John Chapter 2

The Gospel Of John Chapter 2

I. Outline: I. The Wedding In Cana: 2:1-11 II. Jesus At the Passover Feast: 2:12-25 A. B. C. D.

Cleanses Temple: 2:12-17 The Jews Challenge Him: 2:18 His Challenge: 2:19-22 Jesus And The Crowds: 2:23-25

II. Introductory Comments: To the testimony which John the Baptist has already given, and the statements made by men such as Andrew, Philip and Nathanael, is added the testimony of the miraculous (2:11).

III. Commentary: John 2:1 ‘And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;’ ‘And on the third day’-The third day after Jesus had decided to go into Galilee (1:43).

‘Cana of Galilee’-(KANE un) Located about 8 miles northeast of Nazareth. The city of Cana is mentioned in 4:46 and 21:2, and nowhere else in the New Testament. In each instance it is qualified by the expression ‘of Galilee’. The Jewish historian Josephus says that he once had his quarters there (Vit. 86). There was also a Cana located in Syria.

‘the mother of Jesus was there’-Notice that she isn’t even mentioned by name.

Another indication that the other Gospels had already been written. John just assumes that everyone knows that her name is Mary. From the way that Mary conducts herself at this marriage feast, it seems that she had been invited to assist in the wedding festivities.

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Barclay notes, ‘She had something to do with the arrangements for she was worried when the wine ran done; and she had authority enough to order the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do.’ (pp. 80-81)

Jesus At A Wedding In Palestine the festivities surrounding a wedding would last much longer than our ‘wedding day’. The actual ceremony took place late in the evening, after a feast. After this ceremony the young couple were conducted through the streets with the light of flaming torches . Barclay notes, ‘There were taken by as long a road as possible so that as many people as possible would have the opportunity to wish them well. But in Palestine a newly married couple did not go away for their honeymoon; they stayed at home; and for a week they kept open house…They were treated like a king and queen…In a life where there was much poverty and constant hard work, this week of festivity and joy was one of the supreme occasions in life.’ (p. 82) From the fact that Jesus attended this wedding, Jesus demonstrated that He wasn’t an ascetic, and neither did He view the martial state as ‘less than ideal’ or a poor substitute for celibacy. God believes in the purity of marriage (Hebrews 13:4; 1 Tim. 4:1-4).

From the fact that Jesus joined in the festivities demonstrates that God isn’t against wholesome fun, joy, laughter, and good food (1 Tim. 4:3-4). God likes to rejoice, God doesn’t have the attitude that the key to spiritual growth is to detach oneself from life.

Apathy isn’t a redeeming quality. (Matthew 25:1-13; Luke 15:7,22-24).

John 2:2 ‘and Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the wedding.’

‘Jesus also was’-Jesus wasn’t stiff or anti-social, and neither was He the child-prodigy who completely lacks all social skills. Jesus grew in favor with men (Luke 2:52). God became man, and He was comfortable to be around!

John 2:3 ‘And when the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”’ ‘when the wine gave out’-Evidently, Mary was close enough to the situation that she knew that the supply of wine had ended, before others in the wedding party. This was a serious situation. In the East, hospitality was viewed as a sacred duty, for the provisions to fail at a wedding feast would have brought shame and humiliation upon the new couple.

Morris adds, ‘in the ancient Near East there was a strong element of reciprocity about weddings, and that, for example, it was possible to take legal action in certain circumstances against a man who had failed to provide the appropriate wedding gift…it means that when the supply of wine failed more than social embarrassment were involved.

The bridegroom and his family may well have become involved in a heavy pecuniary liability.’ (p. 177)

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‘”They have no wine”’-Evidently, Mary had already perceived that her Son was very resourceful. Even though this would be His first miracle (2:11), Mary already knew that an angel had announced His birth (Luke 1:26); that she had conceived while she was still a virgin, and all these things she had kept treasured in her heart (Luke 2:19). This failure of wine, may indicate that the newly married couple were poor had been hoping that what they had purchased would last.

