The Gospel of John-12– Jesus Christ Who Came as the True Temple

John 2:12–22.

 

"After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, 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! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!' His disciples remembered that it is written: 'Zeal for your house will consume me.' The Jews then responded to him, 'What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?' Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.' They replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?' But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 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." Amen.

 

The Sign of the Messiah, the Prophecy of Temple Construction

The event in John chapter 2 that we read together today is commonly known as the 'Cleansing of the Temple.' The scene where Jesus overturns the tables of those trading in the temple and swings a whip may appear, on the surface, as righteous anger toward religious corruption. However, behind this event lies a vast spiritual secret concerning the identity of the Messiah, whom the Jews had waited for so long.

 

To understand this event deeply, we must first pay attention to the prophecy proclaimed by the prophet Zechariah in the Old Testament. Looking at Zechariah 6:12 and 13, it names the future Savior as the 'Branch' and prophesies, "He shall build the temple of the Lord." Here, the 'Branch' symbolizes the shoot sprouting from the stump of Jesse, the Messiah who would come as the descendant of David. To the Jews of that time, the construction of the temple was the most decisive sign proving the identity of the Messiah. They firmly believed that if the true Messiah came, his most significant ministry would be the work of rebuilding the ruined temple.

 

Jesus’ declaration, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days," is a Messianic proclamation arising from this very context. It was not a physical plan to simply destroy and build a building. He was announcing that He is the very 'Branch' Zechariah prophesied, and that the era of the true temple had now opened through Him. How shocking this proclamation was to Jewish society is clearly revealed even in the court where Jesus was later condemned. In the Gospel of Matthew, one of the most fatal accusations against Jesus was the testimony that He said, "I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days."

 

The religious leaders of the time drove this remark as a religious revolution or an insurgent incitement against Rome. However, we must remember the reason why the High Priest did not stop at a simple administrative reprimand but asked, "Then, are you the Son of God?" It was because the authority to destroy and rebuild the temple was a work permitted only to the Messiah. Ultimately, the work of judging and newly establishing the temple was in itself the ministry of the Messiah and an expression of the unique authority that only the Son of God could exercise.

 

The scene where the Lord cleanses the temple in today’s text goes beyond simply correcting the disorder of the merchants. It shows the majesty of the Messiah judging the old temple system, which had become a den of thieves. Now, through this Word, we wish to meditate deeply on the meaning of the temple the Lord destroys and the true temple He rebuilds personally with His own body.

 

The Judgment of the Temple and the Meaning of Substitutionary Suffering

If so, as recorded in the books of Malachi or Zechariah, the work the Lord is performing now—that is, coming to the temple and saying, "Sweep all this away"—is not merely pointing out the wrongdoings of the merchants. It is a scene where He judges the temple, declaring that the entire temple has become a den of thieves and a hideout for robbers, having turned into a place of business rather than a house of prayer. The symbolism of destroying and judging the temple is contained in this scene where the Lord comes and causes a stir.

 

However, in verse 17 of the text, the disciples who witnessed this sight think that Jesus is judging the temple and confess as follows: "His disciples remembered that it is written: 'Zeal for your house will consume me.'"

 

When I first read this verse, I also thought like this: 'Because Jesus loves this temple so much, He is showing such great zeal that it consumes Him.' I understood it only in that way.

 

But in this verse, who does 'me' refer to? Of course, it is Jesus. However, this word is quoted from Psalm 69:9. Looking from Psalm 69:7, it depicts a scene where David is currently suffering very great distress and extreme pain. He confesses, "For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face." He says he has become a stranger to his brothers and a foreigner to his own mother’s sons, which means even his family has abandoned him. While that pain alone is difficult, he says, "Zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me." This means, 'I had zeal in loving the Lord, but because of that zeal, I rather suffer pain.' In other words, it is a confession that the zeal consumes him.

 

Why we should understand this verse in that way becomes even clearer in verse 10. It says, "When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn." It means that he tried to live uprightly before God and went toward God, but that rather became a reproach and he suffered pain. Verse 11 is the same. "When I put on sackcloth, I would become a byword to them." It means that he lived according to God's will and loved the temple, but the result that returned was 'the pain suffered because of it.'

 

Therefore, if what David’s Psalm conveys is true, the words the disciples recalled while watching Jesus’ actions carry this meaning: Jesus Christ is exercising judgment toward the temple with zeal for the house of the Lord, but due to the result of that judgment, Jesus Christ Himself ends up experiencing distress and suffering.

 

The disciples probably remembered this Psalm of David and quoted it as in today’s text. They would have thought, "How much Jesus Christ loves the house of the Lord, and is He not trying to make it clean?" However, it seems the disciples did not yet clearly understand the meaning of the pain contained in the subsequent verses of that Psalm.

