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.
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
Observations
Jewish males were required to travel to Jerusalem for the three pilgrim festivals (Passover, Shavuot/Pentecost and Succoth (aka Tabernacles, Booths, Tents). Jesus made the trip at least 3 times during His ministry. This was his first.
There were two groups of people that Jesus was angry with: the money changers and the merchants selling sacrificial animals. It was against Jewish law to accept coins containing other gods or emperors, so the money changers would exchange foreign coins from visitors at an exorbitant profit.
Many Jews and visitors did not bring sacrificial animals on their journey and therefore needed to purchase animals at the temple. Merchants selling the sacrificial animals would sell “approved” animals at very high prices or claim the worshiper’s animal unfit, thereby forcing the worshiper to purchase. Jesus was angered by those in the temple taking advantage of the poor and foreigners. This was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic law (see Exodus 22:21 and Leviticus 19:34).
Jewish historian Josephus estimated that 3,000,000 people on average, attended Passover. Conservatively, if there were 12 people per family, there would be 250,000 lambs sacrificed during Passover. This is big business for the temple. Jesus caused quite a stir, by removing the unscrupulous merchants and money changers profiting from the worshipers.
Application
1) Jesus’ reverence for the Father, the temple, and the worshipers produced righteous anger toward those who were profiting financially from the worship of God. Jesus’ example of righteous anger should cause us to pause and reflect on those things that anger us.
What situations make us angry? Bad drivers, traffic jams, unkind people, children that misbehave, an overbearing boss, demanding parents, a critical spouse or friend? All of these things, while valid, matter little compared to our brothers and sisters worshiping and praying in secret, those persecuted for simply being a Christian, for the millions that are starved by dictatorships, the many babies aborted each year, the multitude of people groups who have never heard the name of Jesus? Do these things cause us righteous anger? Matters of eternal significance involving His kingdom should loom large over our earthly concerns.
2) By driving out the money changers and merchants, Jesus purified the temple. When we become believers, the Holy Spirit enters our bodies, and begins to cleanse us. He lives in us and begins to transform us into the image of Christ. He is not content with leaving us as we are. He is interested in turning our worry into trust, our materialism into generosity, our critical nature into an encouraging spirits.
What does it look like to be a willing participant in this transformation? We humbly agree with God about our sin instead of clinging to the justifications or excuses for our sin. We invite the Holy Spirit to help us, to strengthen us against giving in to temptation, we confess our sin, we pray, we turn to the Word, memorizing and studying scripture, which empowers and strengthens us. The Holy Spirit is in charge of this purification. But we can either fight against it or humble ourselves.
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.” 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.
Of course the temple priests, the merchants, and the money changers were outraged. They demanded a sign to prove Jesus’ authority. Jesus’ response is incredible and understandable only to us who are on this side of the resurrection. Jesus is saying that the sign that would prove His authority would be His resurrection. When Jesus rose from the dead, this would prove that He had was the Messiah, God in the flesh. Everyone, including his disciples, thought Jesus was speaking literally about the physical temple. But Jesus was speaking spiritually and it was only after Jesus had risen, they finally understood what Jesus meant.
Application
Jesus’ resurrection shows that Jesus has the utmost authority given to Him by God. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead proved His miracles were real and that He is who He claimed to be: God in the flesh. Praise be to God! Jesus rose from the dead, to live forevermore and He gives us the gift of eternal life as well. Do not let another day go by without seeking to know Him and to love Him. He alone is worthy. Keep these truths in the foreground of your daily thought life, knowing that the power that rose Jesus from the dead lies within you. (Romans 8:11)
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
The signs that Jesus performed while He was in Jerusalem for Passover must have been spectacular, convincing. John tells us that many believed in His name.
Throughout the gospel of John, Jesus consistently acts in ways which glorify the Father. The many miracles that Jesus performed pointed people to the Father and backed up His claim that He was the Messiah, God in the flesh. It is one thing for someone to preach powerfully, but then, if his words are backed up by powerful miracles, these miracles add authority to his message. This was the case with Jesus.
Because of these miraculous signs, many did put their believe in Jesus, as the Messiah. But these verses punctuate an important truth about Jesus. Jesus knew how fickle man’s faith could be. Some of the very people that were putting their faith in Jesus this day, would eventually cry “Crucify him!” later. But these people whose hearts were evil, are the very ones He came to die for.
Application
Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things
and desperately sick; who can understand it?” The truth is Jesus understands our human hearts. He did not place trust in humans because He knows our faith waivers and that we are weak. Instead, Jesus always looked to and trusted in the Father.
It is comforting to know that Jesus came to earth to save wretched sinners like us. He knew before He came to earth what type of creatures He was coming to save. He did not come to save the healthy and strong. He came to save sinners. We have done NOTHING to deserve His love. But He lavishes us with it anyway, offering us eternal life if we believe in Him. We need to preach this to ourselves every day.