JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE
John 2:13-22
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. The pharmacist in the town drug store overheard a boy talking on a cell phone. "Hello, sir, I was calling to see if you needed a lawn boy. Oh, you have one. Well, is he adequate? Oh, he is! Thank you, I was just checking," he said.
2. The pharmacist said to the boy, "Sorry you didn't get the job, son." "Oh, no sir," said the boy. "I've got the job. I was just calling to check up on myself."
3. That's not a bad idea for all of us to check up on ourselves -- spiritually! If we would get a spiritual assessment from time to time, many of us would have great benefits.
B. THESIS
1. Imagine having a really big “Spring cleaning” at your house. You might need your own dumpster to get rid of all the junk you’ve been storing up: old bicycles, the old bed frames, the old couch, the old computers, the old Evinrude boat motor your husband won’t throw away. The old clothes and shoes, rickety chairs and scuffed tables. Whatever!
2. How gratifying to get the old junk out of your life! Why is that? Because we have the tendency to hang on to stuff and get cluttered. God feels the same way about His House too! He wants us to keep it clean. That’s the subject of our message this morning.
C. TEXT
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.]
I. HEROD’S TEMPLE
A. ZERUBBABEL’S POOR TEMPLE
1. After the 70 year period beginning 586 B.C. when the nation of Israel was taken into captivity by the Babylonian Empire, the Persian king Cyrus allowed them to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.
2. What they built was like a large stone box when compared to the magnificent Temple that Solomon had spent billions on. When they finished the foundation, they celebrated.
3. Ezra 3:12-13 says, “But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise.”
4. But though that Temple had a lowly beginning, generation after generation improved upon it.
B. HEROD THE GREAT’S PROJECT
1. Work began in 20 BC and it was completed in A.D. 64 -- 84 years of magnificent construction!
2. The Temple area was very large. There were four terraces (or levels of ground) at the Temple. The closer you got to the Temple itself, the ground-level rose 4 times. It was very impressive!
3. There were the outer courts, the Court of Women, the Inner Court, and finally the Temple proper, which rose above all others.
4. The outer wall was 60 feet high and the Temple itself 90 feet high! The walls and Temple were made of huge white marble blocks -- as big as 24 feet long.
5. The structure was very ornate. Everywhere were carved marble gates and columns. Many surfaces of the marble or expensive wood were inlaid with gold. The highest points of the Temple were said to be capped with gold, so that the sun was blindingly reflected from it for many miles around.
C. THE LORD’S OBSERVATION
1. “As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” Mk. 13:1-2.
2. Jesus was saying, "Don't admire it; before long it won't be here!" This is an amazing prophecy, first of all because Israel was at peace at that time. Secondly, because that Temple had stood since 516 BC, for 546 years!
3. Jesus still tells us today, "Don't put your trust in things, but in the Living God! What God chooses to use today, He may not choose to use tomorrow.
II. JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE
A. THE MARKETPLACE
1. According to the Rabbinic writings (Pes. 57a; Rash Hash. 31.a,b) and Josephus (Antiquities 20:9:2-4), the sons of Annas the High Priest rented out the spaces in the outer court for personal profit. The vendors also charged larger fees of the pilgrims for their convenient locations.
2. In Mark 11:17 Jesus called it a "den of thieves." It had become a place of greed and corruption.
B. FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY
1. “‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty” Hag. 2:9. Our Lord's first public appearance fulfilled this prophecy. One "Greater than the Temple" had come!
2. “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple…” says the LORD Almighty. But who can endure the day of his coming?...For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver” Mal. 3:1-3.
3. “Judgment must begin at the House of God” 1 Pet. 4:17 KJV.
C. POLLUTION IN GOD’S TEMPLE
1. When a sacred place is contaminated by ungodly things/acts, it is spoken of as defiled, polluted, made unclean. It becomes unfit for sacred use. What makes things sacred to God’s use is that they are dedicated only to Him and are not used for any other purpose.
2. When the temple courts had ceased to be used strictly for God's service -- only to Him, then they no longer met the criteria for use for prayer and atonement. God will not have a mixing of the sacred and secular.
3. Do you know why physical corruption came into the Temple? Because the spiritual desire had left. When you have the real thing, a substitute won’t suffice; but once you’ve forgotten what the anointing and power of the Spirit feels like, then anything that pleases the flesh or flatters the mind seems impressive.
4. What we need is a fresh revelation of the Living God and a new infilling of the Holy Spirit! But to get it we have to get the junk out of our lives! God won’t share His House with an idol of Dagon. The idols have to go!
D. OUR BODIES: THE TEMPLE
1. God wants all of us or none of us. God will not share us with the world. That’s why he said, "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord…and I will receive you, and….you will be My sons and daughters" 2 Cor. 6:17.
2. Paul tells us in Corinthians, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
3. God told the Prophet Ezekiel, “These men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?” (14:3) If we’re involved in sin, then we’ve set up idols in our hearts. Jesus says they have to go, or we don’t belong to Him!
4. God calls us to a high standard; God is holy and He commands us to be holy!
5. LAW of SOWING and REAPING.
a. When we plant something, it's going to come up!
b. We can’t sow to the flesh all week, and then come to church, and expect to reap spiritual blessings. Who do we think we’re fooling? If we watch filth on the internet or movies; indulge in extra-marital sex; if we judge people, curse, have fits of rage, hatred, unforgiveness, envy & greed – Paul says we’re not going to heaven! (Gal. 5:19-21).
c. We have to get the sin out by genuine repentance and faith in Jesus’ death for us on the cross and resurrection from the dead.
