Jhn 2:12-25. Painful but needful
After the wedding Jesus travels down from the hill country of Cana ( 16 miles) to Capernaum by the sea of Galilee. Here we see they stayed a few days ( this area served as head quarters during his ministry) (12). The Passover was approaching and so they went up ( raised on a hill) to Jerusalem (13) to celebrate the Passover .
THE PASSOVER:
( A Jewish festival Ex 12:1-28 ) which commemorated their redemption out of Egypt each household would bring a sacrificial lamb for each household. This day was a lasting memorial in the Jewish calendar (Ex 12:14). It also coincided with the feast of unleavened bread, which lasted for 7 days. In the 1st month from the 14th day to 21st day all leaven would be removed from households and they would eat unleavened bread, with a sacred assembly on the 1st day and the 7th. With no work being done on those particular days.
Introduction:
Earlier we saw Jesus celebrating with others at a wedding , where the atmosphere was filled with blessed Joy where Jesus performed the 1st of His miraculous signs which revealed His glory. Here it’s a complete different atmosphere at the temple, its palpable you can cut the air with a knife, Jesus is filled with Holy indignation and acts with a prophetic zeal , he makes a whip of cords (15) and sets about clearing the temple of the traders selling animals for worship (Court of the Gentiles) and the money exchangers . It a very painful experience to see Jesus in this way, but very needful.
• The dentist for me as a child was always a fearful & painful experience, as the dentist examines my teeth, I know he is going to find some decay, and action is going to be needed to be taken the whole experience is going to be painful but needful, if we are to stop the decay. To get the teeth into a healthy condition, if left the decay will spread and the pain will intensify & so it is here we have Jesus entering the temple and upon examination he has to eradicate all which was unhealthy.
The atmosphere:
tense, dust is in the air, Jesus has made a whip and is whipping the traders around him, turning over their tables, money scattering over the floor, people are being pushed around , pigeons are taking flight, the sheep & goats are running loose, people are being pushed left right and centre, a cacophony of noise echo’s the temple courts, as the tables are being overturned, temple money scattered all over the place, people are their hands and knees scrambling for money, the place is in uproar. And then the disciples remembered the Scriptures (so important) (17) “ Zeal for your house will consume me.”
What was wrong?
Isn’t Jesus just OTT. After all these traders were doing a service for the people coming up to the Passover and festivities they were offering sacrifices for people to offer before God. It was an act of worship, Also these traders offered people a service it saved people from bringing up to Jerusalem their own livestock, especially if they travelled miles, these animals after all were also officially recognised by the priests as livestock worthy to sacrifice, also they had always done it this way, after all everybody was doing it in the temple courts, so what’s the big problem Jesus?
The answer is No
Jesus was not OTT but consumed with Gods Holy passion and zeal for His house. You see these traders were selling the sacrifices in the temple (Grk: Heiron) this means they were in the area surrounding the temple including the court of the Gentiles , not in the temple proper (Grk: naos) where Gentiles were excluded. So by conducting their business in the temple courts, these traders were disrupting the worship of the Non Jewish God fearers and thus defeated the very purpose the temple existed, for the non-Jewish worshippers.
The actions of Jesus are more than justified. In fact they are prophetic psalm 69:9 “ Zeal for your house will consume me.” As the disciples remember the scriptures: Jesus embodies the ideal heart response of Gods people when it comes to those who disrupt others from entering into the worship of God by their behaviour and actions in the temple.
1. The temple within these walls: v13 – 18
Like Jesus we are to be those consumed with zeal of the Holy Spirit when it comes to the correct worship of God. I want to say the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to direct us in our act of Worship ( 1Cor: 14:26- 40 orderly worship ) . This is our manual, our guide in all areas of worship. I believe that’s why such a stir has taken place over these last five years in this place, because the Spirit is so concerned how we worship Him in the House of God @ Countesthorpe. He is concerned about what is taught from this platform, how we conduct ourselves in worship and life. Through His Word and by His Spirit, He is bringing us back to THE HEART OF WORSHIP. Centred upon Him!
Jesus shows us our Worship of God is important, and that it isn’t simply following the growing trends of other professing Christians, what they are currently doing ( The temple priest allowed it) . And saying well this must be okay for us to do it too. I’m not so much thinking about the form here but the content, the heart of it.
