The Gospel of John (10-28-2012)
Lesson 7 – John 2:13-25
The First Passover after Jesus Begins His Ministry
V. 13 It must have been interesting for the Passover Lamb to
show up at the Jerusalem Passover knowing that very soon He would be the
sacrifice spoken of and observed in that event. It would have been one thing to
show up at this celebration and find those who participated in this observance
being supported and encouraged by the rich symbolism bringing into better focus
the reason and purpose for this event and season. But, He showed up and He
found everything out of place. The emphasis was on the wrong syllable. The
focus was all wrong.
The observance was in the right place. It was at the right
time of the year. And, they were in essence in reality following the right
script. But, even with doing all these things right they had gotten it all
wrong. It was like so often with man, take a good thing and change the
perspective making something off of the deal. Selfishness and greed had now
naturally become part of the equation. Now the focus was on the money and not
the event missing completely its symbolism and meaning.
It had gotten so bad that one might ask the meaning of the
specific items of these rituals and many would have no idea, not being able to
give a good answer for parts of or even the whole of the observance. It had
boiled down to traditions that in actuality had become tainted and now instead
of them being positive reinforcements for the truth they had become stumbling
blocks having the end result being a negative impact or effect.
(May want to show the clip from ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, the
scene and song about traditions.)
They had traveled to Jerusalem in droves. This was a big
event. A big thing. A common salutation and greeting that you would hear
frequently among the Jews was ‘See you in Jerusalem’ in essence meaning let’s
get together and spend some meaningful time together during the Passover in
Jerusalem. But this celebration and event had been turned into an opportunity.
The focus had completely turned away from its meaning. It had gotten so bad
that it actually made God angry…So angry that he had made a scourge to drive
them out demonstrating His displeasure.
Can you imagine? It is hard for me to actually visualize a
scene like this. It made them stop and take notice. It makes me stop and think
and examine my life wondering what common thing that I do out of habit or
routine displeases Him so.
God had not become upset because it was not just perfectly
right. He was not just being picky and a perfectionist. In essence the entire
observance had grown to be all wrong, now having none of its original meaning
and in actuality had probably gotten so bad that it actually turned those who
attended away from God instead of toward Him.
Many of those coming were looking for something. This event
and celebration was intended to be a recharge time, a spiritual refocus. Many
of those attending were serious about this observance. But, then, they arrived
and were met with obstacles…Hurdles that they could not get past…barring them
from meeting with God and others in this observance. Most of it centered around
money and expectations…false expectations that had no value…expectations that
were not from God, but were packaged as if they were… giving those who attended
a bad impression and feeling about God and their relationship with Him.
Most of the problem focused around the underlying impression
that to please God you had to buy a better offering. Those traveling to
Jerusalem would sometimes come from a substantial distance and bringing a
suitable offering for the Passover was not always easy. The practice of selling
Passover offerings may have started as a service and may in its original intent
been a good one, but it had grown into something that turned those who attended
against the whole affair. It had turned into a show of who could afford the
best sacrifice having a side benefit of possibly buying favor, connections and
status with some of the religious leaders. They had forgotten that God is not a
respecter of persons. His perspective was to look at the attitude of the heart
and not our purchasing power.
But if you were to ask man’s opinion he would see nothing
wrong with how things were done. And, actually they would have probably responded
in the affirmative believing that their offering of attempted worship in
observing this event was not only satisfactory, but was substantial or even
superb or excellent. We see this in v. 18 when they ask Jesus to justify His actions
indicating that they saw nothing wrong with their Passover celebration.
If questioned about this part of the Passover, offering the
so called service of providing the convenience of purchasing an offering on
site, they probably would have responded with several reasons that on the
surface would not have appeared so bad,…maybe even appearing to be good.
One of the probable arguments would have been that those
that traveled especially from far distances would have arrived with sacrifices
that were not quite what they started out to be, having arrived a little worn
and battered from the trip not being looked at as the best sacrifice that they
could offer. They would have quoted O T passages sighting that one’s sacrifice
was required to be spotless and without blemish. It said so in the Law the
temple leaders would say.
It is true that the Lord had required them to not give Him
junk or give Him what would have been thrown away anyway having no value. There
were required standards set down by God to adhere to, this was true. But, the
underlying intent in this requirement was to help man with his heart in having
the right attitude toward God in his sacrifice to God, giving that which was
good and offering it freely and gladly with a heart of thanksgiving.
