READ: John 2:13-25: … Destroy this temple, and in three days …
This is the first cleansing of the temple, in which Jesus openly shows the religious people that He has come to restore all things, including the service of the LORD. It is His first public religious act in the place chosen by the Father: Jerusalem. Later, just before His death, He will again have to cleanse the temple of all worldly impurity.
Again, it is the week of preparation for the Passover. This is especially striking now that Jesus has been identified as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”!
Jesus’ consistent message is: I am the true Lamb, of which the entire sacrificial service is a mere shadow. But then let this sacrificial service be free from human business, bargaining, and profit-seeking, because that clouds the proper view of the true Lamb of God. This distortion of the service to the LORD justly provokes His indignation.
It is striking how Malachi already wrote about the coming of the Christ as the Messenger of the covenant in the temple: “He is like a refiner’s fire; He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver” (Mal. 3:1-3).
The disciples later recognize in Jesus’ actions the fulfillment of Ps. 69:10. The reaction of the Jews to His pure service to God will consume Him, ultimately leading to His death on Golgotha.
This reaction already begins now: the Jews confront Jesus, asking for justification of His actions. Is He even authorized to do this? Jesus then points to the true temple, where God dwells on earth: that is, His body.
He Himself is authorized—as God come-to-earth—to set things right concerning the service to God. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.”
Is this a challenge? No. The Lord is saying: if you go so far as to destroy My body, I will raise it up in three days. The disciples only understood this much later (v. 22).
Why does Jesus speak symbolically of His body (as the temple)?
Sing: Ps. 69:3,11