 

The explanation for those subsequent verses appears through the words Jesus proclaimed: "Destroy this temple." The fact that "Jesus suffers pain" probably would not have been understood at that time. It is the question of why the Lord, who is judging the temple, must be the one to suffer the pain. The reason for striking the temple is clear: it is because of Israel’s sin. Then, would it not be fitting for Israel, who committed the sin, to suffer the pain? If God, that is, Jesus Christ, punishes the temple because of Israel’s sin, then Israel should suffer. Yet, Jesus suffers. It is because Jesus Himself came as the temple that replaces Israel. That is why Jesus suffers the pain.

 

The Completion of Christ’s Ministry Through the Structure of the Tabernacle

To understand this a little more deeply, it is necessary to look at the temple in detail. Please recall the structure of the tabernacle that you know well. First, when entering the temple, there is a large altar at the very front called the 'Altar of Burnt Offering.' There, animals such as sheep or goats are taken, cut into pieces, and placed on the altar to be burned. Primarily, the best parts, the fat, are burned to offer the aroma to God. In other words, it is a place where sheep are killed and sacrifices are offered. In the history of Israel, which part of Exodus would this signify? It means the Passover. During the Passover, do they not kill the lamb and apply its blood? The Altar of Burnt Offering is also a place where sheep are killed and burned, and on the Day of Atonement, that blood is applied to the horns of the altar.

 

Taking one step further, there is a large 'Laver.' Only after washing hands at that laver can one enter the sanctuary. The act of washing hands at the laver symbolizes the Red Sea event that Israel experienced after the Passover. Passing through the laver is a symbolic showing of the crossing of the Red Sea.

 

Without going through these two processes, one cannot enter the sanctuary. Having entered the sanctuary in that way, just as the people of Israel lived by eating manna in the wilderness, the 'Table of Showbread' is prepared, and just as God led the people of Israel with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, the smoke of the 'Altar of Incense' spreads like a cloud, and beside it stands the 'Lampstand.' The lampstand is shining a bright light. This entire scene shows how the people of Israel were led by God in the wilderness.

 

In other words, the tabernacle and the temple are scenes showing the entire Exodus event of the people of Israel. At the same time, the ministry Jesus performed for seven days also reflects this. On the first day, He said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" so this is the Passover Lamb. The next day, the Lord comes to be baptized, and through the scene of receiving baptism with water as the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit, the scene of the laver appears. It is the scene of the laver because the event of passing through the Red Sea is like baptism, as expressed in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 where the Israelites crossing the Red Sea were baptized. Following this, just as the people of Israel gathered at the sanctuary, Jesus gathered His disciples, and on the fifth day, He showed Jacob’s ladder leading to the Most Holy Place. And by showing the Wedding at Cana, which enters into the rest of the Most Holy Place, Jesus once again showed the meaning of the entire temple through His actions during those seven days.

 

The Destruction of the Old Temple and the Temple of New Creation

When we come to know this fact, we ask what it actually means that Jesus judges the temple. Why does Jesus judge the temple after having shown the meaning of the temple until now? To understand this, we must think a little more about Israel’s sin. Israel experienced the Passover, crossed the Red Sea, and received the Law. They also ate manna in the wilderness. However, Israel, who lived a life like the tabernacle, a life like the temple, receiving God’s protection within the temple—a life of receiving blessings that no one else could enjoy—constantly betrayed God. What they showed was the fact that they could not keep God’s Law, betrayed God and left Him, and always hated and tested God.

 

While living that way, the people of Israel always said, "Since the temple is before us, we are safe." To this, the prophet Jeremiah rebukes: "Do not trust in deceptive words and say, 'This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!'" What kind of temple of the Lord is that? Even seeing the miracle of crossing the Red Sea was of no use. Sometimes we think, "If I saw a miracle, I would believe in God better," but the testimony of the Bible is that humans do not follow God even after seeing the Red Sea divide. The impression of a miracle lasts only for that moment. After confessing, "Thank you for dividing the Red Sea," after just a little while, they complain, "Why don't you give us water? Why don't you give us food? You gave us food, but why doesn't our food have garlic and onions?" That is us. When people see miracles, they mistakenly think they are great, and instead of fearing God, they treat Him like a servant, thinking, "God must do as I want."

 

Therefore, there is only one result according to God’s covenant: destruction and death. This is a natural result. It is only natural that humans who made a promise and were given all the conditions to keep it, yet broke the promise, should face destruction and death.

