<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Before we focus exclusively on our passage, I want to consider the wedding at Cana and the temple cleansing together, and why they might have been placed side by side in chapter 2. The gospel writer, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, placed these two accounts next to one another on purpose, as we know in this fourth gospel the writer takes a thematic approach over a strictly chronological approach. So let us consider these two events side by side.<\/span><\/p>\n In the wedding at Cana, Jesus displays the riches of his grace and happiness. In the temple cleansing Jesus displays His zeal and judgment. He gives grace to one and judgment to the other. The wedding did not have what it needed – wine – and Jesus supplied their need. The temple was filled with things that did not belong there – and Jesus drove them out. In contrast to the wedding, Jesus is overflowing with an abundance of wine – which is grace and happiness; and also, in contrast to the temple Jesus is perfectly holy and pure as the true temple and meeting place between God and man that is not defiled with sin. The temptation or struggle that people often have is an overemphasis on one or the other. I believe part of the problem with that is a belief that the wrath and grace of God are somehow in conflict with each other. It\u2019s a false dichotomy. The joy and celebration of the wedding that Jesus displays is not at all in contradiction to His righteous anger at the temple. As Christians, we also ought to have the best parties and celebration; and we also ought to take sin and holiness with complete seriousness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Back to the contrast between the two events: one was a sign of His authority in the world, the other a sign of authority in God\u2019s House. Jesus\u2019 authority is not just for inside the Church among Christians. There is nowhere in all of existence that Jesus does not have authority. It\u2019s also not that Jesus has authority to tell the world to repent and how to act; but He also has authority in His church to tell her how to worship. We can\u2019t just do whatever we want in the worship of God. His authority is here, there, and everywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n One final contrast of the two events: one shows that now is the time of outpouring of grace and salvation in the world, the other was a sign of judgment on 1st century Jews. Of course the wedding was a Jewish wedding, but I see it as representative of the world, as it is outside of the temple, and placed in contrast with the Jewish temple events. So up to the 1st century, nearly everything of God\u2019s revelation belonged to the Jews – the promises, the covenants, the prophets, the temple, the Scripture, etc. But after the time of Jesus the gospel now goes to the nations – salvation belongs to the world. The nations will flow to the mountain of God as Isaiah 2 says. The Matthew 28 \u201cGreat Commission\u201d – go and make disciples of all nations. As gospel blessing advances throughout the world, so will judgment and destruction on everything that is not of Christ. 1st century Judaism had become a carnal outward religion devoid of the Spirit of God, and they set themselves up against God\u2019s anointed, and had to come down. They killed the Messiah. And it isn\u2019t just them. Everything in the world that is not of Christ will be judged and brought down, as the gospel advances. Even in your life, and my life, as the gospel advances in us, everything that is not of Christ will be driven out. These two aspects of these events go together: our joy and celebration in Christ, and our cleansing and purification. Let\u2019s now move specifically into our passage at hand.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let us first notice the sin taking place. Jesus comes to the temple and finds that it is filled with busy commerce – buying, selling, trading, currency exchange. All of this was going on in the temple – that\u2019s the real issue. Certainly there were those participating in shady dealing, dishonest weights, and theft, as the other accounts bring those things out. But I believe that John\u2019s main purpose here, is to emphasize, that they shouldn\u2019t even be there. It\u2019s not simply that they should be more ethical in their commerce, though they should, but it\u2019s that this should not be going on in the temple of God during Passover!<\/span><\/p>\n The Passover commemorated the night the angel passed over the homes with the blood of the lamb\u2019s on the doorposts while the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Through that Israel made their Exodus out of Egypt. This was to be a time of commemoration and thankfulness to God for what He did for them. Instead it became about them. What was to be a sacred place of worship had become commercialized. D. A. Carson says that, \u201cInstead of solemn dignity and the murmur of prayer, there is the bellowing of cattle and the bleating of sheep.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The problem is that their hearts were dead hearts of stone, and it showed by what had become of their worship. Instead of being a house of sacrifice and prayer, it had become carnal. Consider your own heart. Is there true spiritual worship? Or are you dead inside? Are the outward forms of worship in church just outward, or is your heart zealous for God? You see, because they were carnal they brought things into the place of worship that did not belong in the place of worship. Obviously there is nothing wrong with trade, commerce, and profit, but it doesn\u2019t belong in the worship of God. We can definitely see a case for the Regulative Principle of Worship here, which I believe in. When it comes to the worship of God we are to do just as God has commanded. We don\u2019t bring something in to the worship of God that God has not authorized us to bring. But even when we follow the Regulative Principle of Worship, our worship can still be defiled, because of what\u2019s on the inside. So examine your heart. Go to Christ Jesus for cleansing and washing, that He would renew us and purify us.