You wouldn't like me when I'm angry

The Hulk

Mild mannered Dr. David Banner. Please don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.

Yes, Jesus got angry, but he wasn’t out of control.

John relates the story of Jesus entering the temple and driving out the merchants.

The synoptic gospels place these events when Jesus entered the temple right before his crucifixion. John on the other hand places these events at the beginning of his ministry.

First we need to understand this was a very different culture and that that would manifest itself though their writing styles.

Sahara (Matthew McConohay) Sub=plot - he was looking for a civil war ship that he believed crossed the ocean and landed in West Africa. He went to a Mosque to look as some ancient writings. He gave the year as a reference to where to look. He was told, “you use dates to mark events, we use events to mark dates.”

Three theories why the difference.

Because of how John chose to reveal the person of Jesus and his diety, it flowed better to bring that account from later in his ministry and tell it now.

John mentions Jesus coming to Jerusalem for five festivals; the first passover, the feast of the Jews, The Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of Dedication, and the second Passover. Because the other gospels only record the last Passover, it is possible that record the cleansing of the in the last passover.

These are separate, but very similar events.

Point is don’t get caught up think just because the gospels describe historic events, that it is meant to be read like a history book.

Example: If I were to ask you about who you are and your story, you might tell me where your were born, where you grew up, where you’ve worked and lived etc.

If you wanted to focus on your profession, you may start with what you do, and then go back and fill in the other details.

If you you wanted to focus on your relationship with Christ, you may start with your salvation, then go forward with how God has changed your life and then go back and fill in details.

John 2:13–25 NASB95

13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority 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 took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. 23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

John

It wasn’t what they were doing, it was where they were doing it.

People would come to the temple from all around and worship. It wouldn’t be practical to bring the animals for the sacrifice. Also merchants may not own livestock and would have to buy it. People would come from all over and use different currency and would need to exchange it.

The people in the temple were providing a needed service.

Mark records Jesus’ saying,

Mark 11:17 NASB95

17 And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.”

But see it wasn’t even about weather or not the merchants in the temple were engaging in ethical business practices, it was that they were robbing from God by doing it in the temple. People should have been there to worship God, not buy and sell.

Scollars

Scholars tell us that the place in the temple this would have taken place would have been the Court of the the Gentiles.

King Herod rebuilt the temple there it was separated in different courts. The outer court was called the Court of the Gentiles, then there was the Court of the Women, the Court of Isreal, Court of the Priests.

Anyone was allowed in the court of the Gentiles, but there were warning signs leading to the other courts that read: NO FOREIGNER IS TO GO BEYOND THE BALUSTRADE AND THE PLAZA OF THE TEMPLE ZONE WHOEVER IS CAUGHT DOING SO WILL HAVE HIMSELF TO BLAME FOR HIS DEATH WHICH WILL FOLLOW

An so the only place the rest of the world could come and worship, had been turned into a busy, noisy market, where one couldn’t hear themselves think, but less concentrate on prayer.

Zeal for Your house will consume me.

Psalms

Psalm 69:9 NASB95

9 For zeal for Your house has consumed me, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.

May have been a popular song in that day.

May have been something that father’s told their sons.

Who gave you the right?

John 2:19 NASB95

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

John

The Disciples didn’t get it either.

After his resurrection, they understood.

Many believed

Many believed in his name, but Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them.

Pisteuo: Same work for those that believed him Jesus, is said that he didn’t believe in them.

he didn’t not need anyone to testify concerning man.

We see the supernatural power of God the Son because it said He knew all men.

How does this apply to us?

Reverence to God is a big deal

Matthew 22:37 NASB95

37 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Some might say that Jesus should have flogged me for doing a burnout in the Church last week.

The difference was the Temple was the meeting place between God and his people. For us that is in our heart.

Protect your heart like Jesus protected the Temple.

Proverbs 4:23 NASB95

23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

Who gave you authority to act with righteous anger?

We will feel anger. sometimes it is a righteous anger.

When I see that someone evil has hurt a child, I feel a righteous anger. The strong picking on the weak will also stir up that emotion. Even cruelty to animals.

But God has never given us authority to act out of our righteous anger.

That is called vengeance when we do it.

Romans 12:19 NASB95

19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

We need to see people the way Christ sees them.

We see a bully picking on a weak kid and we pity the weaker and hate the bully.

God sees the Bully as a weak kid being bullied by sin. Before we are saved, the Word says we a slaves to sin. We cannot fight it or break free. The only thing we can do is turn to Jesus and He and He alone can set us free.

Christ predicted He would rise from the dead and then did it.

Believing in Jesus and Trusting in Jesus aren’t the same thing.

John 2:24 NASB95

24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men,

John 2:2

Matthew 7:22 NASB95

22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’

Matthew 7:23 NASB95

23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

don’t be that guy.