Jesus And Wine It is essential for the reader to understand some crucial points: 1. The Greek word translated ‘wine’ (oinos) doesn’t inherently mean something that is fermented, but can apply to both fermented and unfermented beverages. It is much like our English word ‘cider’. Like the Hebrew equivalent (yayin), both are generic words that designate all kinds of wine and all stages of the juice of the grape. Ultimately, only the context can determine what is under consideration. 2. Their fermented wines varied from 5% to 8%, depending upon the sweetness of the grapes used. A big difference between our fortified wines which are four times stronger. Then, even such light wines were cut with water, usually one part wine to 3 parts water was typical. Thus the alcoholic content may have been around 1%. 3. Even the context bears this out. Drunkenness is always condemned in the Bible (Prov. 20:1; Prov. 23:29-32; 31:4-5; Gal. 5:21; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Peter 4:1-3), and yet the headwaiter in this section talks about drinking-freely (2:10). 4.

This waiter wasn’t drunk, and neither were the guests, even after consuming all the wine available, for he immediately perceived the difference in quality between what had been served and what he was now tasting. 5. The word ‘drunk-freely’ in 2:10 doesn’t mean ‘intoxicated’. Rather, this man is saying that typically a poorer quality wine is served after people are full and their taste-buds are dulled. 6. Obviously, Jesus isn’t furnishing 180 gallons of highly intoxicating wine to people who are already drunk! 7. Every now and then someone tries to argue that ancient people had no way of keeping the juice of the grape from fermenting. Actually, the ancients new of at least five ways. 8. Woods is right, that the ‘wine’ praised in the Bible, was viewed as more of a ‘food’ than a beverage (Genesis 14:18; Num. 6:20; Deut. 14:26; Neh. 5:18; Matthew 11:19). 9. Our modern wines or other alcoholic beverages would fall into the category of what God called ‘strong drink’. We should note that the process of producing distilled liquors wasn’t discovered until the 7th century A.D. The Revised ISBE notes that the ‘strong drink’ mentioned in the Old Testament was probably some type of beer (‘Wine’ p. 1069). 10. Thus, when someone tries to justify their modern wine drinking by appealing to a text like the above, we see an immediate contradiction: (a) The wine they are drinking is far more intoxicating that the wines of Biblical times. (b) And beyond that, the intoxicating wine they are wanting to consume isn’t being diluted with water.

John 2:4 ‘Jesus said to her, “Woman, what do I have to do with you? My hour has not yet come.”’

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“Woman”-An expression that seems strong to us, “Woman”. And yet Jesus also used this same word when entrusting her to the care of John (19:26). No disrespect is inferred by the term ‘Woman’. Some say it is like our English term, ‘Lady’.

“what do I have to do with you?”-This statement does seem to contain a rebuke. ‘it was a common conversational phrase. When it was uttered angrily and sharply it did indicate complete disagreement and reproach, but when it was spoken gently it indicated, not so much reproach, but misunderstanding.’ (Barclay pp. 82-83) The precise meaning of this phrase seems inherently connected to how we understand the next statement.

“My hour has not yet come”’-Jesus isn’t saying that He has nothing in common with Mary, and neither is He complaining that she is nagging or pestering Him. Rather: 1.

Jesus is on the Father’s time-clock and not Mary’s. He never allows anyone to rush Him (John 7:6,8,30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1). 2. Jesus would solve this problem in the manner and at the time which the Father would desire. 3. Hendriksen notes, ‘clearly indicate Christ’s consciousness of the fact that he was accomplishing a task entrusted to him by the Father, every detail of which had been definitely marked off….’ (p. 115) 4. Woods notes, ‘by which is meant that the time was not yet ripe for the demonstration. He would wait until the supply was completely exhausted lest the conclusion be drawn that the new supply was in some way a continuation of the old.’ (p. 50) Jesus reacted in a similar way when purposefully delayed when He heard that Lazarus was very ill (John 11:6). 5.

Obviously, Jesus isn’t saying that it wasn’t time for Him to enter into His public ministry, for He had already done that. 6. Like Mary, we often want God to perform a “rush order”.

John 2:5 ‘His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”’

“Whatever He says to you, do it”-It seems clear that Mary wasn’t offended by the above statement. She accepts Jesus’ authority and demonstrates that He will act when the He believes the moment is right. ‘she realized also that Jesus was not unmindful of the present difficulty, and that He would take what action was necessary. So she commanded the servants to obey His instructions.’ (Morris p. 182)

John 2:6 ‘Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.’ ‘six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification’-John explains to non-Jewish readers why such a quantity of water was being stored. In view of their customs, 180-240 gallons of water wasn’t excessive. Water was required for the cleansing of the feet before one entered the house, and even more importantly from a Jewish point of view, it would be required for handwashing. Barclay notes, ‘Strict Jews washed the hands before a meal and between each course. First the hand was held upright and the water was poured over it in such a way that it ran right to the wrist; then the hand was held pointing down and the water was poured in such a way that it ran from the wrist to the finger-tips.’ (pp. 83-84) See Mark 7:1-9.

