fine ornate structures that become the point of worship instead of worshipping the One they were allegedly built for?

Would Jesus, in my church today, join us in Worship or be inclined to take a whip to us?

In our exploration of John 2:13-25, we encounter Jesus' powerful act of cleansing the temple. This pivotal moment reminds us of the sanctity of God's house and challenges us to examine our own approach to worship.

Are we treating our places of worship with the reverence they deserve? The story invites us to consider how we might be 'defiling' our spiritual spaces with worldly concerns.

Jesus' zeal for His Father's house serves as a powerful example of righteous anger and dedication to God's holiness. As we reflect on this, we're called to purify our own hearts and minds, making them true temples for the Holy Spirit.

The misunderstanding about Jesus 'rebuilding the temple in three days' foreshadows His death and resurrection, highlighting how His sacrifice would establish a new covenant and a new way of connecting with God.

This challenges us to look beyond the physical and embrace the spiritual transformation Christ offers in our lives.

Although this event caused many in Jerusalem to believe in Jesus, He kept them at arms length.

Another way of putting it- They all jumped on His bandwagon- He did not jump on theirs.

Why?

Jesus knows the hearts of every man. He knows that not all of those who believed were motivated by good intentions.

Let's reflect: If Jesus visited our church today, would He join in our worship or cleanse it as He did the temple?

Remember, true worship is about the heart, and Jesus knows our deepest intentions."

"In summary, between the miracle at Cana and the temple cleansing,

Jesus highlights a stark truth: our human efforts fall short compared to what He provides.

We must ensure that our worship is genuine and pure, centered on Christ.

Closing Prayer: I thank God for His Word and asking for His help in applying these truths to your lives.