The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 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. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 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.
Comment: Passover, the annual feast to celebrate delivery of the Jewish nation from Egypt by God using Moses, was a very significant event for the nation. Masses of people would attend and there was the sacrificial lamb to be killed and eaten at the centre of the feast. Business people loved the word ‘perfect lamb’ to be killed because their eagle eyes discovered previous unnoticed blemishes and they would exchange their ‘perfect specimens’ for a fee. People from other areas would have needed money changed and for simple sacrifices birds were on sale. The picture is of necessary preparation for the real event being replaced by a thriving business hub. Much like we see these days with Jesus being smothered in the business of Christmas gifts. Jesus in righteous fury sent the business aspects flying and said a couple of things which must have caused some to say that He had lost his sanity. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” seemed a bit fantastic if he had meant the temple which had taken 46 years to build. The author for our sake says ‘He was talking about His resurrection, don’t jump to the wrong conclusion!’ He does confess that it was several years later that he, the author and the other disciples worked that out! His zealous cleaning up of the business instead of true worship was true to Jesus’ whole character and attitude to life.
Prayer: You amaze me, Jesus.
As I read it! 