Zeal for the Worship of God – John’s Gospel chapter 2, verses 12 to 22
Jesus, compassionate – yes. But also justly angry.
We must not make a caricature of Jesus – here is just anger at those who had turned the place of prayer, where people could seek God, into a noisy marketplace. The wrong place for this. He was angry that people were being obstructed from seeking God.
“Instead of solemn dignity and the murmur of prayer, there is the bellowing of cattle and the bleating of sheep. Instead of brokenness and contrition, holy adoration and prolonged petition, there is noisy commerce.”
D.A.Carson
Jesus confronts the “Worshippers” (verses 12-17)
The religious leaders were greedy for power over the people, and for money. Jesus said “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” … But you have made it “a den of robbers!”” Mark 11:!7
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!’ His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’
John 2:13-17
Jesus is confronted by the Jewish religious leaders (verses 17-22)
They are blind to his great authority,and sneer at him instead. They did not understand that a far greater Temple was standing before them. “But the temple he had spoken of was his body.”
The Jews [ed: their religious rulers] then responded to him, ‘What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’ They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
John 2:18-22 New International Version – UK (NIVUK) Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
