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Daily Devotions

John

John 
Day 
Day 36

The zeal of Jesus

Text: John 2:13-25

THE ZEAL OF JESUS

Jesus had done something that should have been done a long time ago. The religious authorities should have been challenged for the way they managed the activities of the Temple! But no one had the courage to confront the Temple authorities, for that meant confronting none other than The High Priest and his powerful Sanhedrin Council!

The zeal of Jesus the Messiah meant much more than just a lot of energy expended to chase the merchants out of the Temple precincts. His zeal represented much more than pent-up anger at the abuse of the Temple that bordered on sacrilege. If the zeal of Jesus had just been mere emotional human energy, the Temple authorities could have called for Temple security and that would have ended the matter. It is fascinating to note that no one could stop Jesus from doing what He did. Why couldn’t the Temple guards forcibly prevent Jesus from chasing the merchants out of the Temple precincts? Was not the zeal of the Messiah also especially empowered by His Father?

The zeal Jesus displayed obviously had a much deeper significance. His words uttered even as He chased out the crooked merchants caused the Temple authorities to raise an important issue with Jesus.

“So the Jews answered and said to Him,
‘What sign do You show to us,
since You do these things?'”
John 2:18

THE CONSTERNATION OF THE JEWS

The Jews controlled themselves as they spoke with Jesus. Of course they would be upset and angry with what Jesus did! Nevertheless, they forced themselves to speak with Jesus with considerable restraint!

The answer that Jesus gave them must have sounded absurd. What were they to make out of the words they heard from the lips of a man who had just done the unthinkable!

“Destroy this temple, and in three days
I will raise it up.”
John 2:19

The business-minded Jews had no time for word-games. What could Jesus possible have meant when He said those words? He couldn’t have meant what He said literally could He? The Jews then replied,

“It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,
and will you raise it up in three days?”
John 2:20

The Jews did not understand what Jesus meant. They did not even bother to ask what He meant. They just dismissed the words of Jesus without further ado.

They couldn’t bring Jesus up on a charge. They knew only too well, that they would be publicly embarrassed if there was a legal enquiry as to the Temple practices! They did not want the kind of publicity that would have resulted if they pursued the matter of Jesus overturning the tables of the merchants.

THE BUILDING OF HEROD’S TEMPLE

The Temple that existed in the days of Jesus was built by King Herod the Great. The reference to “forty-six years” is to be understood in the context of Herod making additions to the existing Temple structure.

The Temple that Herod had built for the Jews was a great source of pride and joy to the nation. Herod apparently spared no expense when he began this massive building project. The actual Temple project took only ten years. However, renovation projects that sought to enhance the beauty and utility of the Temple precincts literally took more than four decades!

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ASKING FOR A SIGN FROM JESUS?

It was not always easy to understand what Jesus said and meant! The Jews made the mistake of taking Jesus in the most wooden-literal fashion! Could they not have sought to engage Jesus in further conversation? They were obviously not very interested or inclined to talk to Him further as to what He meant when He used the word “Temple”.

Instead they challenged Jesus to produce “a sign” to prove that he had the authority and the right to do what He did? What were the Jews referring to when they asked for a “sign”? Where did they get the idea of asking for a sign in the first place? What kind of a sign did they demand?

Even if “a sign” had been given by Jesus, would that necessarily have authenticated who He really was? Was the giving of “a sign” necessarily the best thing to demand? Let us consider what Moses wrote concerning “signs”.

“If there arises among you a prophet
or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you
a sign or a wonder,
And the sign or the wonder comes to pass,
Of which he spoke to you, saying,
‘Let us go after other gods’ – which you have not known –
‘and let us serve them,’
You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or
That dreamer of dreams…”
Deuteronomy 13:1-3

The Jews showed that they did not have a deep grasp of the Mosaic Law. Signs were not fool-proof indicators! They do not go very far in verifying the authority of the individual who says he comes in the Name of God. To ask Jesus for a sign as proof only indicated their shallowness of knowledge of the Scriptures. If only they had inquired further as to what Jesus said and meant! Let’s pray about going deeper in our faith.