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Jesus Cleanses The Temple The First Time

JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE THE FIRST TIME

John 2:13-22

As you read through the New Testament there are only a few instances where Jesus gets upset and what takes place in this passage is one of those instances. If you really want to upset Jesus do what these people were doing.

Now, you may have recognized this account as “Jesus cleansing the temple.”

Now, with that said we must keep in mind that Jesus would be unknown to these people.

So, let’s look now starting in vs. 13. John says: And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.”

And Jesus would not be the only one who came to Jerusalem! This week was the most significant week of the spiritual year for the Jews.

But, look at vs. 14 at what Jesus found when He entered the Temple.

14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers seated.

And it was permitted to make money offerings in the temple but only certain coins were approved (people coming from a distance may bring coins of a different currency all together; some coins may have had an image on them that was not acceptable) so the “moneychangers” would take the unapproved of coins and exchange them for coins that were approved.

But notice that Jesus found them “in the temple.”

 Now there may have been some other things going on that Jesus would not approve of.

And as far as the “moneychangers” were concerned, they would undervalue your “unapproved of coin” and charge you 3 of your coins for one of theirs.

But Jesus doesn’t mention those things here in John 2. Jesus does not object to any dishonesty taking place.

The New International Version says: How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”

 Isn’t that true today? How many times in a week do you hear someone show disrespect to God by taking His name in vain?

 And these people had no respect or consideration for those who sincerely came to worship God.

These people selling the animals; and these moneychangers did not treat God with the respect that He deserves; and they didn’t show any respect or consideration for those who sincerely came to worship; and Jesus drives them out.

Now evidently, what Jesus does here doesn’t have much effect on the Jewish leaders or those selling and changing money because in 2 years He will do this all again.

In vs. 16, Jesus says, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a house of merchandise.” (The fact that Jesus refers to the temple as “His Father’s house”; that in itself speaks of a special relationship between Jesus and God. Jesus is referring to Himself as God’s Son, or the Son of God.)

And then in vs. 17 it says, His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Thy house will consume me.”

Now, let’s read verses 18-22. Keep in mind up to this time the Jews did not know who Jesus was and so they are somewhat amused by what He has just done. So they ask: vs. 18:

18 The Jews therefore answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, seeing that You do these things?”

 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  20 The Jews therefore 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 When therefore 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.

 And as you think about that remember again the reason why John wrote this. John 20:30-31:

Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.