Zeal for Our Father’s House – John 2:13-21

Bible Studies

Shortly after Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding in Cana, Jesus and His disciples traveled to Jerusalem for the Jewish Passover celebration. Once in Jerusalem, Jesus and thousands of other Jewish people made their way to the Temple, the holiest place in the Jewish world. Upon entering the temple courts, Jesus “found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.” As a convenience to those traveling far, sacrificial animals were sold in the temple courts. However, to purchase these animals and pay the required temple tax, visitors needed to present an acceptable currency. Money changers stationed themselves outside the Temple to offer currency exchange services for a premium. Jesus, when seeing this, “made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, 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! How dare you turn my father’s house into a market.” John 2:13-16 The temple courts had become a place of buying and selling instead of a place of worship.

Jesus Caused A Stir in the Temple Courts

Imagine the disciples’ surprise when Jesus made the whip and began driving out thousands of cattle and sheep from the temple court, scattering coins and overturning tables. The disciples had not been with Jesus very long. Now Jesus was causing a stir in the temple courts and publicly declaring that He was the Son of God. John 2:17 says that Jesus’ actions reminded the disciples of the Messianic Psalm, which says, “for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.” Psalm 69:9

Jesus’ actions made it very clear that selling sacrificial animals and changing money in the temple courts was insulting to God and, therefore, insulting to Him. He certainly showed His zeal for His Father’s house, the Temple. The Temple was to be a holy place, a place of worship, yet the men selling the cattle and sheep were there to make money, not to worship God. When Jesus began driving out and scattering their profit, why didn’t they resist? Why didn’t the temple guard or nearby Roman soldiers stop Jesus?

Sacrifices Are To Be Valuable

One possible reason that Jesus was not stopped in the Temple is that when those in the Temple heard His words, “How dare you turn my Father’s House into a market,” they felt convicted. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew that the Temple was a place for worship, not profit. They knew that selling sacrifices was not keeping with God’s purpose behind requiring sacrifice. A sacrifice was to be valuable to the person offering it: that is why God required the sacrifices to be the best of a person’s flock or his field, not something that a person would feel no “sacrifice” in giving.

It wasn’t until after Jesus drove out the animals, scattered coins, and overturned tables that the Jews questioned His authority: They “demanded of him, ‘What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?'” John 2:18 Jesus answered them in a parable of sorts: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Jew’s response was one of disbelief: “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” John 2:19-20 Jesus often used parables to explain spiritual things using earthly ideas. This time was no different. These words were prophetic to what would happen to Jesus. The Temple he spoke of was His body, which would be destroyed by death and then raised again in three days.

Our Bodies Are God’s Temple

Our bodies are also God’s Temple: although destroyed by sin, when we believe in Jesus, we are raised to a new life in Christ Jesus. Before Jesus’ death, God’s presence resided in the Temple behind a curtain and could only be approached by priests. But when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, this curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom, and God’s presence became available to all through Jesus Christ. Matthew 27:51

Instead of a temple in Jerusalem, God now resides in all who believe in His Son. “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” 1st Corinthians 3:16-17 We are God’s house, His Temple!

Zeal for Our Father’s House

When Jesus began driving out the cattle and sheep from the Temple court, scattering coins, and overturning tables, His actions were meant to “cleanse” His Father’s house, the Temple. Like Jesus, we should have zeal for our Father’s house. Instead of being complacent and allowing those things to corrupt us which do not honor God and do not accomplish His purpose, we should speak up and take action. God’s house is meant to be a place of worship and sacrifice, a holy place, a place that honors God.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1

Stop and ask yourself today: Does zeal for my Father’s house consume me? Am I offering my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God? I urge you not to be afraid to cleanse yourself of anything which distracts you or keeps you from focusing on your true and proper worship of the one who gave it all for us, Jesus!