Back to the NT incident: v13 -18 . They were misusing the place for worship and Jesus was angry about the practices taking place , it wasn’t honouring to God, distracting from true worship and so he begins to deal with the situation, he unsettles the status quo , which has gone on for years. Jesus acted he was consumed with zeal, and dealt with the issue. Notice the Jews ask Him (18) “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"
• Friends here’s a question when it comes to worship in Gods House, do we follow the example of Jesus or the example of the religious leaders around us? Does Zeal consume us when it comes to worshipping God a right? Do we worship God on the terms as set out in His word or do we come to worship God set out on the terms of the prevailing mindset of pseudo religious leaders and their followers. Who do we listen too?
• If we are too genuinely listen & follow the example & teaching of Jesus, we too will be a people consumed with zeal for Gods House tearing out all that is un holy and wrong around us. If not the later will prevail & we will be in danger of becoming like the priesthood in Jesus’ day ( hypocrites – white washed walls) being deceived and being a deceiver, making those who are seeking God twice a child of Satan. The one who has infiltrated the Church and encourages such activities, to go on in the temple courts. But not only in those temple courts but in Churches up and d own our land today, a place where God’s Spirit and Word are absent and a pseudo Christianity is proclaimed.
The consequences
a) 1st It brings a distraction to those God fearing Gentiles, who desired to worship God.
b) 2nd It misguides others from the truth as they become disciples of error
c) 3rd More importantly as we see from Jesus it dishonoured Gods house. ( God will act ultimately )
2. The temple within this Body v 18 - 22
It’s intriguing of what is yet to come because form all that has taken place in the earthly temple, questions arise to the authority of Jesus. What gives you the authority? And so the Jews ask for a sign ( another common occurrence in Johns gospel the miraculous). Jesus kindly replies with a profound answer which again focuses upon the temple “ Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (19) of course we all know what He is referring to here don’t we?
His death and resurrection, to come, the temple which is His Body, the religious elite would set out t o destroy Him & on the third day He would raise Himself with the glorious resurrection. .
The Jews hadn’t a clue they thought he was talking about the physical structure before them, we see this by their response to his reply (20) “It has taken 46 year to build this temple and you will raise it up in three days?” John confirms Jesus declaration, 21But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22After 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.
I would like to share a positive & negative application here….. Firstly Jesus is making us aware of the New Testament teaching that our bodies like His go through a death to sin & resurrection to new life in Christ. . Whereby our bodies become temples of the Holy Spirit ( 1Cor 3:16, 6:19) Do you not know you are Gods temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
a) Positive application: The temple within.
As a result a person who has repented and trusted Christ has died to sin and is now alive in Christ Jesus a resurrection has taken place within them, they have become new creations in Christ Jesus but it doesn’t end there upon salvation in fact the work of sanctification just begins ( being made holy) as a result there is an ongoing work always in the life of individual who has been truly saved, Jesus as entered the temple, the process of clearing out the junk commences to bring it to a place fit for the worship of God.
He cares for purity, Jesus clears out, high lights all that is wrong in our own temples, and he uses his word and others in partnership with His Spirit to bring conviction into our lives , in order to bring change, in ourselves in others and in the Church invisible and visible, because he cares for purity, He is consumed with zeal, and so should we not only in ourselves but in each other and in His Church. : His Glorious death & Resurrection and his ongoing zeal for His temple accomplishes for us our justification – ongoing sanctification- and final glorification
b) Negative application: The temple within. .
Churches today are filled with a corrupt spirit of deception, that many individuals are deceived into believing they are Christians when they are not.
a) Evangelical ABC formulation
b) The idea all good people will be with God
c) Good works is enough
d) Being baptised
e) Counterfeit supernatural gifts (often demonic)
f) Church attendance suffices
g) Erroneous views of scriptures
h) Opinions of liberal religious leaders.
i) Many people like these consider themselves to be Christians but they need to experience their own death & resurrection. Their bodies are not temples of the Holy Spirit, these individuals are deceived and deceivers, they are blind leading the blind away from true Worship.
Such individuals may well hold prominent positions in the Church (religious priests) who permit profanities to go on within the Church, distracting the congregation from True Worship. Others like these religious traders who simply come to Gods House not to worship but for their own agenda, what can I get out of the Church, with no accountability no servant hood and so when sin is confronted or service required will move on from Church to Church, distracting others from true worship in the process.
