John 2:13-25 Jesus Cleanses the Temple
“Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”
So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
The Discerner of Hearts
Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
Boy, there’s nothing like the main temple at Jerusalem during Passover! In one part of the forecourt, there are men selling oxen and sheep for sacrifices, while in another area, others are selling doves for the very poor. The noise is incredible, and the stench from the manure assaults your nostrils. No matter how much incense the priests use, it’s never enough to overcome that smell. Then there are the money changers, for offerings must be paid in the temple money. Everyone knows these guys are cheats, but what can you do? The priests are condoning these things and may even be getting some of the profits. Those coming in from the country might be excused if they are bewildered about the kind of worship taking place here.
But this particular day, things are going to get shaken up. This upstart preacher from Galilee suddenly shows up with a whip made of cords and begins driving the animals and their sellers out of the temple. Once all the animals and doves have cleared out, this same guy begins turning over the tables of the money changers, whipping them, and driving them out as well. And the weirdest part of the whole thing is what he’s saying. “Get this stuff out of here! Don’t turn my Father’s house into a marketplace!” His Father’s house? Wait a minute! Isn’t this man the son of a Nazarene carpenter?
The religious authorities are outraged! The nerve of this man! Temple leaders move in to question this guy who has shaken things up, disrupting their profitable businesses in the process. “So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.”
The religious leaders are humiliated, confused, and outraged. In a few short moments this man has disrupted hundreds of businesses, demonstrating that all these activities might have been conducted outside the temple, not inside. By his actions, this fellow has accused THEM, the ultra-observant religious leaders, of apostasy by graphically demonstrating that they should never have allowed these activities within the temple in the first place. And then this guy proceeds to give a confusing answer when queried about his authority for these actions. Obviously, this man is a trouble-maker and must be watched closely.
Meanwhile, many of the common people are cheering as they see animals and money changers fleeing the temple. These people might be villagers, but that doesn’t mean they are stupid. Repeatedly, these folks and their relatives have come to Jerusalem to worship, only to be victimized within the temple. And many begin to believe in Jesus, even hoping that Jesus might actually be Messiah.
If Jesus were only interested in an earthly kingdom, it seems as if this would be a great time to start one, but Jesus knows better. “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.” Jesus knows that people are fickle, cheering you today and jeering you tomorrow.
There’s a moral in this story for all of us: Be careful when committing yourself. People are not always what they seem. As the Son of God, Jesus can see into human hearts, and he realizes that some of the same Jewish religious leaders who were criticizing him will eventually follow him. At the same time, many of the villagers who appear to be supporting Jesus are simply gloating over the embarrassment of the haughty religious leaders. These same people are easily swayed and may later be in the crowds screaming, “Crucify him!”
There’s a story told about a high wire performer who was about to walk on a tight rope across Niagara Falls pushing a wheel barrow. The performer asked one of his friends, “John, do you believe I can make it across?” “Absolutely!” John answered.
“Fine,” replied the performer. “Then get in the wheel barrow!” That’s likely the point at which John disappeared.
As we enter a new year, we realize that we need God’s discernment to know whom we can trust. When we depend on our own understanding, we’re likely to wind up in a mess. We live in a small village where the rumor mill runs 24/7. If you don’t like the gossip you’re hearing right now, wait a few minutes, and you’ll hear the opposite. And don’t believe someone just because they call you in the middle of the night with a vivid report. This person might still be a rumor-mongerer who’s simply hoping you’ll believe them because of the time of day they have reported. Let God advise you on whom to listen to and whom to ignore. It’s much safer that way.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we need Your guidance to know when someone is giving us good information and when they are lying or stretching the truth. Help us to listen to You and not to other humans. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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