John 2:13-22 Sermon

Scripture

John 2:13–22 ESV

13 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.

Outline

Outline

First Half: The Temple purged (v.13-17)

1: Jesus went up to Jerusalem (v.13)

Verse 13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2: Jesus went to the temple (v.14-16)

Read Verse 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.

Read Verse 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.

Verse 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."

3: Jesus’ disciples remembered (v.17)

Read Verse 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

Second half: The true temple (v.18-22)

1: Jesus questioned and His response(v.18-19)

1: Jesus questioned and He responds (v.18-19)

Read Verse 18 So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?"

Read Verse 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

2: Jesus misunderstood (v.20-21)

2: Jesus misunderstood (v.20-21)

Read Verse 20 The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"

Read 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

Jesus here was speaking about the temple of his body.

3: Jesus disciples believed (v.22)

Read Verse 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.

First Half: The Temple purged (v.13-17)

1: Jesus went up to Jerusalem (v.13)

Verse 13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

In verse 12 we see Jesus had went to Capernaum where He stayed for a few days and from there He traveled to Jerusalem.

Prior to our text today we saw Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding in Cana.

Capernaum was about 17 miles east from Cana and was above the Sea of Galilee.

It was about 85 miles north of Jerusalem.

Jesus traveled from there to Jerusalem at the time of the Passover.

The Passover is mentioned 10 times in the gospel of John.

Three of them happened to be 3 different Passovers that were celebrated.

The Passover was the first and the most important of the three annual festivals.

There are seven total Jewish festivals or feasts outlined in Scripture.

In verse 12 we see Jesus had went to Capernaum where He stayed for a few days and from there He traveled to Jerusalem.

The Passover specifically called for the male population of Israel (which included any Jewish male over 12 years old).

Capernaum is about 85 miles north of Jerusalem.

The Passover was the first and the most important of the three annual festivals.

Jewish pilgrims crowded into Jerusalem for this greatest of Jewish feasts.

John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 1578–1579.

The male population of Israel (which included any Jewish male over 12 years old) would appear before the Lord in the temple at Jerusalem.

They were to celebrate the passing over of God’s people when the angel smote the first-born of Egypt the night of the Exodus.

The Passover celebrated passing over of God’s people when the angel smote the first-born of Egypt the night of the Exodus.

The MacArthur Study Bible Chapter 2

In and in , they are told to remember the day of their coming out of Egypt.

The MacArthur Study Bible Chapter 2

Jews selected the lamb on the tenth of the month, and celebrated Passover on the 14th day of the lunar month of Nisan (full moon at the end of Mar. or beginning of Apr.). They slaughtered the lamb between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. on the night of the feast. Passover commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt when the angel of death “passed over” Jewish homes in Egypt whose “doorposts” were sprinkled with blood (Ex. 12:23–27).

God instituted a commemorative meal where a lamb was roasted in fire and bitter herbs were used along with unleavened bread ().

In , they were told to "observe this rite as a statute for them and for their sons forever.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

The Jews would give sacrifices between 3:00 and 6:00 on the night of the feast.

lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread (). The Lord told the Israelites to “observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever” (, ESV), even when in a foreign land.

The Lord told the Israelites to “observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever” (, ESV), even when in a foreign land.

Jews selected the best lamb and would give it to be sacrificed between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. on the night of the feast.

Jewish men could have also brought their families to Jerusalem for what was considered the greatest of the Jewish feasts.

The amount of people that would travel to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover was said to be so much that every room in Jerusalem would be booked.

Thousands upon thousands traveled to observe the Passover.

This event where Jesus goes to the temple is recorded in all four gospels. It does seem that they are separate events.

In the Synoptic Gospels this event is recorded at the end of Jesus’ ministry (). John placed it in the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

John placed it in the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

One cannot prove that Jesus cleansed the temple twice. For John chronology has only marginal significance. In both 2:1–11 and 2:13–22 Jesus transforms the Jewish legal custom to do good to people by fulfilling their need.

