Jn2:13-22, Zeal for the House of God

# Zeal for the House of God
## John 2:13-22

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# What is Jesus **passionate** for?

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+ fervent **commitment**, in
  + both **emotion** + **action**
+ not based on what **I** think
  + but on **Scripture**'s account

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## Gospel of *John*: the Passion of the Christ
+ Early Ministry: **Appearance**
 (ch1-4)
+ Ministry to the Public: **Signs**
 (ch5-12)
+ Ministry to the Disciples: **Teaching**
 (ch13-17)
+ **Death** and **Resurrection**
 (ch18-21)

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+ **Who** He is
  + **What** His heart cares about
+ 7 "**I am**" claims:
  + bread of life
  + light of world
  + door + good shepherd

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## John 20:31 (NIV)
These are written that you may **believe** 
that Jesus is the **Messiah**, the **Son of God**,

and that by **believing** 
you may have **life** in his name.

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+ in ch2: **who** is Christ?
  + son of **God**
  + true **temple**
+ what is His **passion**?
  + restore true **worship**
  + through His own **death** + resurrection

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## Zeal for the House of God
1. House of **Merchants**
 (v13-14)
1. House of **My Father**
 (v15-17)
1. Sign of **Proof**
 (v18, 20)
1. Sign of the **Temple**
 (v19, 21-22)

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13
When it was almost time 
for the Jewish **Passover**, 
Jesus went up to **Jerusalem**.

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+ annual **pilgrimage**, 200-300k Jews
+ **absence** would be conspicuous

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## Cleansing the Temple
| **First** Passover | **Third** Passover |
|----------------|----------------|
| [John 2](https://mobile.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jn2.13-17) | [Matthew 21](https://mobile.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mt21.12-13) [Mark 11](https://mobile.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk11.15-17) [Luke 19](https://mobile.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=lk19.45-46) |
| *Start* of ministry | *End* of ministry |

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+ 3 **Passovers** in John

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14
In the **temple courts** he found 
people selling **cattle**, **sheep** and **doves**,

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+ pilgrims from **far away**
  + could not bring **offerings**
  + bought in local **countryside**
+ but close to **start** of Feast,
  + move **inside** Temple outer court
+ **priests** charged **rent**
  + sellers **scalped** pilgrims

---

14
and others sitting at **tables** 
exchanging **money**.

<div class="caption">
([Modern Israeli half-shekel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3A0.5-Shekel-hatasham-RJP.jpg).
© 2009 @rickjpelleg, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
</div>

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+ **half-shekel** temple tax (Ex30:13)
  + Greek/Roman coins **not** accepted
    + graven images
  + "**token**" of arbitrary value
+ money-changers had **monopoly**
  + *tables*: semi-permanent stalls
+ e.g., use church **directory** to sell insurance
+ beyond that: **why** attend church?
  + so God can bless **my agenda**?

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## 1 Timothy 6:4-5 (NIV)
They have an unhealthy interest in **controversies** ...

constant **friction** between 
people of **corrupt mind**,

who think that **godliness** 
is a means to **financial gain**.

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+ *gain*: not only financial
  + **route**, opening, procure
+ religious acts as a **tool** for success
+ ⇒ what do we **love**?
  + own success / gain?
+ is being in presence of the **Father** good enough?

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## Do I attend **church**
## to seek the **Father**
## or to seek His **blessings**?

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+ chasing God's **will**
  + or my own **wealth**?

---

## Zeal for the House of God
1. House of Merchants
 (v13-14)
1. **House of My Father**
 (v15-17)
1. Sign of Proof
 (v18, 20)
1. Sign of the Temple
 (v19, 21-22)

---

15
So he made a **whip** out of cords, 
and **drove** all from the temple courts, 
both **sheep** and **cattle**;

<div class="caption">
Bernardino Mei,
["Christ Cleansing the Temple"](https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/u/0/asset/8gGjtgJKKO7AGQ), 1655. Getty Museum, LA
</div>

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+ *whip*: for **animals**
  + not people
+ not to **punish**
  + but to **restore** court
+ to be "house of prayer for all nations"

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15
he **scattered** the coins 
of the money changers 
and **overturned** their tables.

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+ *scattered*: distrib for **free**
+ *overturned*: revoke lease
+ break down **barriers** to worship

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16
To those who sold **doves** he said, 
“Get these **out** of here!

Stop turning **my Father’s house** 
into a **market**!”

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+ *market*: house of emporium
+ *my*: not yours: **relationship**
+ *Father*: submission of Son
  + but also **identification** of Son with Father
+ *house*: home, **dwelling**
  + not marketplace

---

17
His disciples **remembered** that it is written: 
“**Zeal** for your house will **consume** me.”

<div class="caption">
Alexander Bida,
["Jesús expulsa a los mercaderes del Templo"](https://www.gci.org/files/images/ab/index2), 1885
</div>

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+ *zeal*: fervent **commitment** in both emotion + action
  + seek, pursue, jealous
+ *consume*: **eat** up, swallow whole, **burn** completely
+ *remembered*:
  + **immediately**, not after resurrection (v22)
+ Jesus' **passion** for Father's **holiness**
  + and restored **worship**
+ remembered Messianic Psalm 69:

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## Psalm 69:7,9 (NIV)
7
For I endure **scorn** for your sake, 
and **shame** covers my face.

