Jesus Turns Over the Tables
October 3, 2019
Commentary
From Capernaum, Jesus went up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover (v. 13). Every male Jew twelve years of age and older was required to attend the Passover Feast. What He found at the temple was very disturbing to Him (v. 14). What had perhaps begun as an accommodation to supplying lambs for visiting Passover guests, and a place for these same people to exchange money to pay the temple tax had degenerated into a lucrative money-making business.
Our Lord suddenly appeared in the temple and proceeded to clean house. He was careful not to destroy anyone’s property, but He made it clear that He was in command. His anger was kindled by the abuse He saw going on in this place (vv. 15-16). The Jews were shocked by His action and demanded that He show the source of His authority for doing this by giving them a sign (vv. 17-19). Jesus answered by saying, “Destroy this temple (my body) and in three days I will raise it up” (v. 19). The Jews took Jesus literally and ignored the spiritual and true meaning of His statement.
Herod’s temple was started in 20 B.C. and not completed until A.D. 64. How could one man “raise it up” in three days (vv. 20-22)? This statement by Jesus was meant to be a prediction of His own death and resurrection. Many believed on His name, when they saw the miracles, but they did not accept Him with faith (v. 23). They only accepted Him as a miracle worker (verses 24-25).
Application
What standards of holiness do I have for my “temple” (my body)? I need to be careful about what excuse I use for getting angry. I can remember when I lost my temper at a referee. As a result, the Principle of my school made me write a letter of apology to the referee. At that point I realized that my temper was going to get me in a lot of trouble if I didn’t learn to control it.
John 2:13– 25 (NET)
13 Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 He found in the temple courts those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting at tables. 15 So he made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple courts, with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will devour me.”
18 So then the Jewish leaders responded, “What sign can you show us, since you are doing these things?” 19 Jesus replied, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.” 20 Then the Jewish leaders said to him, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and are you going to raise it up in three days?” 21 But Jesus was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 So after he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the saying that Jesus had spoken.
23 Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover, many people believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people. 25 He did not need anyone to testify about man, for he knew what was in man.
Illustration: the damage it leaves behind
A lady once came to Billy Sunday and tried to rationalize her angry outbursts. “There’s nothing wrong with losing my temper,” she said. “I blow up, and then it’s all over.” “So does a shotgun,” Sunday replied, “and look at the damage it leaves behind!” Getting angry can sometimes be like leaping into a wonderfully responsive sports car, gunning the motor, taking off at high speed and then discovering the brakes are out of order. (Maggie Scarg in New York Times Magazine).