Jey J. Kanagaraj, John, ed. Michael F. Bird and Craig Keener, vol. 4, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2013), 23–24.

And of course when knowing that there would be many people traveling and in need of things, booths would form to sell what people needed.

Especially for what they needed at the temple.

With the amount of people coming, it guaranteed earnings from selling animals and the exchange of money was needed so that they could pay the temple tax.

Jesus traveled there and we see Him going to the temple in Jerusalem in verses 14-16.

Passover commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt when the angel of death “passed over” Jewish homes in Egypt whose “doorposts” were sprinkled with blood ().

They slaughtered the lamb between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. on the night of the feast. Passover commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt when the angel of death “passed over” Jewish homes in Egypt whose “doorposts” were sprinkled with blood ().

Which is recorded in and in , they are told to remember that day of their coming out of Egypt.

It commemorated the exemption or passing over of the families of the Israelites when the destroying angel smote the first-born of Egypt the night of the Exodus (; ).

(; ).

After the Exodus the Law prescribed with minute accuracy the various ceremonies which were to characterize the observance of the festival (; ; ; ).

The Passover was a striking type of that signal deliverance from the thraldom of sin and sense and Satan which the sacrificed Lamb of God () has achieved for his people.

Thomas J. Shepherd, The Westminster Bible Dictionary (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1880), 393.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to John 2. Jesus Clears the Temple (2:12–17)

2:13. John keeps meticulous track of Jewish feasts. In addition to other feasts, he mentions three Passovers (2:13; 6:4; 11:55), possibly a fourth (5:1).

2: Jesus went to the temple (v.14-16)

Read Verse 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.

All four Gospels contain an account of what has been known as “the cleansing of the temple” (; ; ).

All four Gospels contain an account of the cleansing of the temple (; ; ),

In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) this event is recorded at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John however places it in the beginning.

Compared to John’s account these are best viewed as different events. Which would mean that Jesus may have done this more than once.

The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version Chapter 2

these are best viewed as different incidents

John’s account is the most detailed since he mentions oxen, sheep as well as doves. He also talks specifically about the whip of cords used here in our text.

The temple here was a complex bigger than a football field. It was expanded by Herod the Great in the late first century B.C. Which continued into the mid first century A.D.

The temple had inner courts that were accessible through ten gates which only Jews could enter. They had rooms where prayer and sacrifices would take place.

The inner courts were accessible through ten gates which only Jews could enter.

Inside there were rooms where the sacrifices were made.

The temple had a huge outer court known as the Gentiles Courtyard which is where the selling of animals and the exchange of money would take place.

It was unlawful for any Gentile to go past a low wall of stone posts which defined the inner boundary of the Court of Gentiles.

Crossing that point unlawfully was so serious that it was punishable by death.

Gentiles were allowed outside of the Temple. But not pass the stone posts that led to the inner courts where prayer and sacrifices would have taken place.

With the amount of people who came it must have been loud and very, very busy.

And because of the long travel it must have been more convenient for people to buy animals there needed for their sacrifices. Which may have also meant that the sellers would over charge people.

The temple had animals for sale and money changers who could exchange money in order for people to buy the sacrifices they needed.

The temple was full with people. It was very busy with business and it may have been so loud and busy that what the temple was meant for was all by lost.

Everything but prayer and reverence for God was observed and this enraged Christ at first sight.

For an example of the spiritual condition there at the temple you can read . The Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

The Pharisee (who would be inside the temple praying) showed to be self righteous. He was in the inner courts.

The Tax Collector (who would have been outside of the temple in the Gentiles Courtyard) showed to be humble and it was he who left justified.

The concern here was not that Jesus saw Gentiles but that He saw people at the temple doing other than what the temple was for.

Namely, prayer and sacrifices that were offered genuinely before God.

Jesus knew this to be the case here and we see His reaction to this in verse 15.

