Session 6

“Jesus drives out the temple”

(John 2:13-25)

(2:13) “Christians, even Jewish Christians, no longer celebrated Passover when he [John] wrote.” – Colin G. Kruse

Because the other gospels recount the cleansing of the temple at the end of Jesus’ ministry, (Matthew 21:10-

17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-46) this leads us to believe that Jesus cleansed the temple twice.

(2:14)

“Temple (Gk. hieron) denotes the area surrounding the temple, including the Court of the Gentiles, in

distinction from the temple building proper (Gk. naos), from which non-Jews were excluded. By selling oxen,

sheep, and pigeons, the merchants, as well as the money-changers, rendered a service to those who had

traveled to Jerusalem from afar, enabling them to buy the animals on-site rather than having to carry them

for long distances. By conducting their business in the temple complex, however, these individuals disrupted

the worship of non-Jewish God-fearers (see note on 12:20) and thus obstructed the very purpose for which

the temple existed.” – ESV Study Bible

“The only place then where Gentiles could come and pray in the temple was the court of the gentiles, and this

had been turned into a noisy market.” - Colin G. Kruse

“…in due time the convenience had become a business, not a ministry.” – Warren W. Wiersbe

(2:15-17) - The only account in the New Testament of Jesus being angry

“And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said

to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.” –Mark 3:5

- Be angry

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger”

- Ephesians 4:26; Psalm 4:4

“a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”

– Ecclesiastes 8:3

- God is angry every day

“God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.” – Psalm 7:11

(2:18-22)“Destroy this temple…”

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,” – Colossians 2:9

“For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth

and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in,

and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares

the LORD of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts.

And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’” - Haggai 2:6-9

Titus, the Roman emperor destroyed the 2nd temple in 70A.D.

“If Jesus is not the Messiah, NO ONE IS!”

Because of this Judaism is now deemed obsolete and impossible.

(2:23-25) “ Jesus knows all men”!