9
Zeal for **your house** consumes me, 
and the **insults** of those 
who insult you fall on me.

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+ not an outburst of **rage**
  + but deep **sorrow**
  + sorrow over what?
+ *insult*: cast scorn / blame
  + attack God's **character**
+ *Your house*: not a building,
  + but **dwelling**
  + holy **congregation**
  + **unified** in following after God

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## 1 Cor 3:16-17 (NIV)
Don’t you know that you **yourselves** 
are God’s **temple** 
and that God’s **Spirit** dwells in your midst?

If anyone **destroys** God’s temple, 
**God** will destroy that person;

for God’s temple is **sacred**, 
and **you together** are that temple.

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+ **personality** cults
  + **splitting** the church
+ follow Paul, Apollos, Cephas, etc.

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## Am I **consumed** with sorrow over **attacks** on
## God's **character** or **church**?

>>>
+ what Jesus was **passionate** about
+ char: **insult**, reproach, scorn
+ church: **dwelling**, corporate **worship**

---

## Zeal for the House of God
1. House of Merchants
 (v13-14)
1. House of My Father
 (v15-17)
1. **Sign of Proof**
 (v18, 20)
1. Sign of the Temple
 (v19, 21-22)

---

18
The Jews then **responded** to him, 
“What **sign** can you show us 
to prove your authority to **do** all this?”

<div class="caption">
F. A. Ludy,
["Christ Curses the Pharisees"](http://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/V0034553.html), 1843.
</div>

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+ *Jews*: cultural/**religious** leaders
  + in **charge** of temple worship
+ *prove authority*:
  + that you do all these?
  + **response** to His actions
  + **protect**, validate
+ show **to us**:
  + I **decide** if it's convincing

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## 1 Cor 1:22-23 (NASB, p.1/2)
For indeed Jews ask for **signs** 
and Greeks search for **wisdom**;

23
but we preach Christ **crucified**, 
to Jews a **stumbling block** 
and to Gentiles **foolishness**,

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+ prove **power** / authority
+ prove **wisdom**
  + logic, eloquence, pithy
+ **crucifixion** seems weak / foolish

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## 1 Cor 1:24 (NASB, p.2/2)
but to those who are **the called**, 
both Jews and Greeks,

Christ the **power** of God 
and the **wisdom** of God.

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+ in reality: **I** need to
+ **change** my understanding of
  + power + wisdom

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# Do I demand **proof** from God?

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+ **threats**, ultimatums
+ Do this, then I'll **believe**
+ Do this, or else I **won't** believe

---

## Zeal for the House of God
1. House of Merchants
 (v13-14)
1. House of My Father
 (v15-17)
1. Sign of Proof
 (v18, 20)
1. **Sign of the Temple**
 (v19, 21-22)

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+ Jesus' **response** to demand for sign?
+ Other times:
  + just says "**no**"
  + 3rd Passover: **John** Baptist
  + sign of **Jonah**: death + res
+ Here: sign of **Temple**

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19
Jesus answered them, 
“Destroy this **temple**, 
and I will **raise** it again in three days.”

21
But the **temple** he had spoken of 
was his **body**.

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+ quoted by false **witnesses** at trial
+ not to **prove** He is God
  + not subjunc / hypothetical: "If"
+ sign: **testimony** against them
  + what **they** will do
  + what **He** will do
+ **destroy** old defn of worship
  + rite, culture, legalism
+ **raise up** new worship
  + explained in Ephesians:

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## Ephesians 2:20-22 (NASB)
**Christ Jesus** Himself [is] the **corner stone**,

21
in whom the whole **building**, 
being **fitted** together, 
is growing into a **holy temple** in the Lord,

22
in whom you also are being **built together** 
into a **dwelling of God** in the Spirit.

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+ new **temple**: us in Christ
+ Jesus' **passion** for
  + God's **holiness** and
  + restored **worship**
+ passion: not just **emotion**
  + but committed **action**

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22
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.

<div class="caption">
[Entrance to the Garden Tomb](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ian-w-scott/4014339437/), Jerusalem.
© 2009 Ian W Scott, CC-BY-SA 2.0
</div>

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+ **eyewitnesses** to Jesus' passion
+ **who** Jesus is
+ **what** He's passionate for
+ ⇒ **believe**

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## **Who** is Jesus?
## What is He **passionate** for?

>>>
+ believe Jesus is **Messiah**
+ **life** in His name

---

17
His disciples **remembered** that it is written: 
“**Zeal** for your **house** will **consume** me.”

---