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John 2:7 ‘Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.’ ‘up to the brim’-Therefore, what had been put into the pots was pure water, in fact, there wasn’t room for anything else. God is making it clear that this wasn’t a trick, or merely water which had a faint taste of wine.

John 2:8 ‘And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the headwaiter.” And they took it to him.’

“Draw some out now”-Be impressed with the simplicity associated with the miracles that Jesus performed. There isn’t any spectacular display, no hocus-pocus, and neither is Jesus making all the choreographed movements so often associated with popular magicians.

“headwaiter”-‘At their banquets the Romans had a toast-master…Sometimes one of the guests acted as a kind of master of ceremonies at a Jewish wedding. But our equivalent….is really the head-waiter. He was responsible for the seating of the guests and the correct running of the feast.’ (Barclay p. 84) ‘was the manager of the feast, whether he himself was one of the guests selected for the office by the groom or one who did not dine with the rest as a guest, is hard to say. One of his functions is incidentally mentioned, namely that of tasting food and drink before these were offered to the guests.’

(Lenski p. 195)

John 2:9 ‘And when the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom,’ ‘which had become wine’-Through this book we will see that true miracles do not take long periods of time to work. Rather, they are immediate. This miracle demonstrates Jesus’ power not only over time, but over quality and all created substances.

‘but the servants ….knew’-Consider the tranquil and quiet nature of this miracle.

Jesus isn’t advertising that He is going to do this, everyone isn’t gathered together to watch this great event. In fact, on this occasion, most of the people never knew that a miracle had taken place. How different, from the modern faith-healers who loudly proclaim their supposed successes or their mere presence.

John 2:10 ‘and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when men have drunk freely, then that which is poorer; you have kept the good wine until now.”’

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“Every man serves the good wine first”-The customary practice at most weddings was to ‘hold in reserve the inferior wine until the taste of the guests had been dulled sufficiently so that they would not be able to discern the exact flavor and excellence of the wine that was served last of all.’ (Hendriksen p. 117)

“men have drunk freely”-Clearly, the headwaiter is not inferring that all Jewish weddings ended up with all the guests in a drunken stupor. Rather, the inferior wine was reserved when people’s palates had been dulled—and not their minds.

“you have kept the good wine until now”-‘Good’ in the sense of taste, and not ‘boy this stuff really has a kick to it’. ‘We are thus left in no doubt as to the quality of the wine that resulted from the miracle.’ (Morris p. 185) Someone has calculated that the amount of wine that Jesus made on this occasion would be equivalent to 2400 glasses.

Thus this couple found themselves, not only freed from an embarrassing situation, but also with an unexpected wedding present.

Point To Note: Be impressed that when God gives, He gives abundantly. Jesus made around 200 gallons of wine. In like manner, 12 baskets of leftovers will follow another miracle (John 6:13).

God gives with liberality (Luke 6:38; James 1:5,17; Ephesians 3:20 ‘beyond all that we ask or think…’).

John 2:11 ‘This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.’ ‘beginning of His signs’-Which rules out any claims that Jesus performed various miracles when He was a child. ‘Signs’-one of the designations which God has applied to the miraculous. The word reveals that the miracles were designed to point to the doer of the miracle and not merely the deed done (John 3:2; Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 2:22). ‘the sign points away from itself to the One who performed it.’ (Hendriksen p. 117) The miracles accredited the person performing them, and especially the miracles were God’s stamp of approval upon what the person was teaching.

‘manifested His glory’-The glory of God is the sum total of His attributes. This miracle revealed the power of Jesus, His power over created things, His power over matter and physical substance. We would expect the Son of God, one of the same nature as the Father, to manifest such power (John 1:14). Yes, this is something that the Creator could do.

‘His disciples believed in Him’-Thus, His disciples knew what had happened. While they had already believed that He was the Messiah, ‘Now in this miracle they saw His glory, and despite His outward lowliness they put their trust in Him’ (Morris p. 186) ‘his disciples’ faith in him was fixed’ (Rieu).

Points To Note:

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1.