We see in verse 15 Jesus’ reaction.

Read Verse 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.

Jesus made a whip of cords (which meant from some ropes) and He not only drove out the people selling but also the sheep and oxen. Which shows that He didn’t want the animals that were sold for sacrifices to be given.

He not only drove out the people selling but also the sheep and oxen.

In Mark’s account, which is another time when Jesus did this, we get some insight as to what Jesus was concerned with.

Mark 11:15–17 ESV

15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying 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 den of robbers.”

In verse 16, Jesus would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. Namely, the animals that were to be brought.

In this account Jesus would not allow sacrifices to be taken into the temple.

In this account Jesus would not allow sacrifices to be taken into the temple.

It is most likely that Jesus didn’t want this in our text also. We see this in Him driving out the sheep and oxen.

Some have noted that this was a display of His Messianic role in .

Malachi 3:1–4 ESV

1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

It spoke there of He who would “sit as a refiner and purifier and how He would purify the sons of Levi and refine them. And how they would bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.

Which would confirm what Jesus was concerned with.

Malachi

Here, we see in our text a perfect and sinless display of holy anger.

He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen by a passion for what the temple was intended.

Everyone and everything was driven out by His passion for what the temple was for. Which we see in verse 16.

What was mean’t for prayer and offerings to the Lord turned into a house of trade.

Which we see in verse 16.

Verse 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."

The temple which was meant for prayer and sacrifice was made into a house of trade.

Notice that Jesus said my Father. Again, showing His Sonship.

This wasn’t just a prophet telling them what was wrong here. This was the Son of the Father in heaven. The One in whom the temple was made for.

He told them “take these things away” because what was meant for prayer was turned into a house of activity with no reverence and desire for God.

It became a house preoccupied with providing goods and services

commerce n. — the activity of providing goods and services involving financial, commercial, and industrial aspects.

It became a house preoccupied with finances, commercial sales and greed

It became a house preoccupied with trade instead of obedience and prayer

Question: Sounds familiar?

It seems that this is the very mistake that American churches have made.

The action of Jesus driving them out of the temple reminded the Disciples of what was written.

3: Jesus’ disciples remembered (v.17)

Read Verse 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

This is quoted from .

Zeal here speaks of an excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end.

It speaks of a fury within someone that compelled them to end something. Which describes what Jesus felt at the sight of the temple becoming a house of trade.

Which describes what Jesus felt at the sight of the temple becoming a house of trade.

zeal n. — excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end.

Only Jesus could display such fury and zeal without sin.

This was a perfect and sinless display of holy frustration over what people had done to the temple.

Augustine said about this particular passage,

Catena Aurea: Commentary on the Four Gospels, Collected out of the Works of the Fathers, Volume 4: St. John 2:14–17

He who was to be scourged by them, was first of all the scourger

He who was to be scourged by them, was first of all the scourger

His passion for God’s temple to be holy drove Him to scourge people out of the temple.

Our passion for sin drove us to scourge Him.

He did this without sin.

When scourged by those who arrested Him, they did so guilty of sin.

When Jesus drove them out of the temple with what the KJV says, a scourge of small cords, Jesus did this without guilt.

And He did it because they had turned the temple to other than a house of worship.

He did this with a sinless fury because He loved the Father.

Question: Can you imagine seeing a display of sinless and perfect anger?

Question: How would the Jews respond to such an amazing sight?

Answer: They asked Jesus a question.

Which brings us to the second half of our passage.

Second half: The true temple (v.18-22)

1: Jesus questioned and His response(v.18-19)

Read Verse 18 So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?"

Notice their response. It shows no concern for what the temple had become.

Instead of returning the temple to what it was intended, they quickly questioned Jesus’ authority on what He had just done.

This proves that they had no concern for pure worship. There was no concern with being careful with the things of God.

In , we see an example of the Pharisees seeking a sign as a way to test Him.

They were asking for proof of His authority to do what He had just done.

