March 25
Cleaning the Temple
Jesus’s 72 Steps from Glory to Glory
Step 15: From Capernaum to Jerusalem
Last week, we covered the wedding at Cana and Jesus’ first miracle. This week, we will see Jesus travel to Jerusalem for the annual Passover Celebration. Here He begins His public ministry. His Ministry would last three years. This time would be spent ministering to people in and around Israel. He taught new ways of thinking about God with parables and confronted the religious leaders and their distorted teachings about God’s Laws.
Today, when a pastor begins his ministry in a new church, he is advised not to (rock the boat). He is told to take a while to get to know the people before he makes any changes! But that ain’t what Jesus did! He lets everyone know right up front that He didn’t come to play or to maintain the status quo.
John 2:13-3:21
- V. 13-17 Jesus attends the Passover, and He visits the Temple.
- All males were expected to go to Jerusalem three times a year.
“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.” Deuteronomy 16:16 NKJV
- Jesus performs His first of two Temple cleansings, driving out the money changers.
See Matt. 21:12 for the second time.
- This fulfills O.T. prophecy; He will be Zealous for the Father’s house.
“Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.” Psalms 69:9 NKJV
- V. 18-22 The Jews ask for a sign to justify His actions. *
- V. This leads to His second prediction or prophecy: concerning His death and resurrection.
- He said His temple would be destroyed.
In the Greek language, there were 2 words for “Temple”.
- “Hieron” spoke of the actual building
- “Naos” often spoke of a human body in which the Spirit of God dwelt. This is the word, Jesus used when referring to Himself.
- He said He would raise it after three days. The Jews thought He was talking about Herod’s temple, which had taken 46 years to build.
- Later, they would twist this statement out of context during His trial and while He was on the cross. “
But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ Matt. 26:60-61
And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Matt. 27:39-40
- V.22 We know that He was talking about His body.
- His disciples would remember this after the resurrection.
“He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” And they remembered His words.”
Luke 24:6-8 NKJV
(III)V. 23-24 The first year of His ministry will be a year of popularity. In these verses, we see His popularity beginning to grow. Great right? Let’s think about this —
- V.23 People believed in His name, they saw His power and authority, and they believed He was the Messiah! But what did they want from Jesus? What were they expecting from a messiah?
- Worldly people will follow anyone who feeds them, gives them free health care, and entertains them.
That is why the democrats are so successful at misleading people.
- V.24 Jesus would not commit to these people because He knew that they would not commit to Him.
He knows who will leave Him when His teaching gets difficult. He knows who will be willing to die to self, who will sell all they have and give it away, who will be willing to leave their father and mother, and who will take up their cross to follow Him.
- V. 25 Jesus knows the hearts of all men.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 NKJV
- Many people will tell you that they follow Jesus. But He knows the beginning and the end. It is where you finish that matters, not where you start. Jesus knows that many, “maybe most,” who start following Him will fall away before the journey ends.
Does this mean that people “Lose” their salvation? No! It means that they never truly committed to Him and were never truly saved. He knew this, so He did not commit to them.
Why do we follow Jesus? Do we follow Him for what we can get from Him? Or do we follow Him because of who He is?
email-douglas@pavementendsministry.com
