THE TIME JESUS CLEARED THE TEMPLE

Passage: John 2:12-25

Key verse: 19

NIV

12 After this he went down to Capernaum(A) with his mother(B) and brothers(C) and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts(D)

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,(E) Jesus went up to Jerusalem.(F) 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves,(G) and others sitting at tables exchanging money.(H) 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house(I) into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[a](J)

18 The Jews(K) then responded to him, “What sign(L) can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”(M)

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”(N)

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.(O) 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said.(P) Then they believed the scripture(Q) and the words that Jesus had spoken.

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival,(R) many people saw the signs(S) he was performing and believed(T) in his name.[b] 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind,(U) for he knew what was in each person.(V)

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Footnotes
  1. John 2:17 Psalm 69:9
  2. John 2:23 Or in him
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and (A)his brothers[a] and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

13 (B)The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus (C)went up to Jerusalem. 14 (D)In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 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. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make (E)my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, (F)“Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 So the Jews said to him, (G)“What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, (H)“Destroy this temple, and in three days (I)I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,[b] and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about (J)the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, (K)his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed (L)the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Jesus Knows What Is in Man

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name (M)when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus (N)on his part did not entrust himself to them, because (O)he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for (P)he himself knew what was in man.

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Footnotes
  1. John 2:12 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
  2. John 2:20 Or This temple was built forty-six years ago
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Many Jews came from all over Israel to Jerusalem during the holy festivals, including Jesus and his family, during the Passover holiday. The temple in Jerusalem was a sign of God's dwelling place and was the most holy place for the Jewish people. When Jesus saw people buying and selling in the temple courts, he became very upset and passionately cleared them all out. God's dwelling should not be a place of greed or selfish ambition. Likewise, it may take drastic measures to nurture our own life so God’s grace and love can grow and flourish. Sometimes, it is the things that we have always done that are the most difficult to notice we need to repent of.

When asked for a sign of his authority, Jesus made a reference to his own body as a temple. Jesus alluded to his own death and resurrection as God's sign. In Jesus, we have God dwelling among us. We have Jesus’ power to give us new life that overcomes our sin, suffering, and even death. We can put our faith in his authority.

Prayer: Lord, you have come to purify our hearts so that you may dwell there. You have the power to give new life and cleanse us of all our sins.

One Word: Purify my heart