Consider the restraint exercised by John. Who was the bridegroom? Who was the bride? What relation existed between this couple and Mary? 2. Barclay notes, ‘Jesus was perfectly at home at a wedding feast. He was no severe, austere killjoy.

He loved to share in the happy rejoicing of a wedding feast. There are certain religious people who shed a gloom wherever they go. There are certain people who are suspicious of all joy and happiness….Jesus never counted it a crime to be happy.’ (p. 85)

In Capernaum John 2:12 ‘After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother, and His brothers, and His disciples; and there they stayed a few days.’ ‘went down to Capernaum’-(kuh PURR nay uhm) (village of Nahum). Probably the most important city on the northern shore of the sea of Galilee. Jesus will make this city His base of operations as He preaches in Galilee. This city contained a synagogue (Mark 1:21), a garrison of Roman soldiers (Matt. 8:8), and a taxation office (Matthew 9:9). It is in this city that Jesus will call Matthew to be one of His disciples. Capernaum contained a large population (poss. 10,000 or more). Through this city passed a popular caravan route which connected the Mediterranean trades routes with such cities to the east as Damascus.

Peter lived here (Mark 1:29) The phrase ‘went down’ is correct. Cana was located in the uplands, whereas Capernaum was located by the sea of Galilee. We should note that prior to this move to Capernaum, Jesus has been rejected in His hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:14-31).

‘His mother’-Joseph isn’t mentioned and most assume that he has already died.

‘His brothers’-Children of Mary and Joseph, after Jesus was born (Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55-56). Jesus’ sisters are not mentioned, probably they were already married and were either still located in Nazareth or in whatever city where they did work and live.

Point To Note: In the second century A.D. of idea of Mary’s perpetual virginity began to appear. People started arguing that the ‘brothers of Jesus’ were either cousins or children which Joseph had from a previous marriage. Of course such interpretations would have never arisen if people had realized that the marital state is as morally pure as the celibate state (Heb. 13:4). There is no difference in purity between the virgin and the married woman who isn’t a virgin. In addition, the perpetual virginity of Mary advocates must concede that Mary sinned. She did not fulfill her duty to her husband (1 Corinthians 7:3-5).

The Passover

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John 2:13 ‘And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.’

‘Passover of the Jews was at hand’-Four Passover’s are mentioned in this Gospel (5:1; 6:4; 12:1,13:1,19:14).

Points To Note: 1. The Passover fell on the 14th of Nisan, which is about our latter March to mid-April.

2. Jews from all over the near east converged on Jerusalem during this time of year. As many as two and a quarter million Jews sometimes assembled in Jerusalem to keep the Passover. 3. Passover included a seven day festival known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:1-20; Luke 22:1). 4. For further details read (Exodus 13:6-10; Numbers 28:16-25; Lev. 23:4-8; Deut. 16:1-5). 5. God had made it clear that the Passover could not be celebrated in just any town, but only could be celebrated where God would choose (Deut. 16:6). 6. All Jewish males had to attend this festival (Deut.

16:16).

‘went up’-Jerusalem is located at 2500 feet above sea level, and for all practical purposes, regardless of the direction from which you were coming, one always went “up” to Jerusalem. Capernaum was located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, which is over 600 feet below sea level.

John 2:14 ‘And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers seated.’ ‘in the temple’-This would not be the temple proper, which only the priests could enter.

But the large temple court, in which even Gentiles could enter and mingle. Lenski notes, ‘About the sanctuary proper..were four courts, that of the priests surrounding the building (the actual temple), that of the men toward the east, that of the women likewise, beyond that of the men (Jewish men). Around these three was an extensive court, called that of the Gentiles, since Gentiles were permitted to enter it. The outer side consisted of magnificent colonnades. “There, in the actual court of the Gentiles steaming with heat in the burning April day, and filling the Temple with stench and filth, were penned whole flocks of sheep and oxen, while drovers and pilgrims stood bartering and bargaining around them.”’ (p. 204) This is the same temple court in which the early church will assemble (Acts 2:46; 5:12).

‘selling oxen and sheep and doves’-Connected with the Passover feast was the requirement to offer sacrifice (Numbers 28:16-19). And rather than bringing their own animals (which the priests could reject), or go through the trouble of getting your animal to Jerusalem and still have it in prime condition. Most people simply waited to buy their animals in the temple. These animals had already been inspected. This was a very profitable business, Josephus states that 260,000 lambs would be sacrificed during the Passover season.

