John - Chapter 2, Part 2
CLEARING THE TEMPLE
The Jerusalem temple was the symbol of Jewish national identity and its religious identity as well. The original temple of Solomon had been destroyed by the Babylonians and was later rebuilt by Zerubbabel, and modified by Herod. As we begin, it is right for us to recall that Israel glorified in the temple. It was one of the main things that set them apart from other nations, as the favored and chosen people of God. What other race of people, before or since, has been able to claim accurately that Jehovah God dwelled in their midst in a home designed by himself and built for him by man to His specifications?
It is evident also that there exists a strong prophecy of the intention of a third temple, for the age of the Messiah, as revealed in Ezekiel 40-44.
This setting is what must be viewed as we study the clearing (cleansing) of the temple by Jesus. What some see as an impetuous act of quick rage was not so. This act was the Lord bringing to reality what scripture had foretold as He saw that the temple had become corrupted and profaned by the temple leaders. First we should examine the OT prophecy concerning this issue:
Zech 14:21: “... and in that day (the final day) there shall be no more the Caananite (merchants) in the house of the Lord of hosts”.
Mal 3:1: “... the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple...”
Is 56:7: “... for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people: This prophecy become primary as the commerce Jesus saw in the temple was conducted in the court of the Gentiles, therefore leaving no place for them to worship.
In the first temple, the merchants and the money changers set up and conducted business away from the temple grounds on the hillside across the Kidron valley. Mercenary activity was prohibited on temple ground.
Now, in the second temple time, the Pharisees had grown a corrupt arrangement to prosper and enrich themselves at the expense of the poor and those wished to worship sincerely in the manner of sacrifice required by the law.
They had established a temple currency, allowing no other to be used to purchase sacrificial animals. This currency exchange included a massive markup, far exceeding normal business cost with the profits being pocketed by the Pharisees.
They also had arranged a system that did not allow the worshiper to actually see the offering up of the animal he had purchased. The worshiper simply accepted that his animal was indeed sacrificed. But the Pharisees sold the same animals over and over which was truly theft by deception, with larger and larger profits going to them.
It was for these reasons that Jesus said in the version of the act given in Matthew 21:13: “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves”.
Matthew's version further explains the total corruption and profaning of the holy place by including the fact that Jesus cast out all of those who SOLD & BOUGHT, not just the sellers. We should take note that Jeremiah 7:11 comments closely on this matter as well: “Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord”.
Some Jewish scholars have written that it was Caiaphas himself who established these practices.
So Jesus saw and attacked the corrupt practices of the temple leaders, but He also took great offense that these things had crowded out the original intent that all people might come in to worship.
Verse 17 brings to mind the zeal of the house. In this case, the zeal had become a desire for money rather than for love of the Lord. It had truly come to represent idolatry as the worship was not of the Lord, but of the money that was to be made from a place that was supposed to remain holy and clean. Jesus saw this fact clearly and acted to clear out the profane things and practices.
We should at this time in scripture study remember that this incident shows another side of the Lord. While we normally see Him as meek and humbly mild toward man, we now see another view. While He is gentle and compassionate, that is not ALL he is. In this moment we see a glimpse of the wrath and judgment of God, and what is going to happen when the wicked stand before His throne to receive their due.
Finally, we also must note that this clearing of the temple was rightfully symbolic of the fact that the old system of Judaism was over and was being replace by Jesus himself becoming the temple of worship, and the central position of the life of those who worship the Living God, one portion of which (His Incarnate Son) was in flesh before all of Jerusalem.
We see in verse 17 also that the disciples are beginning to remember that scripture was written concerning these actions.
Now, the Jews ask Jesus in verse 18 what sign He will give after these things have been done? Jesus gives an answer that is truthful and righteous while not immediately revealing its true and inner meaning. He says:
“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”. (verse 19)
The Jews assume He speaks of the physical building of the temple which took 46 years to construct. Verse 21 reveals the truth to us (but not to them) that He spoke of His own body which scripture now addresses as “the temple of His body”.
The temple clearing represents a symbolic act conveying the inner meaning of the crucifixion of Jesus and bodily resurrection by which He becomes the replacement of the physical temple in the life and worship of His people. The physical temple, where he should have been accepted, became the place of His rejection by His own.
We see that it was only after His rising that the disciples remembered He had so spoken and then, after remembering, believed the scripture and His word. Mark 16:11 is clear to teach us that even when Mary Magdalene told the disciples that she had seen the risen Lord, they “believed not”.
Verses 23-25 allow us a final chapter lesson. Even though Jesus performed more miracles in this passover time, and there were many who did believe, He did not commit himself to them, because he knew the heart of man. It seems that Jesus knew their inner being and that they represented hearers who were like the “stony ground” parable, where some seed may sprout but grows no deep roots. These were intellectually convinced by signs, but Jesus knew their hearts not to be changed or devoted to Him. Belief, acceptance, and salvation require a change not just of the mind, but of the heart.
ONWARD TO NICODEMUS
