Jesus Clears the Temple Courts

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts

Posted by Chad Langdon on Sunday, January 21, 2018

John 2:13-25

NLT

[2] (13) It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. (14) In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. (15) Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. (16) Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” (17) Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.” (18) But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.” (19) “All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (20) “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” (21) But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. (22) After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said. (23) Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. (24) But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. (25) No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.

NRSV

[2] (13) The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (14) In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. (15) Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. (16) He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” (17) His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (18) The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” (19) Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (20) The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” (21) But he was speaking of the temple of his body. (22) After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (23) When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. (24) But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people (25) and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.