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Judgment\/Cleansing<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let\u2019s consider now the judgement, or cleansing, that Jesus brings here. The sales were likely taking place all throughout the outer court of the temple, which had an area of 14 acres. That is a lot of space for Jesus to go through overturning tables with a whip, and driving out the animals and such. This shows that this was not some little temper tantrum or outburst of anger from Christ; but a hot, holy, righteous anger that was sustained, methodical, and divinely purposeful. It\u2019s really too bad that there weren\u2019t any \u201cchurch growth experts\u201d there to tell Jesus that this was not a good church growth strategy. You know that\u2019s exactly what they would say. They would applaud the commercialization because it worked to bring in so many people to the temple, and now Jesus comes along and drives them all out! What\u2019s Jesus doing?!<\/span><\/p>\n Jesus drove out what did not belong in the temple. Jesus\u2019 issue is first and foremost not that they were being shady (though certainly many were), but that they shouldn\u2019t have been in the temple at all! His first concern is not what people will think of Him, but what God thinks of His worship.<\/span><\/p>\n What Jesus does here is a denunciation of worship that was not pure. The temple was to be about sacrifice to God, not about trade to man. Forgiveness from God is not something that can be bought or sold. It is something that is received as a gift.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cZeal for you house has consumed me\u201d is a direct quote from Psalm 69:9. I find it absolutely fascinating that the disciples witnessed Jesus cleansing the temple and thought of Psalm 69. They were watching Psalm 69 play out right in front of their eyes. In Psalm 69 David is surrounded by his enemies. Those enemies who hate God, hate him, because of his zeal for the Lord\u2019s house. Is that not the situation here with Jesus in many ways?<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes this is how Jesus has to cleanse our hearts and lives. The cleansing of the Lord can be painful; but we will be cleansed. It might feel like we are being whipped and our lives are being turned over. But sometimes that\u2019s what it takes.<\/span><\/p>\n Jesus drives out sin. He drives out our sin and overturns our lives; because our bodies are temples (1 Corinthians 6:19).<\/span><\/p>\n The truth is, you and I deserve to be driven out from the presence of God. We are defiled and impure in every way. Yet, it was Christ who was driven out, for us, in our place, so that we could be brought in with God. That\u2019s the gospel. That\u2019s good news for people like us who are plagued with defilement and worship that is impure. Instead of being driven out with a whip by God, Christ was whipped for us. He bore the lashes. By His stripes we are healed.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In Mark and Luke\u2019s account of the temple cleansing it says that after Jesus did this, they were looking for a way to destroy Him. Here we see Jesus say, \u201cDestroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.\u201d<\/em> He knew what they were thinking.<\/span><\/p>\n Jesus is saying here that the resurrection is proof of His authority in the temple. His resurrection is the sign. The old Jewish temple was but a temporary shadow of the true temple that is Jesus Christ Himself. Since Jesus Christ has authority and power to raise up the true temple from the dead, so He has authority over the shadow of Himself. Similarly, if the resurrection is not true, we don\u2019t have authority to preach or teach, or call the world to repent and believe the gospel. But Jesus did raise Himself from the grave and so we do.<\/span><\/p>\n There is no sin or impurity or defilement in \u201cthis temple\u201d – Jesus Himself, the true, final, and ultimate temple – yet sins will be put on Him and ultimate sacrifice will be made, as God judges Christ for us, and we are forgiven and free to dwell with God and He with us, through Christ His Son. The temple was the meeting place of God man. Where God dwelt among men. But in the New Heavens and New Earth there will be no building temple – because it is Christ. We have union with Christ, we are one with Him, and in Him does God dwell with us and us with Him.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Disciples Faith<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I find verse 22 incredible and strengthening to my faith in so many ways, yet I feel that I lack the ability to communicate the significance of this verse. When Jesus gave the ultimate sign of His authority in rising again, what did the disciples believe? The Scripture…and the word that Jesus had spoken. There are some today who say that we have the resurrection and that\u2019s all we need, we don\u2019t need all of the Scripture. How foolish and ignorant. The disciples witnessed the resurrection and it strengthened their belief in the Scripture!<\/span><\/p>\n If you remember, at the end of last week\u2019s passage after the miracle at Cana, in verse 11 it says, \u201cThis, the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory. And his disciples believed in Him.\u201d<\/em> Then here, at the end of this account, the disciples believed Him. You see, for the Christian, it is His beautiful outpourings of grace and His righteous judgments that strengthen our belief in Jesus. I pray that that is true for you all today, or even that you believe for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Before we focus exclusively on our passage, I want to consider the wedding at Cana and the temple cleansing together, and why they might have been placed side by side in chapter 2. The gospel writer, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, placed these two accounts next to one another on purpose, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":3768,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,25,30,32],"tags":[135,191,205,274,286,382,557,562,567,664,678,679,681,687,698,699,705,706,765,775,867,906,1014,1056,1057,1080,1105,1144,1223,1226],"class_list":{"0":"post-3767","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-commentary","8":"category-faith","9":"category-preaching","10":"category-theology","11":"tag-anger","12":"tag-belief","13":"tag-bible","14":"tag-christ","15":"tag-cleanses","16":"tag-disciples","17":"tag-god","18":"tag-gospel","19":"tag-grace","20":"tag-israel","21":"tag-jenkins","22":"tag-jesus","23":"tag-jews","24":"tag-john","25":"tag-josh","26":"tag-joshua","27":"tag-judgement","28":"tag-judges","29":"tag-lord","30":"tag-love","31":"tag-new","32":"tag-overturns","33":"tag-rags","34":"tag-riches","35":"tag-righteous","36":"tag-salvation","37":"tag-scripture","38":"tag-sin","39":"tag-temple","40":"tag-testament","41":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/05\/jesus-cleansing-the-temple.