Life of Christ part 30

 John 2.13-25

When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover, He found the courtyards surrounding the Temple filled with merchants and moneychangers. After all, it would have been difficult for many of the Jews to transport a sacrificial animal from distant locations to Jerusalem for the Passover, so it had become common practice for merchants to make such animals available for purchase in Jerusalem. In addition, these and other financial transactions invited the involvement of money changers, who likely inflated their prices for such events. That these practices took place was not really the problem. The problem was where they took place. The merchants and money changers had taken over the courts of the Temple for their transactions, making the place of worship a place for financial profit. This disregard for the holy place infuriated Jesus. John's Gospel tells us that He made a whip out of some rope and drove the animals out of the Temple area. Furthermore, He upended the tables of the money changers, sending coins flying everywhere. Like a fiery prophet of old, He zealously rebuked the merchants, accusing them of turning His Father’s house into a marketplace. We must take note that in this dramatic and public inauguration of Jesus' ministry, He referred to the Temple as His own Father’s house, highlighting His unique relationship with God the Father.

Of course, an act like this didn’t go unchallenged. The Jewish leaders quickly accosted Jesus and asked Him by what authority He did these things. They demanded a sign of His authority. Jesus told them simply, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Jews were appalled. It had taken forty-six years to build this magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. Could Jesus really think He could do the same thing in three short days? They didn’t realise that Jesus was talking about a different temple, His own body. Already Jesus knew that He would die and raise again on the third day. Already He knew that His ministry would be fraught with resistance. Instead of welcoming His cleansing of the Temple as they should, the religious leaders opposed this purifying act.

After purging the Temple, Jesus engaged in a ministry of miracles. John tells us that many people saw these miracles and believed in Him. Yet, John tells us, Jesus knew that their faith was fleeting in many cases. He didn’t depend on the crowd because, as God in the flesh, He knew the makeup of the human heart. His ministry would draw crowds, but the crowds would one day turn against Him. Jesus knew that He had to change people one heart at a time.