John 2:13-25 Jesus cleanses the temple
Jesus goes up to Jerusalem for the Passover. This is the first Passover during Jesus’ ministry time. Here at the beginning of his ministry he clears the temple and before his last Passover he does it again, Matthew 21:12. The temple was supposed to be a place of worship for everyone but the outer court, which was as far as gentiles were allowed to go, had been overrun with cows and sheep and money changers. There were a lot of people in the temple for Passover.
Turning water into wine was done around a relatively small group of friends and relatives but this is in the temple at its most crowded. This is a public announcement of his authority. In the crowd was the Pharisees and Sadducees and scribes and priests and temple police all of whom countenanced the activity in the temple and all of whom would have been chagrined by Jesus’ activity had reason to stop him. But no one did. Jesus displays what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 69:9, Zeal for your house has consumed me. He told them it is not right to merchandise the things of God. He showed them the words of Isaiah 1:12,13, Who has asked this of you? This trampling of my courts. Stop bringing meaningless offerings.
They could not stop him in his righteous anger but they manage to question him. What sign will he do? Well, he just did a sign but their hard hearts are unfeeling as stone and no manner or number of signs would change that. As in Psalm 18:26, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. He doesn’t respond to his questioners but gives them a sign that will build the faith of the faithful in due time. Jesus predicts his death and resurrection.
Many who saw this began to hope in him but he didn’t stay with the crowd, he never did encourage the crowds by letting the momentum of their enthusiasm carry him away rather he challenged them by remaining himself and calling them to his standard.
The temple Jesus spoke of raising up was his own body. The temple is where God meets with man. The perfect meeting of God and man is in the person of Jesus.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19,20 Paul tells us, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” Do I want Jesus to find orderly worship going on in my heart or do I see him braiding cords to drive out that which does not belong?
Jesus’ actions that day freed the people to worship God. The best and only independence worth having is independence from sin and death. Every other freedom is a distant second not worth having at all if Christ is not Lord first.
All the profit of the moneychangers could not buy their soul out of hell or slow the day of judgment one minute. They would have done better to have been poor and honest and saved their souls. There is no sin in business or money per se but, it has its proper place outside the place and time of worship.
brotherpayne 