[18-21 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body.]
Jesus has cleaned out all the profiteering from the temple. And the Jews ask for a SIGN - show us that YOU have the right to do what you just did. The whole WORLD is looking for a sign, some kind of proof or even a miracle that would show them that Jesus is Who He says He is [esp. skeptics?]. What does Jesus tell them? He says, OK. Here's your sign: Destroy this [temple], and I will raise it up in three days. They mis-hear Him - He wasn't actually referring to THE Jewish temple [Mt 27.40]. [The age-old struggle of faith is seeing the seen vs unseen - Heb 11.1][Lk 17.20-21][Jesus "saw" the unseen in Nathanael: someone from disreputable Nazareth vs “in whom no deceit”][seen water vs unseen Spirit][there's the power of word - you can’t see/touch][unseen Word became seen flesh][and spiritual Light enlightens on the inside!][This reflects God's value of the Eternal over temporal].
[22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.] At this point, first Passover w Jesus, as new disciples, even His followers don’t fully understand what Jesus is saying, not to mention who He fully is. Yes, they have already believed in Him. They’ve seen the first sign at Cana. They know something of His miraculous power. But they have so much to learn about the [Word Who Was]. One thing we see early on here is the principle that faith grows, like a [muscle]. It grows with a growth which is from God [1Cor 3.6-7]. Growth from Christ’s Spirit IN us. But fundamentally, our faith grows as a function of the size of our God. Our understanding of Who He is. It’s not how strong we are, or HOW MUCH faith we have, but HOW BIG our God is. In Whom we trust. Our view of Him. Where do we get that? [1Pet 2.2]. [The old train diagram: we put our faith/trust (i.e. the coal) in God and His Word (i.e. the engine)(as opposed to the caboose - which represents our feelings - but trusting in unchanging God and His unchanging Word as opposed to our fluctuating feelings our circumstances is how faith grows - because only He and His Word are truly trustworthy]. And there are different seasons of growth, God uses different things to cause growth in our lives, helping us to learn more about Him. Often lessons and truths are brought home through [hardship].
[23-25 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.] Jesus is doing signs. And many are believing in His Name. They are trusting in Him. Which is great. But wait - which “signs” were these, do you think? The Jews just asked Him, what sign do You show us? And the one sign Jesus “shows” them, the only one that John records, is still three years off. [Also 2nd sign in 4.54] So what are these “signs” that are now persuading people to believe in Jesus here?
John doesn’t tell us. And the message here is, Message over miracles. These signs that are getting people in Jerusalem so excited about Jesus? John doesn’t give us details on even one single miracle. He’s saying, it’s all about the Message, the Word about The WORD. Who is Jesus - and who are you in relation to Him? Ultimately, we don’t trust in the miracles. In the signs. We trust in the Person, in the truth of Who Jesus is and what He says. People here are coming out of the woodwork cuz of the signs. To see the signs. The physical. They’re showing up for the show. But what John is telling us here is, the Message is more important than the miracles. Who Jesus is, is more important than what He can do for you. Of course, BECAUSE of Who He is, He can and will do exactly what He needs to do for each of us…
[23-25] Now, John says many are believing/trusting in Jesus, BUT Jesus is NOT trusting in them. Why does John tell us this? And what would it mean for Jesus to “trust Himself” to men? Why would He even do that? One thought is that it means that Jesus sees their hearts, and that they are only “believing” in the signs, that they are not really trusting in the person of Jesus. And so He doesn’t “believe their belief”, so to speak. They are not really trusting IN Him, committing themselves to Him as their personal Savior, and so He is not committing Himself to them by coming into their hearts and sealing them with salvation.
There is truth to this. All the time, people say they “believe” in Jesus, they even hang around His people for a time - but the Lord sees into their hearts. He (alone!) knows whether we’re really trusting in Jesus, OR maybe we’ve only had some emotional experience. Maybe we have some truth in our head, but we haven’t fully said, “I do” to Jesus in our heart. We haven’t said, “Jesus, You are the only Way to eternal life. Your death is the only payment for my sin.”
John says, Jesus [knew all men]. He looks at the inside, sees all the unseen. Spiritual sight. Nathanael: before he met Jesus, Jesus knew him. As we will see, He knows Nicodemus. He knows the woman at the well. Jesus knows everyone. He knows me, AND you. We can’t hide from Him. Like the James Webb telescope looking into the deepest reaches of space, Jesus sees into the deepest depths of my heart. He knew what was in “the man”, John says. In every person. For me, this truth is so amazing because Jesus sees all my mess, all my missteps - He knows who I really am, and He still loves me. Even as He dragged Himself up that hill and onto that Cross, where He died for me and for you, He saw each of us, in all our brokenness, all our rebellion and unfaithfulness. And He stretched out His hands and said, “I love you. Just as you are. Right where you are. AND I love you too much to let you stay there. I have a wonderful plan for you - if you’ll trust Me.”
Enter Nicodemus. Coming to meet w the celebrity Rabbi. [3:1-3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”] The signs! Everyone is so excited about the signs. They want to see the signs, they’re clamoring to see this One Who’s doing the signs. And VIP Nic, this ruler of the Jews, finagles a backstage pass to hang out with the superstar Rabbi. Exclusive access. And once he’s there, we see how [enamored he is with the celebrity]. He rolls out the flattery. Isn’t that what we do when we’re in the presence of greatness? It’s not insincere - but it’s so focused on the external, the performance, isn’t it? (Most celebrities are surprised at the flattery and the fanaticism at first, cuz they know they don’t deserve it). And here’s ol’ Nic: God is with You, honored Teacher! You are certainly from God. Cuz these signs - they’re signs that God is with You!
And flattery feels good doesn’t it, when someone dishes it to you? Feels good to have fans. How do you think Jesus felt about Nic’s flattery? How does He respond? “Why, thank you…That’s very kind of you…Praise the Lord…” Nope. Jesus busts out His second [truly-truly]. He cuts to the chase, and gives Nicodemus the truth behind the signs. The truth is, this is NOT about these signs you’re seeing. You want to see God’s kingdom? It’s not about the signs. It’s not about the external. It’s not about the show. It’s not about showing up for the show. Sometimes we think, I showed up. All I need to do is show up for the show on Sunday. And Jesus says, no no no. It’s about our heart. What is going on on the inside. The deeper, more eternal spiritual reality. Nic, you need to be born again. No matter who you are, no matter how important, or unimportant for that matter. You and I, we all need a NEW heart. And it only comes from the One Who made all this…
Referenced verses:
Matt. 27:40 and saying, “aYou who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
1Cor. 15:17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless
1Cor. 3:6 aI planted, bApollos watered, but cGod was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.
1Pet. 2:2 alike newborn babies, long for the 1bpure 2milk of the word, so that by it you may cgrow 3in respect to salvation
John 4:54 This is again a asecond 1sign that Jesus performed when He had bcome out of Judea into Galilee.