Worldly professing Christians can be respectable individuals in the community or quite the opposite appear holy in a Church setting, but live unholy lives outside of the Church,. Some are merely religious (Sunday attendances ) with no thought of serving the body, they want to be served, the rest of the week they live in the world, they don’t focus on the word of God , but rather the word of self, they are full of contradictions.
Jesus sees into our hearts: V23- -25 Many believed in Him but Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them because he knew all people, he knew what was in them. Here we see the divine omniscience of Jesus he sees into our lives, even though these people believed, He didn’t entrust himself to them, why? They were spurious , counterfeit, not saved, they believed in the miracles, they intellectually accepted him as Messiah but they were not disciples they had a belief which was false (Jhn 8:31 – 47). Jesus knows the difference, He sees into our hearts where do we stand. Jesus permits the two to grow together for a time, it will be gathered in at the end times and either to be burned or placed into His barn (Matt 13:24- 30).
The call of the scriptures is that all professing Christians are to examine themselves to see if you’re in the faith. Test yourselves (2Cor 13:5) (Lam 3:40) Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!
• Many people invite Jesus into our lives (as Saviour) but so often fail to actually totally surrender some area of their life to Jesus, they walk in the shallows, holding back in some area ( we fail to make Him Lord) .Picture it as a house with many rooms, but there is one door the closet, which he not allowed in, Jesus needs to sweep right through your whole life in every room, He must become not only your Saviour but Lord! Residing in the temple of your heart.
Many professing Christians, are actually deceived the seven letters to the Churches of Asia Minor are a permanent reminder of this fact ..... .Lets unpack it, we really need to drive this home.....
1 . (Rev2:2-3 Ephesus - tested so called apostles) .
2. (Rev 2:8-9 Smyrna – Not Jews but synagogue of Satan)
3. (Rev 2:14 -16- Pergamum- teaching of Balaam)
4. ( Rev 2:19-21 –Thyatira - Jezebel)
5. (Rev 3:1- 2 – Sardis - Christians who were dead, asleep)
6. (Rev 3: 9-10 – Synagogue of Satan endured kept the Word)
7. ( Rev 3: 14v – 20 a completely deceived Church – neither hot or cold one or the other Jesus wishes)
Each one of these is in the context of the local Church which had individuals, amongst them who thought they were Christians but were not! What is the answer for such individuals today?
Jesus delivers it to a Church full of deceived individuals: Rev 3:20 behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to Him and eat with Him and with me.
We must experience a spiritual death to self & sin, which must be put to death, and then experience a glorious resurrection to new life, whereby Jesus dwells within us by His Spirit .
• (1 Cor 3:16). Do you not know your Body is the temple of God.
3. The temple which is yet to come, the new Jerusalem: Rev 21:1-3 .
I want us all to consider this final thought in regard to the prophetic zeal of the Lord and His actions which are painful but needful: If it wasn’t for Him and his consuming zeal for His People where would we be? His zeal in the temple is a microcosm picture of his consuming zeal throughout his earthly ministry.
Jesus was consumed with holy zeal to the extent that He was prepared to come to this world he the creator came into creation, a creation which had turned its back upon its creator a long time ago. He lived a perfect life before sinful humanity, in so doing fulfilling all righteousness, satisfying Gods righteous requirements which we could never fulfil and suffered and died alone on a cruel Roman cross, enduring the wrath of God the Father forsaken as He bore our sins in His Holy Body in so doing demonstrating the depth of his love for a fallen humanity, by thee actions He made reconciliation between humanity and a Holy God a possibility. That He might present (sinners saved by grace) and send His Spirit to dwell in Our hearts and lives making us a Holy temple before God.
The zeal of the Lord in us continues for a people to be Holy set apart to Him, worshippers of spirit & truth a people who would serve in partnership with Him building the kingdom of God within their hearts and Gods Kingdom here upon earth as it is in heaven as sinners saved by His amazing grace, are transformed and enter into a worshipping and serving community of the people of God. Until we die or He returns to take us to be with Him, when we shall be changed & glorified forever, we shall be like Him, incessantly worshipping Him in utter perfection and true holiness forevermore.
I don’t think this is a coincidence that It was the beginning of his earthly ministry He attended a wedding feast followed by the clearing of the temple of all its profanities and upon his 2nd coming these two will be amongst His first acts he too will purify his Church from all its dross, it will be glorified Eph 6:25 - 27 as his bride and hold a marriage supper with his elect Bride. Rev 19:9
And it’s all because zeal for Gods temple consumes Him.
