June 12, 2020 -- John 2:13-17 -- Jesus cleanses the temple

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

John 2:13-17 English Standard Version

As a child this passage used to trouble me. Did Jesus sin? Was His anger appropriate? As I am leading a series of chapel services on the Gospel of John I was confronted with this passage and some echoes of those question lingered in me.

In the first place there is one Old Testament quotation that helps explain it: “Zeal for your house will consume me” (Psalm 69:9). In that Psalm a righteous man is seeking to be faithful to God while living among people who are far from Him. This man who strives to please God sees others who are negligent in terms of worship, obedience and faithfulness. So that passage brings me to a partial answer: was Jesus sinful in His anger?

This morning the Reformation Study Bible footnote at verse 15 really helped illuminate a second, fuller answer for me. The background to this particular passage is: “He will purify the sons of Levi”. If you have a few minutes turn to the Old Testament prophet Malachi 3:1-4. In this prophecy it is noted the One in Whom the Delights will come suddenly to the temple and purify the sons of Levi.

The sons of Levi were the people of God who were supposed to lead Israel in covenant faithfulness. They failed. The temple become a market. The people lost their zeal for the LORD. The leadership had lost direction in calling the people to worship, to covenant faithfulness, to expectant longing for the love of the Father to be poured out.

Jesus’ prophesied appearance and this cleansing of the temple should have signaled to true believers that the messenger of the covenant was here. Something important happened. The spiritual leaders could have consulted Malachi 3:1-4. Interesting to me also is the fact that Jesus was not arrested. He was not charged with a crime for doing these things. The religious leaders knew something important happened, they turned to Jesus to have Him explain it.

I realized today how I need to know the Old Testament better and more thoroughly. In the Old Testament one reads of the Love of the Father which delayed His wrath until the Son of God appeared Who would bear this wrath in place of sinful man. Jesus, the Lamb of God, would be zealous for God and zealous that the people of God should be restored to full and deep relationship with the Father Whom He knows and loves. The Spirit of God directs us as believers today to read and know the Bible so that we will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God, the tender and persistent love of God and the beauty of all He has in store for us as His children who believe.

Father of Love, thank You for the grand and beautiful story of Your faithful love written large on every page of the Bible. Thank You Jesus, that You are the final and most beautiful example of the Father’s love. Thank You Jesus for tearing down the power of and the lies of Satan and disarming him at the cross. Thank You Jesus, even death itself is now captive led. Thank You Spirit of God that the Bible is made clear because You live in the heart and minds of those who read it, who savor it and who long to be obedient to God by its teaching. Great are You, LORD, Triune and Blessed, and exuberant and peace-filled are all Who walk in Your ways. Amen.

Here is a simple, beautiful hymn: “Blessed Jesus, at Thy Word”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhdl4N-_HIU