Lesson #07

JOHN 2:12-25
Lesson #07
THE FIRST CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE

• Memory verse: John 2:16

• Read Joh 2:12-22 Jesus in the Temple
• Jesus went down to Capernaum. (12)
• In Luk 4:22 Jesus went into the synagogue in Nazareth and read from the scroll in Isaiah and they rejected Him. He, therefore, moves His headquarters to Capernaum.
• Jesus travels to Jerusalem with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.
• Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him as the Messiah until after the crucifixion.
• They go to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.
• John calls it the “Jew’s Passover” (13) and not the Lord’s Passover (Exo 12:27) because as a disciple of Jesus, John recognizes that it has become a traditional feast day without any meaningful religious content.
• The Passover was to be a symbolic and prophetic celebration that demonstrated the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the lamb of God. (1Cor 5:7)
• Every good Jewish male was expected to travel to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover as commanded by God.
• The cleansing of the Temple
• Usually we do not recognize the fact that Jesus cleansed the temple twice in his ministry:
• At the beginning of his ministry here in the gospel of John which demonstrates Jesus as a prophet.
• Read Mal 3:1-3
• This is a prophecy that Jesus partially fulfilled at the beginning of his ministry. The complete fulfillment awaits His second coming.
• At the end of his ministry in Mat 21:12-17 which demonstrates Jesus as the King.
• The business of money-changing in the temple:
• As a convenience to the people, travelers could buy animals for sacrifice in the temple area instead of bringing an animal a long distance from home.
• To buy animals and to pay the temple tax, foreign money and Roman money had to be converted into the coinage used in the temple.
• A variety of abuses evolved over time involving the sale of animals and the conversion of money.
• They charged exorbitant prices for animals that could be purchased more cheaply in other parts of the city.
• They sold sick or imperfect animals for sacrifice.
• They resold animals that were supposed to be offered as a sacrifice but were not.
• They charged exorbitant fees for converting money.
• Both God and the people were being defrauded.
• “…a scourge of small cords.”

(15)

• This is a small whip which is a symbol of divine wrath.
• This symbol was for men to see, but it was not used against man. One day God’s divine wrath will be used against man at the second coming of Christ in the Battle of Armageddon.
• Notice the restraint of Christ in that nothing is really permanently lost or injured. The animals are removed from the temple area, but they could be found and brought back. The scattered coins could be regathered.
• What purpose did Jesus have for his actions when he knew that business would return as usual the next day?
• Jesus identifies himself with God and the temple, “…make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.” (16)
• This is a statement of deity and authority.
• A house of merchandise:
• Discussion:

Because religious man is no different today than the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, in what ways does this spirit of marketing merchandise display itself in churches today?

• Consider the selling of indulgences for salvation by the Catholic Church that prompted the Reformation by Martin Luther.
• Consider the Protestant churches that never have an end of bake sales, car washes, raffles, the selling of amulets, holy oil, anointed cloths, mustard seeds, music CD’s and books, etc.
• The reaction of the disciples: (17)
• Read Psa 69:9
• This passage immediately comes into the mind of the disciples.Why?
• When a believer is trained in the Word of God, the Holy Spirit brings the Word to mind. In this way, the believer who knows God’s Word is able to understand what God is doing as events occur in his life.
• This action in the temple is a test for the disciples. Jesus immediately puts himself in opposition to the powerful religious system of the day. Anyone closely following Jesus would be identified with Him and His opposition to the religious powers..
• The desire for a “sign”. (18)
• The religious authorities did not question what Jesus did only His authority to do it.
• The Jews were constantly seeking “signs” when in fact the fulfillment of prophecy was the sign they were supposed to recognize.
• God gave the Jews many Old Testament prophets that told the people hundreds of details about the Messiah, so that when He came, they would be able to recognize Him.
• In reality, they missed them all because they looked for miracles.
• As believers in Jesus Christ, we need a balanced view of miracles. There are many people today just like the Jewish leaders and many of the people of Jesus’ day who looked for miracles and followed Him when He did them.
• What is God’s purpose for miracles? (then and now)
• To demonstrate God’s love and compassion for suffering, needy people.
• To reveal God’s glory and power in Jesus Christ to the disciples and to the people.
• To authenticate who Jesus is.
• To primarily confront ignorance, not unbelief, about the person and nature of God.
• The Pharisees were not ignorant. They would not believe no matter how many signs and wonders they saw. Even after the resurrection, only some of the religious leaders believed. (Act 6:7)
• Jesus’ answer concerning the request for a sign: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (19)
• The word, temple.:
• There are two Greek words used for the word, temple, in this passage:
• Verses 14 and 15 use the word hieron which means that Jesus was cleansing the outer courtyard of the temple compound.
• Verses 19 and 20 use the word naos which means the inner sanctuary of the temple building. This word is also used to refer to the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit.
• There is a double meaning in Jesus’ statement that the religious leaders did not recognize.
• The religious leaders thought Jesus was talking about the destruction of the actual temple. That would not only be a blasphemous action but also sedition.
• Later false witnesses would twist these words to indicate that Jesus planned the destruction of the temple. (Mat 26:61)
• There is also a double meaning meant for the disciples, of which, they, too did not recognize.

