John 2:13-25 | Food for Thought

The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) have a similar story towards the end of Jesus’ ministry, not towards the beginning like we have here in John. Despite some suggesting that one of them must be wrong or that the gospel writers simply arranged the sequence of events differently, it’s more than likely that Jesus actually did this [at least] twice during his earthly ministry.
Selling animals and changing money (foreign currency exchange) was actually a necessary thing for Jewish people who were making the Passover pilgrimage from a long way off. It wasn’t the mere presence of people selling animals or money changers that was the problem; it was that it had become far too central in the temple / Passover practices itself. What should’ve been sacred space resounding with worship and reverence was abuzz with commerce.
For John’s original audience, this would’ve been a particularly impactful passage. The temple would’ve recently been destroyed in 70 AD, so Jesus’ prophecy about the destruction of the temple (even though he was referring to his own bodily resurrection) would’ve hit home.

Jesus is zealous for our worship.
- Read Psalm 69, which John quotes here in this passage. Jesus isn’t in a blind rage, but rather frustrated and grieved. He bears the shame to restore what he didn’t steal (worship!). This is Christ’s heart in this passage.
- Good and necessary things can distract / replace our worship when they creep into the center.
- Jesus’ ministry will drive out whatever is threatening the right worship of God - during his earthly ministry AND in his ministry in us through the Holy Spirit.
We’re zealous to protect our false worship.
- The people respond with a, “Says who?” instead of, “You’re right!”
- Jesus knows what’s in the heart of mankind; we’re fickle and don’t often welcome the “deconstruction” of our idols and the we’ve built our lives around worshiping them.
Worship is restored by a Savior, not his signs.
- Our worship won’t be set right by placing signs and wonders at the center of our worship, but rather Jesus himself. Signs won’t save us; Jesus will.
- Worship isn’t the product of things “out there.” Worship comes from within us; we are where the worship happens! We don’t need a savior’s signs; we need the savior himself to set us right!
- Jesus should have authority over our lives; not the signs we demand to see.

Some of us struggle with anger. What’s your response to Jesus’ anger here?
- Read Psalm 69. What does this tell us about Jesus heart towards them? …towards you?
- How could Jesus’ anger possibly lead to / be about restoration?
What is the temple? What is it’s purpose?
- Read 1 Corinthians 6. How are we a temple today?
What “can’t” you worship without? What do you “need” in order to worship? Do you “outsource” your worship to your environment, a list of things, etc., regardless of the condition of your heart?
What’s your gut reaction to conviction / confrontation?
- What do you often need to hear / see / be convinced of first before you’ll confess and repent? When is Jesus, the Word, brothers and sisters in Christ, etc. not enough for you?
How is Jesus rearranging and restoring your heart towards worship? What does he want to drive out? How can worship of God replace it?

Jesus’ heart towards the temple is his heart towards us: honest and full restoration that comes at the cost of hard conversations and the laying down of his own life to make us what we need to be!
While Jesus didn’t entrust himself to the people there, he did entrust himself to the Father on our behalf. Because of this, we ought to entrust ourselves (and one another!) to Jesus.
We get to confront one another and welcome the conviction of the Holy Spirit, not as a way of destroying us, but as a way of restoring us! This gets to be a welcome and regular practice among disciples.