III. DANGERS OF AN EMPTY TEMPLE
A. THE EMPTY TEMPLE
An empty Temple provides room for sin and corruption to come in. Jesus warned that a person who’s “house”/body is swept clean by Christ’s deliverance but who doesn’t seek to be filled with Him, is in danger of becoming seven times as evil as before! Matt. 12:43-45.
B. WHAT KEEPS IT EMPTY?
1. BUSYNESS
a. Mary and Martha.
b. Drive-throughs; instant potatoes; microwaves; fast food; Eggos….we’re in too much of a hurry to wait upon God!
2. COMPLACENCY/ INDIFFERENCE
a. “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind & naked” Rev. 3:17.
b. We've become satisfied. We've settled for too little. We become so full of the world we don't have room for God. At Mexican restaurants people often fill up on chips and then have no room for the good food. That's the same thing we tend to do.
c. Good is the enemy of the best. No one goes to the Olympics Games aiming for a bronze medal, but for gold.
3. UNBELIEF
a. If we believed, we’d pray more/witness more.
b. Nazareth -- there was a church on every corner. But Jesus could do no miracles because of their unbelief.
IV. HOW TO KEEP THE TEMPLE FULL
“When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever’” 2 Chron. 7:1-3. WHY DID THIS FIRE FALL?
A. BECAUSE THERE WAS A SACRIFICE
1. Fire won't fall of an empty altar; we must have sacrifices to present to the Lord. What sacrifices do you present to the Lord weekly?
2. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” Rom. 12:1.
B. BECAUSE THERE WAS DEDICATION
1. Jesus did a thorough work: He "drove them all out."
2. God wants us to consecrate every area of our lives to Him; time, energy, efforts, etc.
C. BECAUSE THEY WERE ZEALOUS
1. We need to be zealous for God,
2. Determined to finish the course.
3. “On fire:” “He that would be warm must keep near the fire.” Our God is a consuming fire.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. Alexander the great was marching on Persia, and it looked as if the great empire (of Persia) was about to crumble, as later it did, before his armies.
2. There was a critical moment, however, which nearly resulted in disaster. The Army of Alexander had taken spoils of silver, gold, and other treasures in such quantities that the soldiers were literally weighed down with them.
3. Alexander gathered all of them together in one great pile and set fire to them. The soldiers were furious, but it was not long before they realized the wisdom of their leader.
4. "It was as if wings had been given to them -- they walked lightly again." The campaign proceeded to victory.
B. ALTAR CALL
1. Purifying our hearts – Jesus’ intention; “For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold & silver” Mal. 3:2-3.
2. Have you been so full of the world lately there hasn't been room for God? Have you fallen short of God's high standard for your Temple to be kept holy? Is your temple ready for inspection? Do you want to re-consecrate your temple to Jesus this morning?
ADDENDUM
HIS REASON THE TEMPLE WAS HIS TO CLEAN? It was His Father’s House! And as a Son He had authority over His own house. Heb. 3:5-6. Likewise, If God is our Father, then we too should care whether His House is defiled, we should be grieved until it’s pure, and we should take actions to help bring it about.
REASON FOR RADICAL ACTIONS? ZEAL FOR FATHER’S HOUSE. Verse 17 gives the reason Jesus took such radical action: the disciples remembered that it was written, “The Zeal of Your house has eaten me up.” This verse explains the incongruity of the Lamb of God acting in an unpassive manner, and Him they believed to be the King of Israel leaving His station to attend to what appeared to be mundane matters. His zeal ate him up – it made him forget himself, Ps. 69:9. David was a type of Christ; he too was zealous for God’s house, Ps. 132:2-3 . All the graces found among the O.T. saints were found eminently in Christ, and particularly this of zeal for the house of God. Likewise, Jesus is zealous for another House of God – His Church. His zeal made Him humble Himself, made Him spend himself, and expose himself. Our zeal for the House of God should hinder us from considering our own popularity, ease, or safety.
HIS AUTHORITY QUESTIONED. Being Jews, they should’ve stood by him and aided him to vindicate the honor of their Temple; but, instead, they objected to it. Those who promote the reformation of the Church are working for God; those who oppose it are working against God! Don’t be surprised if you encounter opposition. When they couldn’t object to what He was doing, they questioned His authority.
THE SIGN THAT WILL PROVE HIS AUTHORITY
The sign that He gave them was his own death and resurrection. “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
1. First, He foretold his death by the Jews’ malice, in these words, “Destroy (you) this Temple; that is, "You will destroy it, I know you will.’’ "You that defile one Temple will destroy another.”
2. Secondly, He foretold His resurrection by His own power: “In three days I will raise it up.” There were others that were raised, but Christ alone raised Himself!
3. The death of Christ was indeed the destruction of the Jewish Temple, their rejection of Him the cause of it. His resurrection was the raising up of another Temple, the Church, Zech. 6:12. Had they known that this was He who built all things in six days they wouldn’t have thought it absurd that He would build it in three days.
4. He’s Emmanuel—God with us. Just as the Temple was the place of meeting and knowing God, so in Jesus Christ we meet and know God!
[The Addendum is added to cover verses 18-22 & is rewritten from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on these verses.]
