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John 2:13-22

¹³ The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. ¹⁵ And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. ¹⁶ And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

¹⁸ So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ²⁰ The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” ²¹ But he was speaking about the temple of his body. ²² When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

“His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’”

Jesus has a mean side. “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild” – not so much here. This is more like, “Aggressive Jesus, scrappy and contentious.”

After seeing the merchants selling their oxen, sheep, and pigeons and the money-changers, Jesus assembled His homemade whip. And out He drove them – the sellers, the animals, and the money-changers. Imagine the sounds – animals howling, people yelling, whip cracking, tables flipping, coins clanging to the concrete. A scene like this is more akin to a child throwing a temper tantrum than a religious teacher restoring reverence to a place of worship.

But Jesus didn’t have a choice in the matter. Zeal consumed Him. God’s Temple, God’s house was being destroyed. This was something that had to be done. Jesus had to protect His Father’s house.

But why did it have to be done? Prayers were being made, sacrifices offered. How was what they were destroying the Temple? After all, the merchants and money-changers were offering a service.

God had instituted the sacrifices, and sure it was reasonable for someone from Bethlehem, Nazareth, or Capernaum to bring their own sheep or ox to Jerusalem for a sacrifice. But what about the faithful who lived in Turkey or Rome? Getting to the Temple was difficult enough. Bringing an ox or a sheep or even a pigeon was a burden. It’s much easier to bring money with you, buy the animal at the destination, and sacrifice it. The priests recognized this. And they, as stewards of God’s house, had sanctioned it.

The merchants and money-changers just made everything more convenient. And, quite frankly, there wasn’t anything wrong with them making a profit as they did it. The merchants were simply running a business. No sin in that. Everyone has to make a living. They were simplifying worship. But just because something makes worship more simple, doesn’t make it right.

The problem wasn’t what they were doing – it was where they were doing it. The sale of sacrifices had been going on for a long time, but it had occurred outside the Temple on the slopes of Mount of Olives. Apparently, Caiaphas, who was high priest in Jesus’ day (Lk. 3:2; Jn. 18:24), was the first to allow the merchants to set up shop inside the Temple.

The vulgarity of what they were doing was that, through their indifference and complacency, they turned the house where God freely gave forgiveness into a house of business, a house of transactions. God’s forgiveness should never be connected with making a transaction. The place where God extends mercy to His people gratis should never be a house of business, trade, and enterprise. Through complacency, God’s people were destroying God’s house. Their indifference was the catalyst for the decay and destruction of the Temple that had taken forty-six years to build.

But they didn’t see it that way. They were still offended at Jesus’ action, Jesus’ zeal. So they ask Jesus for a sign. But notice that John doesn’t say that the religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, demand Jesus give a sign to authenticate His authority. It was all the people. “The Jews said to Him, ‘What sign do You show us for doing these things?’”

Jesus replies, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” But, in saying that, Jesus had moved the metaphor. He was speaking about the temple of His body.

As important as the Temple building was to Jesus, the Temple was pointing to something even more important – Jesus Himself. Jesus is the place where God’s glory dwells. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14). Jesus is the place where the perfect Sacrifice for all sin, for your sin, was offered to God. The Jews will get the sign they demand, but only in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus had authority to drive the merchants and money-changers out because He is the resurrected One.

Jesus’ zeal for God’s house consumes Him – in fact, it destroys Him. Jesus’ zeal for God’s house came at a great price.

What about today? Well, the metaphor moves again. The Temple pointed to Jesus’ body, and now the Church – that’s you, believer – the Church is the temple of God. 1 Cor. 3:16-17 says, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”

Jesus’ zeal for God’s house consumed Him. Jesus’ zeal for you consumed Him. He was destroyed for you. The Jews did destroy the temple of Jesus’ body, and Jesus raised that temple. Jesus protected that house, and Jesus will protect this house. He will protect you, His church, His temple. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.