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‘and the moneychangers seated’-Every Israelite, 20 years and older had to pay the temple-tax (Exodus 30:11-16). But this had to be paid using Jewish currency. Thus all the Jews coming from other parts of the Roman Empire were required to have their currency changed into Jewish currency. And of course, for their services a rate was charged.

Points To Note: 1.

Now people did need sacrificial animals and there was nothing wrong in having a place where people could buy an animal. But other places should have been used, instead of God’s house! 2. In addition, a tremendous amount of greed was taking place, as these dealers charged the public exorbitant prices. Jesus will later call this market a ‘den of robbers’ (Matthew 21:13). For all practical purposes the pilgrims coming to worship were blackmailed into buying their sacrifices. ‘If a worshipper brought a victim outside the Temple, it was to all intents and purposes certain that the victim would be examined (a fee was charged of course) and rejected.’ (Barclay p. 97) 3. The Sadducees controlled the Temple and it is estimated that they made $300,000 dollars a year in profit on the what was sold in the Temple area. There are times that a pair of doves (worth a nickel) was sold for four dollars. 4. One writer describes the whole scene as ‘And this was the entrance court of the Most High! The court which was a witness that that house should be a House of prayer for all nations had been degraded into a place which for foulness was more like shambles and for bustling commerce more like a densely crowded bazaar; while the lowing of oxen, the bleating of sheep, the babble of many languages, the huckstering and wrangling, the clinking of money and of balances (perhaps not always just) might be heard in the adjoining courts, disturbing the chant of the Levites and the prayers of the priests!’ 1 This was the place where Gentiles might seek God! And people had turned it into nothing more than a bazaar. 5. But nothing has really changed. To this day I am always getting calls from various companies wanting me to set up a display of their books, religious T-shirts, and so on in the building in which we gather for worship.

John 2:15 ‘And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the moneychangers, and overturned their tables;’ Points To Note: 1.

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‘The public ministry of Jesus begins with an act of holy wrath and indignation. The Son cleans his Father’s house with the lash of the scourge. No halfway measures, no gradual and gentle correction will do in a matter as flagrant as this.’ (Lenski p.

205) 2. Some people are bothered by the actions of Jesus on this occasion, but these are typically the same people who maintain that God only manifests warm feelings. (a) Here we see that Jesus is part of the God described in both

Farrar, The Life Of Christ, pp. 445ff 9

testaments, ‘Behold then the kindness and severity of God’ (Romans 11:22). (b) Jesus’ actions here are mild compared to what He could have done! © He had the full right to cleanse the Temple, for it belonged to His Father, and for all practical purposes, it belonged to Him. (d) Please note that Jesus isn’t saying that animals sacrifices are unimportant. (e) These same Jewish authorities wouldn’t have turned their own homes into such a market-place, and neither would they have allowed such in the courts in which they worshipped. ‘these Jewish traders were making the Court of the Gentiles into an uproar and a rabble where no man could pray. The lowing of the oxen, the bleating of the sheep, the cooing of the doves, the shouts of the hucksters, the rattle of the coins, the voices raised in bargaining disputes---all these things combined to make the Court of the Gentiles a place where no man could worship….Is there anything in our Church life---a snobbishness..coldness, lack of welcome…which keeps the seeking stranger out?

Let us remember the wrath of Jesus against those who made it difficult and even impossible for the seeking stranger to make contact with God.’ (Barclay pp. 100101) (f) There is a place for anger! (Eph. 4:26) And notice what Jesus was concerned about. Pure worship was to be maintained!

Unfortunately, even in our own time, worship is given a low priority. Rather, everything and anything is justified because it will bring in more income for the congregation, it will give up more things to do, it will give us a place to recreate, it will attract more people and so on. In the eyes of many, if Jesus did the same thing today in their congregation and started tearing down the basketball hoops, throwing out the exercise mats, the band equipment, the dunk-tank, the snack-shack, etc….., they would call Jesus a legalist!

John 2:16 ‘and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a house of merchandise.”’ “stop making”-And if God tells people to stop something—then they can stop. There is no right way to do a wrong thing. All the arguments about, ‘But I need to support my family’, ‘everyone else is doing it’, ‘the situation excuses the abuses’ and so on, are automatically rejected.

