[12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.] [Family time] [Mom is present], but where’s Dad? Joseph does not show up even one time in John’s book. Not once. These are arguably the biggest most important days of Jesus’ life (to this point). And he’s missing it! He’s absent. We know he started out well. He stayed with Mary, and fathered Jesus just like he would have his own son. So something happened. Maybe he died. That’s a distinct possibility. Maybe he couldn’t get the time off? Or maybe he got distracted. Maybe he got busy, putting career in front of his wife and kids? Dads, insofar is possible w you, we need to be present [unlike Adam]. Maybe you’ve been absent - but tomorrow is a new day. [Best gift for mom? Presence] By the grace and power Christ gives, don’t be absent. God will strengthen you to be present. AND He heals. He empowers forgiveness. He restores the years the locust has eaten. Maybe God will give you the grace to be present for someone else… We all need a dad. Literally. Someone who’s watching out for us, a protector, a provider. Best of all, above all, even if our biological father isn’t in the picture - we have a Father-in-heaven [Psa. 68:5 A father to those who have no father, a judge of the widows, is God in his holy place. ].
[13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem]. Jerusalem was ”down south” for Jesus but you always “go up” to it - situated [on a hill]. Passover of course is the annual feast and celebration of when God brought His people out of slavery in Egypt, and in the process He gave them a picture of Messiah. How God spared His people from the destroying angel when they had the [blood of the lamb around the door of their house]. And if you can, you want to celebrate in [Jerusalem]! And here, at long last, here comes the true Lamb of God to celebrate the Feast that points to Him!
Now, none of the other Gospels mention THIS trip. None of them mention this “other” temple cleansing. The other three Gospels describe how Jesus does a similar cleansing after He triumphal-enters Jerusalem during the week right before He is crucified. Some say that this difference is the biggest historical hurdle for John’s Gospel. Were there two temple cleansings, or just one?
If there was only one temple cleansing, maybe the other three Gospels have it wrong? Not likely. OR, maybe John is using some “literary license” - maybe he includes the event here because of how it reinforces what he’s trying to show us about Jesus? It’s possible - John does jump around back and forth between topics sometimes.
But why can’t there be two temple cleansings? This first cleansing gets Jesus on the radar as a bothersome zealot. NOW He’s gone public. The second, 3yrs from this one, will be inexcusable - it will dump a bunch of fuel on the already-burning fires of execution. For some reason, John only mentions this first one. But this first cleansing develops Jesus ministry in two ways: 1) it kicks off the conflict that grows between Jesus and the religious establishment. First conflict. 2) (as we’ll see next time, 18-19, 22) this cleansing strengthens belief in both the prophecies of the OT AND the prophetic words of Jesus. Here we are, at the very beginning of His ministry, He’s just getting started, His crucifixion is still years away, and He’s already talking in very specific terms about His ultimate execution and resurrection. Jesus is very clear about why He’s here, and where He’s going [how bout you and me?]. But so, first cleansing, first conflict - let’s see what has Jesus so hot and bothered…
[14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.] Think about this scene. In the temple. What is supposed to take place “in the temple”? Sacrifice. Incense. Offering. Worship. Whose house? The place where He had caused His holy Name to dwell [Is 56.7]. A special, sacred place. And the focus is where? But at this point, the bottom line for the House of God has become not Almighty God but the mighty dollar [or shekel]. It’s all about the Benjamins. About selling and changing money.
This wasn’t a new problem - it had been going on for centuries. Sadly the religious leaders have a financial stake in this enterprise [and this problem persists, doesn’t it?]. People invariably shift the focus from being about Almighty God, to being about me. Sometimes, it’s “what do I need to DO for God?" And more often, it’s “what can I get from God?” Either way, what’s in it for me? It’s about me. When in fact, this, all this, is all about Almighty God. [Is. 58:3-5 “‘Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’ Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, and drive hard all your workers.’ Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high. Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed and for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD?][Ps. 46:10 “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”] Our rituals and rhythms, the disciplines and celebrations of our faith, are not about what WE can get out of it. They’re not about me. These are to help US focus on Him. On the God Who made us for Himself. They’re to help us see Him, know Him - because only in Him do we find true rest and our greatest heart’s desire. But here, again right off the bat, Jesus sees at this feast that the focus is WAY off.
[15-16 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”] What does Jesus do? He makes a scourge. A phragellion. Gives us our word, flagellum. Used to “flagellate” something. It’s a whip. Which maybe sounds extreme - but sometimes the Lord needs to resort to extreme measures to get our focus back on Him. Take these things away, He says. [Here we see The Extreme NO]. Perhaps there’s something in the temple of your life that ought not be there? Extreme measures. What are you prepared to do? And then what? [1.29 - He will help you!] Jesus then says, stop making My Father’s house a place of [emporium]. This is not a business, Jesus says. Church, ministry is not a business. Church is about people who are learning to make it all about the Lord. But is "My Father's house" about a building?
[17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”] [This is The Extreme YES]. Zeal = to be hot/boiling about something. Is Jesus’ zeal about a building tho? Jesus is hot and bothered, for sure. He’s bothered that people are hot into making money, making it about themselves, and not making it about the glory of God. But this zeal/heat will DEVOUR Me, it says. What if anything devours you? What heats you up and eats you up? A lot of things can do that to us. Devour us, consume us. Eat up our time and attention and money. Some might insist that such extreme measures, giving ourselves in such an extreme way to anything cannot be healthy. And for the most part, I would be inclined to agree - with one exception. Right here. It is clearly ok, God sanctioned in fact - to be hot and consumed for God’s “house” - not about a building per se - but for the God for Whom it stands. For His Name. For His cause. For the things He cares about. Like people. The church, the family is the people. Zealous for the Lord and His family. Let Him do that in us. Cuz He is worthy. He is better. So breathtakingly good. Extreme devotion. Like Jesus…
Cited verses:
John 1:29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, athe Lamb of God who btakes away the sin of the world!
Is. 56:7 Even athose I will bring to My bholy mountain and cmake them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on dMy altar; for eMy house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”
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