Lesson 4473

 (Lesson 4473)(05-02-24) John 2:12-22 

After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.” 

 

Today’s quote relates that after the miracle at Cana, Jesus goes to Capernaum with His mother, brothers, and disciples, and they stay there for a few days. The narrative then shifts to Jerusalem to where Jesus visited the temple during Passover. He found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at tables. In response, Jesus makes a whip out of cords and drives all from the temple area, including the animals. He overturned the tables of the money changers and told those selling doves to remove them, declaring that they should not make His Father’s house a marketplace. That action fulfilled the disciples’ memory of the prophecy, "Zeal for your house will consume me." When challenged by the Jews to show a sign of authority for these actions, Jesus answered that when the temple is destroyed, He will raise it again in three days. They interpreted His statement literally, thinking He referred to the actual temple building, but He was speaking about the temple of His body. That statement became clear to His disciples after His resurrection.~