“My Father’s house”-Notice the language ‘My’, and not ‘your’. Jesus will use the expression ‘My Father’ some 27 times in this Gospel. Jesus had a relationship with the Father that others didn’t have. The temple belonged to God, it was not the exclusive property of the Jewish people. Lenski notes, ‘This is not the voice of a zealot vindicating the holiness of the Temple, nor of a prophet speaking in the name of Israel’s God; this is the voice of the Son of God himself to whom the Temple was “my Father’s house.’ (p.

208)

“a house of merchandise”-‘trading, gain-getting, which is so much mixed with unjust dealing and at best is only secular….Have we not enough places for buying and selling---without invading the place that should be sacred because it is dedicated to God?’ (Lenski p. 208) Points To Note: 10

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And yet I can hear someone argue that ‘the temple wasn’t holy, rather what was really valuable were the people who composed the nation of Israel.’ Yes, the people were always more valuable than the temple, but that never meant that the temple could be used for everything and anything. 2. In like manner, the church is the people (Acts 20:28), and yet are we to abuse the place in which we worship, which is purchased with the Lord’s money for purely social, recreational or secular activities? There are so many others places where we can have potlucks, play basketball, exercise, and so on----must we bring all those things into the one place in which we gather for worship? (1 Corinthians 11:22,34). 3. I can also hear people making ridiculous arguments against Jesus. ‘Well, if money-changing is wrong is the temple, then I guess I can’t even ask anyone for change!’ And how about all the emotional arguments. ‘If you are right Jesus, then if someone needed an animal for sacrifice, and I had an extra, I couldn’t even tell him that I would gladly sell him the extra one I had—while in the temple area.’

John 2:17 ‘His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Thy house will consume Me.”’ ‘His disciples remembered’-‘The action of Jesus gave evidence of a consuming zeal for the house of God.’ (Morris p. 196) The disciples knew the Scriptures! These men could see the fulfillment of Psalms 69:9.

“Zeal for Thy house will consume Me”-(Psalms 69:9). Obviously Jesus was ‘consumed’ with zeal for the things of God. Zeal for God moved Him to cleanse the temple. The Psalm also infers that the person being consumed by such zeal also ends up being persecuted for their zeal (69:7-9). Some believe that the disciples were afraid that Jesus’ zeal would end up getting Him into trouble. That is probably only a secondary application. It appears that the ‘consuming’ of the above passage is the inward zeal of Jesus that moves Him speak out when His Father is being treated with disrespect.

Point To Note: Jesus will also cleanse the temple area at the close of His ministry (Matthew 21:12-13).

Obviously, the Jews reverted back to their greedy practices after Jesus acted in John 2.

Lenski notes, ‘the first (cleansing) has been termed an act of grace, the second an act of judgment; but both are manifestations of grace, judgment descending on the wicked nation and its Temple at a far later time.’ (p. 211)

John 2:18 ‘The Jews therefore answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, seeing that You do these things?”’

‘The Jews’-The Jewish rulers, possibly including such individuals as the priests, templepolice, scribes, and Sadducees.

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“What sign”-They wanted Jesus to offer proof of His credentials. His authority to cleanse the temple was questioned, much like the question in Matthew 21:23 ‘By what authority are You doing these things…’.

Points To Note: 1. Notice the difference in perspective. The disciples beheld the actions of Jesus, and saw the fulfillment of prophecy. The Jewish rulers (and probably those involved in selling goods and services in the temple) saw a lack of authority. 2. Unbelievers also insist upon more and more evidence, while they completely ignore the evidence which has already been given to them. Their demand is short-sighted, Jesus had already given them a sign in cleansing the temple! (Malachi 3:1-3) 3. People who don’t want to accept the truth always seem to hide behind the excuse, ‘The evidence has yet to be conclusive’. The problem for them is always with the evidence or lack of evidence—but never with the condition of their heart. 4. If you insist upon signs before you can believe—then you probably never will believe, regardless of how many signs might be given (Matthew 16:4).

Even when Jesus was dying on the cross, the crowds were still maintaining their innocence, justifying their unbelief, because they hadn’t been given enough proof (Matthew 27:42).

John 2:19 ‘Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”’

“Destroy this temple”-While Jesus did destroy the actual temple (Matthew 24), the expression ‘in three days I will raise it up’, limits the application of this Scripture to the body of Jesus (2:21).