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4237,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wedding-wine\/","url_meta":{"origin":3767,"position":0},"title":"Wedding Wine","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"November 8, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The following is a very brief homily that I gave at my sister's wedding. I would\u00a0 now like to say a few brief words about another wedding that took place about 2,000 years ago in Cana of Galilee. This is a wedding which Jesus of Nazareth attended, the account of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gospel"","block_context":{"text":"Gospel","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/gospel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/11\/wedding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/11\/wedding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/11\/wedding.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/11\/wedding.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/11\/wedding.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4502,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/jesus-prays\/","url_meta":{"origin":3767,"position":1},"title":"Jesus Prays","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 21, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"We embark this afternoon on a journey within a journey. Going through the Gospel of John is a journey we are on, and as we set out into chapter 17, it will be a journey of its own. There are so many great chapters in John, and to have one\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/06\/upper-room.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/06\/upper-room.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/06\/upper-room.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/06\/upper-room.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/06\/upper-room.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/06\/upper-room.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3954,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/christs-plenty-for-our-poverty-john-61-14\/","url_meta":{"origin":3767,"position":2},"title":"Christ’s Plenty for Our Poverty; John 6:1-14","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"November 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 After this\u00a0Jesus went away to the other side of\u00a0the Sea of Galilee, which is\u00a0the Sea of Tiberias.\u00a02\u00a0And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.\u00a03\u00a0Jesus went up on\u00a0the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.\u00a04\u00a0Now\u00a0the Passover, the\u00a0feast\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/11\/feeding-5000-450x225-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3460,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/grace-acknowledged\/","url_meta":{"origin":3767,"position":3},"title":"Grace Acknowledged","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"December 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\"When I stand before the throne Dress'd in beauty not my own, When I see Thee as Thou art, Love Thee with unsinning heart, Then, Lord, shall I fully know - Not till then - how much I owe. Chosen not for good in me, Waken'd up from wrath to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/12\/robert_murray_mccheyne.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/12\/robert_murray_mccheyne.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/12\/robert_murray_mccheyne.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/12\/robert_murray_mccheyne.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3601,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/light-and-darkness-commentary-on-1-john-1v5-7\/","url_meta":{"origin":3767,"position":4},"title":"Light and Darkness: Commentary on 1 John 1v5-7","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"August 13, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Verse 5 begins as a link to the previous 4 verses where the apostle John laid a foundation of the person and work of Christ as the foundation upon which what we read here today is built upon. In the opening verses we were also introduced to the theme of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/08\/office-wood-table-with-blank-notepad-pencil-glasses-and-cup-of-coffee_1627-105.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/08\/office-wood-table-with-blank-notepad-pencil-glasses-and-cup-of-coffee_1627-105.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/08\/office-wood-table-with-blank-notepad-pencil-glasses-and-cup-of-coffee_1627-105.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4723,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/blood-and-water\/","url_meta":{"origin":3767,"position":5},"title":"Blood and Water","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"January 24, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"31\u00a0Since it was\u00a0the day of Preparation, and\u00a0so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was\u00a0a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.\u00a032\u00a0So the soldiers came and broke the legs of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/MM9568-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/MM9568-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/MM9568-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/MM9568-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/MM9568-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/MM9568-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/685"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3767"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3767\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}