House Cleaning and Discernment

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 2:13-25

 

John 2:15-16

When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. ¹⁶ And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

(NKJV)

 

It is said cleanliness is next to godliness. When reading the text of John 2:13-25 it would appear Jesus took this seriously when it came to His Father’s house, at least when it came to keeping it clean from sin and corruption. 1 Corinthians 6:19 reminds us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit if we have professed our faith in Jesus as our Savior. Therefore, as believers, we must take care to keep our temple free from sin and corruption.  

 

As was customary Jesus found himself in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover (John 2:13). When entering the Temple, Jesus found those selling oxen, sheep, and doves along with money changers conducting business (John 2:14). Jesus made a whip of cords and drove out the men along with the sheep and oxen and poured out the money changers money, overturning their tables (John 2:15). He told those who sold doves to take them away with the warning not to make His Father’s house a house of merchandise (John 2:16). This stirred the memory of Jesus’ disciples with them remembering zeal for Your house has eaten me up (John 2:17; Psalm 69:9).

 

After Jesus’ clearing of the Temple, the Jews asked Jesus for a sign to justify His actions (John 2:18). Jesus’ answer was puzzling to the Jews for He told them that if they destroyed the Temple, He would raise it up in three days (John 2:19). The reason for the Jew’s puzzlement was they thought Jesus was speaking of the temple building when Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body (John 2:20-21). However, the disciples remembered what Jesus told the Jews and after His resurrection from the dead after three days, they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had said (John 2:22)

 

When Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed because of the signs Jesus did (John 2:23). However, Jesus is the discerner of the hearts of men and did not commit Himself to these believers (John 2:24). Jesus did not need for anyone to testify of Him for he knew what was in the hearts of man who had not experienced redemption for Jesus had not gone to the cross yet (John 2:25).

 

Since John’s Gospel is not synoptic, we do not have certainty this event occurred soon after the miracle of turning water into wine for other gospels place this event soon after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-40; Mark 11:1-11; Matthew 21:1-11). Those who shouted hosana when Jesus entered Jerusalem would turn into a mob shouting crucify him (John 19:5-16; Luke 23:20-23; Mark 15:11-14). One possible reason for this change of heart in the people could be a lack of understanding that there are two comings of Messiah. This first coming is to save fallen humanity from their sins in fulfillment of Genesis 3:15. This is why Jesus went into the temple to rid it of the corruption of the money changers and merchants taking advantage of people coming to celebrate Passover. Those crying hosana when Jesus entered Jerusalem may have mistakenly thought Jesus would go into the Roman government and overthrow them from power. It is the second coming of Christ that will rid the world of sin and establish heaven on earth (Revelation 19:11-21).

 

Those who have made Jesus their savior are the temple of God with the Spirit of God living in them after their salvation. The application of this text in the life of a believer is to illustrate the need to cleanse the temple of our bodies of any sin. This process of salvation begins with our justification when we confess our belief in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 10:9-10). As we deal with our flesh, the process of working out our salvation (Philippians 2:12) involves confessing our sins when we become aware of sin in our lives (1 John 1:9). This is the ongoing process of sanctification where we lose conformity to the world and are transformed through the renewing of our mind through the practice of the spiritual disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and fellowship with other believers.

 

I want to invite anyone reading this post who has not prayed for salvation from their sins and to make Jesus the Lord of their life through the confession of their belief in Jesus as their Savior to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May the Lord challenge, convict, and bless everyone reading this post.