But, as stated
earlier this had turned into a show containing no real heart value at all. This
important observance had been turned into a money making event. The priests
would examine the sacrifices that were brought by those attending and would
often deem them inferior. Too inferior to be used as one’s offering. Then they
would recommend and often require them to purchase a so called better, more
suitable offering in the nearby convenient vestibule. It is believed that this
took place in the outer court of the Temple called the court of the Gentiles. These
were often offered at inflated or premium prices. There was big money to be
made in breeding and providing Passover sacrifices. It is believed that the
priests themselves also profited from this practice in a big way.
It also mentions the money changers here. The region was
diverse and currencies varied greatly. For those who came there was a temple
tax required of one half shekel. It is said that the priests would only accept
the local currency. Of course there was a fee for the exchange. Commerce and
trading dominated the whole affair,…much like our Christmas celebration today.
This was not what God had in mind. It had become a ritual with no meaning. It
made Him angry…Very angry. So angry that He took a whip and drove them out.
The disciples seeing this take place were reminded of a
passage that they had been taught in their upbringing. It is found in Ps. 69:9.
As we study John’s Gospel we will see Jesus identifying with us in His humanity
repeatedly. In this situation His actions remind His disciples of David when he
poured out his heart in a similar situation. In His spirit Jesus just couldn’t
stand by and not address the issue. It ate Him up. He was consumed with God’s
perspective which others seemed blind to or had at least accepted as just the
way it was. In Ps. 69:9 David was eaten up by this injustice and it says in the
last half of that verse that he was convicted to take it upon himself to join
God in what was right and right the wrong doing something about it. It seemed
when reading the surrounding verses to v. 9 in Ps. 69 that David was alone in
his crusade stating that his brethren separated themselves from him, Ps. 69:8.
In v. 18 of John chapter 2 it says that the Jews questioned Jesus
concerning His actions. The Jews mentioned here would have most likely included
the priests and the temple leaders including the Pharisees, but also could have
included other Jews involved in some way or fashion of temple activity for this
observation. This was a Jewish affair and those involved had Jewish background
and upbringing.
It is likely that as Jesus drove them out and turned over
the tables of commerce that He quoted Scripture and cited to them the reasons
for His indignation and for His actions. The quotes and reasons that He used in
all probably had gotten their attention, for they could not deny His reasoning using
just and good reasons for doing what He had done. Not being able to deny His
reasoning for His actions they ask for justification or proof of His authoritative
actions. He was speaking for God. They could tell that there was something to
what He was saying even though they were essentially blind to it. But, they ask
for a sign.
It is not clear as to what they were really looking for
here. Were they asking for discussion and reasoning so they could understand
His point of view, or were they actually looking for a miracle proving that He
and His message were from God. It says in v. 23 that miracles did accompany
this trip to Jerusalem and in all probability He had also performed miracles
other than the turning water into wine which they were probably aware of.
But, in v. 19 He responds by identifying Himself to them as
the Passover Lamb making reference to the destroying of His body referring to
it as a temple. This was not what they were looking for. When He made reference
to the temple they took it as the temple worship center that they were in. In reality,
no one there except Jesus would have understood Jesus’ response, not even His
disciples. Not yet anyway. He identifies Himself as the Passover Lamb and in a
riddle sort of way even gives them some of the details but does not make it
very clear as to what He is referring to.
In the next couple of verses the Jews and Jesus discuss the
details. There He was the Passover Lamb standing right before them. But, they
were not looking for the Passover Lamb in their observance. This observance was
instituted so that when He showed up they would recognize Him. To them this
ritual was just for the purpose of historical remembrance and observation.
For some reason He chose not to share with the Jews, at
least at this time, the rest of the details of what He was talking about. We
see that John gives us some of these additional details so that we may
understand, but Jesus did not choose to explain Himself to them. One would ask
why? Why did He not just explain the situation giving the other details so they
might understand what He was talking about? For His own reasons He chose not
to. In vs. 24-5 we may be given a hint or indication as to why. It says that He
did not commit Himself to them knowing their heart, that it could not be
trusted, not trusting them with those details at this time. Only He knew how
they would have reacted. In His wisdom He deemed that it was not the time.
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