¹³ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. ¹⁵ So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. ¹⁶ To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!” ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
¹⁸ The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
²⁰ They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” ²¹ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. ²² After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
²³ Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. ²⁴ But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. ²⁵ He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person..
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see / Hail th’incarnate Deity Pleased with us in flesh to dwell / Jesus our Immanuel.
– Charles Wesley
Thoughts
- The King Cleans House (13-17):. Lev 17:11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. Sacrifice was an act of contrition and devotion—but temple worship had become a circus, rigged to fleece pilgrims. Mal 3:1, 3 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; …he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.
- The Word Dwelling Among Us (18-22): Remember Joh 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. This was the promise: Exo 29:45 Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God. And Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Immanuel means “With-us-God.” Col 1:19 (ESV) For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. He is the living temple—at His death, the veil separating men from the holy of holies is torn from heaven to earth, ending temple worship. Now by the Spirit, He dwells on earth in His people. 1Pet 2:4-5 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.*
- Enthusiasm ≠ Faith (23-25): Enthusiasm is exciting, but fading. Faith endures; faith is tested. What lies beyond enthusiasm? 1Pet 1:6-9 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.*
Reflections
- Jesus cleanses temples and hearts. In your life, what sideshow is crowding out Christ? Where do you need to yield to Him?