• “…raise it up…”

(19)

• The word that is used literally means = to wake up.
• Jesus often referred to death as sleep from which one awakens in the resurrection.
• Jesus was talking about his physical death and resurrection.
• This is the second statement in the gospel of John that refers to a specific point in time to which He is moving and for which He came…his death and resurrection. (2:4)
• How do we know Jesus was talking about his own physical body?
• The Holy Spirit had the author, John, add verse 21 so that we would understand Jesus’ meaning.
• Jesus’ body was the true dwelling place of God.
• Did the disciples understand Jesus’ meaning?
• No, not until after the resurrection. Then they remembered his words. (22)
• The sign of the three days:
• Read Mat 12:39-40
• The three days refers prophetically to the story of Jonah who was three days and three nights in the belly of the big fish. (Jon 1:17)
• Jesus is telling them that Jonah’s life was a prophetic statement of Jesus’ three days and nights in the tomb before the resurrection.
• The misunderstanding of the Pharisees: (20)
• Herod’s temple:
• The temple built by Zerubbabel after the Babylonian Captivity was small and poor. King Herod, to placate the Jews, began to pour money into enlarging and decorating the temple which was then called Herod’s temple. This building program had lasted for 46 years and was still incomplete at the time Jesus was there. It was not completed until a few years before the temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
• Read Joh 2:23-25

• “many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.”

(23)

• The word, “believed”, is not the belief of saving faith.
• The Greek word indicates that this is a mental agreement of the fact that Jesus did miracles through the power of God.
• The difference between believing faith and mental assent:
• Believing faith is a personal involvement and a personal commitment to put your whole trust on Jesus.
• Mental assent is an acknowledgment of established fact of which the person does not necessarily become personally involved.
• The Bible says that even the devils (demons) believe but they are not saved. (Jam 2:19)
• How do we know that these who believed in verse 23 did not have saving faith?
• Verses 24 and 25 tell us that Jesus “did not commit himself” to these people because all they wanted was a miracle worker or political savior who would overthrow Roman bondage. He knew their hearts.
• Jesus knows the hearts of all men. In His deity He knew the hearts of all men when He walked on earth for 3 ? years, and He knows our hearts today.
• “…commit…”

(24)

• Jesus commits Himself to those who have a saving faith and put their trust in Him. What kind of commitment does Jesus make to true believers?
• A commitment of love, provision, and protection.
• A commitment of conviction of sin and a guidance to maturity.
• In other words, He makes a commitment to be involved in our lives personally.
• Summary:
• What attributes does Jesus manifest in this passage?
• We see His concern for the defrauded poor.
• We see His wrath against injustice.
• We see His wisdom in handling people.
• We see His omniscience in knowing the hearts of men.
• We see His knowledge of Old Testament scriptures.
• We see His courage to stand up against powerful, corrupt leaders.
• If anger is a sin (Eph 4:26 Mat 5:22). How do you explain that Jesus was sinless?
• Jesus did not display anger against individuals, only the corrupt system that they promoted.
• What is the important message behind Jesus’ actions?
• There were two primary messages conveyed by Jesus’ actions:
• Jesus established His authority over the religious system by identifying Himself with God and the temple.
• Jesus announced His death and the timing of His resurrection three days later.
• Application:
• On what kind of faith are you operating, mental assent that desires to “get” or saving faith that desires to “give.”
• Remember that saving faith requires a commitment: giving your life to Jesus Christ.

HOMEWORK
John 3:1-21
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Joh 2:12-25
• In what ways can you personally make your church a place of worship and prayer?
• Are you guilty of seeking signs and miracles without commitment? If so, how do you plan to change your attitude?

• Preparation for Joh 3:1-21
• Read Joh 3:1-21
• Does verse 5 teach that a person is regenerated by water baptism? Why or why not?
• What do you learn about the following topics in this passage?
• Regeneration
• The Holy Spirit
• Faith
• Eternal life
• What is the key to spiritual understanding?
• Read Num 21:4-9
• Why did Jesus use this Old Testament experience in Joh 3:14?
• What then is the exact meaning of Num 21:4-9?
• Does being “born again” mean that Jesus taught reincarnation?
• How could Jesus say that no one ascended into heaven when Elijah did in 2Kin 2:11?

• Memory verse: John 3:3