Seeking a sign so that Jesus could prove Himself was not a good sign!

Seeking signs is not a good sign of one’s soul. It shows us someone’s spiritual condition.

Mark 8:11 ESV

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.

Luke 11:29 ESV

29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

Another example is found in Matthew 12:38-39.

Matthew 12:38–39 ESV

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

The sign of Jonah is exactly the answer Jesus would give to them in our text.

Matthew 12:38–39 ESV

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Read Verse 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

The response that they gave shows the misunderstanding of what Jesus spoke of in verses 20-21.

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

2: Jesus misunderstood (v.20-21)

Read Verse 20 The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"

Read 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

So far we see two things of great concern here.

First, they showed no sign of stopping the temple becoming a house of trade.

Second, they did not know of Jesus being the temple which shows that they did not believe.

They asked for a sign which showed their questioning His authority.

1. They asked for a sign which showed their questioning His authority.

Jesus tells them of the sign that they would get. Which was that the temple that would be destroyed would be raised up.

3. They showed no belief and understanding of Jesus being the temple that would be destroyed which He was speaking of His death.

Question: What did Jesus mean when speaking of Himself as the temple?

Read 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

Jesus here is speaking New Covenant language.

It’s what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit in .

John 14:23 ESV

23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

The Apostle Paul understood believers to be the temple of God also.

When addressing the issue of division in the church, He wrote in chapter three the importance of remembering Christ as the foundation layer.

From the work done in Christ we have become God’s temple.

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 ESV

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

In charging believers to flee from sexual immorality, Paul again says in

1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

Paul also spoke of this in .

Jesus here was speaking about the temple of his body. And in doing this He made us who could come to saving faith temples of the living God through faith!

Jesus was speaking about the temple of his body.

Unlike the believer, in Jesus Christ the fullness of God dwelled bodily. Which makes Jesus not like us.

He was God in the flesh! We are believer’s in whom the Holy Spirit has come to dwell in. Which came from what Christ has done.

In our text, they did not know who this was and they had forgotten what the temple was meant for.

Observations we can make from our text today.

Tolerating the perversion of prayer and worship brings into question your knowledge God.

The questioning of Jesus’ authority and tolerating the things of God becoming carnal should bring into question your knowledge of God.

There can be a righteous anger over the perversion of the things of God. But we must be aware of our own sin. We cannot do what Jesus did. He did it without sin.

Our greatest concern must be the glory of God in all things. Which should compel us to share the death and resurrection of Christ (the sign of Jonah) so that others can believe and live.

Jesus had a zeal for God’s house. It consumed Him because it became other than what it was intended.

They wanted a sign but Jesus would give them the gospel. Which was His death and resurrection.

And Jesus gave them the sign they needed to believe.

Which is what this gospel is all about.

John 20:31 ESV

31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

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John 10:8 ESV

8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

In Jesus giving His life (allowing the temple of His body to be destroyed or put to death) in giving His life He brought life to those of us who were condemned.

And He did this willingly.

John 10:18 ESV

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

They would eventually arrest and crucify Him. But says,

Hebrews 2:10 ESV

10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Through His suffering we who could not believe were given faith!

Jesus speaking of Himself as the temple and being raised was remembered by the Disciples and they believed!

3: Jesus disciples believed (v.22)

Read Verse 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.

The point of Jesus speaking of Himself as the temple here was to bring faith to those who weren’t temples of the living God.

Notes

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 2

All four Gospels contain an account of the cleansing of the temple (Matt 21:12–13; Mark 11:15–17; Luke 19:45–46),

Catena Aurea: Commentary on the Four Gospels, Collected out of the Works of the Fathers, Volume 4: St. John 2:14–17

AUGUSTINE. (Tr. x. c. 5.) He who was to be scourged by them, was first of all the scourger; And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple.

We were dead in our sins. Condemned with no life in us. But...

Ephesians 2:4–10 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Close in prayer.

Close in prayer.