John 2:20 ‘The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”’

“It took forty-six years”-Herod the Great had begun work on the temple that was then standing in 20 B.C.. This work had been continuing for 46 years. In fact, the work would continue until 64 A.D. In fact, the Jews would continue to misapply this statement made by Jesus (Mark 14:58; Matthew 26:51; 27:40). Morris notes, ‘There is an irony in the fact that ultimately the Jews themselves were to be the means of bringing about the sign they asked the Christ to produce, and which they did not recognize when it came.

There is further irony in that to put Jesus to death was to offer the one sacrifice that can truly expiate sin, and thus doom the temple as a place for the offering of sacrifice.’ (p.

199)

John 2:21 ‘But He was speaking of the temple of His body.’

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John 2:22 ‘When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had spoken.’

‘His disciples remembered’-Even the disciples hadn’t understood the fact that Jesus was going to be raised from the dead (Luke 24:8, 13-27; Mark 16:14).

‘they believed the Scripture’-which might be Psalm 16:10 or Isaiah 53:10. ‘and the word which Jesus had spoken’-which is recorded in the above verses.

Notice how the Gospel of John is placed right next to the Old Testament Scriptures. See 2 Peter 3:15-16.

John 2:23 ‘Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, beholding His signs which He was doing.’ ‘many believed in His name, beholding His signs….’-John 3:1-2 infers the same truth. During His stay in Jerusalem Jesus was performing many miracles.

John 2:24 ‘But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men,’ ‘was not entrusting Himself to them’-The word ‘entrusting’ is the same Greek word as is translated ‘believed’ in 2:23.

Points To Note: 1.

Again we see the Omniscience of Jesus. He could read the hearts of all men, He knew the true nature of their faith. He read them, as He had read Peter and Nathanael (1:42,47-48). ‘The glorified Christ sees to the bottom of every heart, detects every superficial confession, every trace of indifference or hostility.’ (Lenski p.

226) 2. When trials came, many would forsake Him (John 6:66). 3. Jesus did not fully commit Himself to the protection of men, for He knew that people are frail, undependable, and that man isn’t the true source of security. 4. Morris notes, ‘The verb used of His action is in the imperfect tense. It denotes His habitual practice. Those who had been attracted by the miracles would have been ready to try to make an earthly king of Him (6:15). But He did not trust Himself to them. He looked for genuine conversion, not enthusiasm for the spectacular.’ (p. 207) 5. Barclay notes, ‘It is the great characteristic of Jesus that He did not want followers unless these followers clearly knew and definitely accepted that which was involved in following Him. He refused---in the modern phrase---to cash in on a moment’s popularity.’ (p. 106) 6. This also reveals that no man is saved by faith only. These people had that type of faith. But when Jesus will start talking about surrender, self-denial, a total commitment to Him, and so on---all of a sudden people will not be so enthusiastic about Him (John 6:66; Luke 14:26f; 13

Matthew 19:20f). 7. The world is still filled with people like the above.

Unfortunately, certain voices within the church are advocating that we tailor the gospel message to such people. ‘Preach the man, talk about His life (but don’t mention what He said), talk about how much God loves us (and not what it means to love Him), emphasize the positive (all the things we will get, and not what we must be willing to give), and so on.’

‘for He knew all men’-He knew their hearts (Mark 2:8; John 4:29; 6:61; 21:17).

Which is another indication of His Divine nature, ‘I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind….’ Jeremiah 17:10.

John 2:25 ‘and because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man for He Himself knew what was in man.’

‘He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man’-‘He didn’t need to be told about anyone’ (Beck); ‘and had no need of anybody’s evidence about men’ (Gspd).

Jesus didn’t need a course on human psychology. ‘it was not necessary for Jesus to listen to testimony concerning any particular person, for his own penetrating eyes were able to look into the very depths of that person’s heart.’ (Hendriksen p. 128)

‘for He Himself knew what was in man’-‘for He knew mankind to the core’ (Tay) ‘He knew that a man can be swept away in a moment of emotion, and then back out when he discovers what decision really means…..He wanted, not a crowd of men cheering they knew not what, but a small company who knew what they were doing and who were prepared to follow to the end.’ (Barclay p. 106)

Closing Likewise, Jesus presently has all the information on each one of us. We cannot fool Him. At the judgment, all the masks will be removed. One is not allowed to pretend in the presence of God (2 Cor. 5:10). Therefore, having such an incentive let us be people who are genuine and sincere. Right in practice and right in motives (Hebrews 4:12-13). Or as Jesus will put it later in this Gospel, people who are willing to worship in God in Spirit and in Truth (4:23-24).

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