 

That is why judgment is passed. However, Jesus came to that place as the temple. Judging the temple means judging the Law and judging all of Israel. Yet, Jesus Christ came as the temple and personally received that judgment Himself. This is the true meaning of the words, "Destroy this temple." On the cross, the Lord personally became the temple and was destroyed.

 

This event of destroying was a complete overturning of the concept of God held by the Jews who had been sustained by Israel until then. It is as if the Lord declared toward the God they had believed in, thought of, and followed until now, "You have been believing in a fake God until now." And Jesus said, "Now I have come. I have come to receive the judgment that the temple should receive," and He went the way of the cross. That is why Jesus referred to this as "the temple of his body." Destroying means death, and raising it again in three days means resurrection.

 

The Lord judges the temple, but He Himself is in pain. It is because the Lord Himself is the temple. We, who should be judged, are sitting here praising, praying, and shedding tears, saying "Thank you," but Jesus Christ died on the cross for us, becoming the temple Himself.

 

True Joy Enjoyed in the Lord Who Has Finished It All

By judging the temple, the Lord completely fulfilled God’s will. He fulfilled His righteousness because those who should be judged received judgment. He fulfilled His promise because what God promised was accomplished. As that promise and righteousness are fulfilled, we see a new creation occurring through the work Jesus did during those seven days. The Passover Lamb and the Altar of Burnt Offering have been completed in the Lord. Now, He has finished it all.

 

The old seven days, stained with human sin, have completely disappeared under God’s wrath and judgment. And by the Lord’s resurrection, a new seven days have begun for us. Now the Passover is completed. Because of the completed Passover, we live as 'living sacrifices' before God. Each and every one of you is a living sacrifice. Also, as the temple was completed, the laver was also completed. Now we no longer chase after the water of the world but live according to the Spirit. The baptism of the Spirit has come upon us, the fullness of the Spirit leads us, and we live solely by and according to the Spirit.

 

The Bible calls all actions that do not rely on the Spirit the 'fruit of the flesh.' The fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are distinguished by whether you rely on the Spirit, whether you fulfill God’s will rather than your own pride, or whether you satisfy the desires of the flesh. Because Jesus Christ received judgment on the cross, the meaning of the laver has been completely fulfilled. As He passed away on the cross, the Lord proclaimed, "It is finished," and at that moment, the old temple was completely completed and terminated. Now, to us, it is not a mere laver but the Spirit of life that begins to overflow. Even if tribulations like the Red Sea try to swallow us, the glory, power, and love of God, which surely rescue us from within them, are with us.

 

How strongly does Paul confess? He says, "Who shall separate us from this love in the world? Neither Satan, nor the angels in heaven, nor death, nor the sword, nor powers." Also, the bread is completed. Now the Bible expresses that we live by eating Jesus. Jesus becomes my food, and His Word becomes our life. The light of the candle and the pillar of cloud rising through the altar of incense have also been fully accomplished in the Lord.

 

The Path of a Life Completed as a Living Sacrifice

Everyone, it is not the kind of prayer where you waited for God to appear in the past and prayed only when He called you; now, through Jesus Christ, you enter into eternal and perfect prayer. You enter into eternity through Jesus Christ. You are no longer sacrifices of lambs, goats, or animals; you yourselves have become a living sacrifice offered perfectly before God in Christ. We live in Christ. Therefore, do not worry about the path your life is taking. You are the ones who know more clearly than anyone else what the end of your life is. Wherever that place may be, it will be where my Father is together with me. It is because Jesus has already completed the temple that is my life.

 

Think about it. The temple is what expressed the life of Israel, and that temple is a model of the temple in heaven. If so, it means God is leading us in the likeness of the temple in heaven. But Jesus Christ, the true temple, has come. Then, is it not natural for our lives also to be incorporated into that temple? Just as that temple was accomplished, our lives are also accomplished in the Lord.

 

So everyone, rejoice to your heart's content, weep to your heart's content, and be glad to your heart's content. Your life has been completed. When the Lord said, "It is finished," you came to know what lies before you. You came to know where you are running toward. Therefore, let us all not forget that we are living sacrifices. Let us not forget that we are people who cannot help but live filled with the Spirit. Instead of sighing, "My faith has dropped so much and my belief has weakened lately," rather let us confess, "Thank you, Lord, for humbling me." Let us rather confess, "Lord, as You lead me through this difficult and challenging situation of life, You are completing my life." Let us confess that this is our true happiness and joy.

 

No matter how things seem to go wrong, and no matter how difficult and challenging they become, do not be discouraged. Remember God’s providence in crafting the life of the heavenly temple within us. How could His plan ever go wrong? Your life has already been accomplished in the Lord.

 

Let us pray.

Lord, we desire to be able to see this amazing fact through faith. As we live each day, let us remember that the Lord has already completed my life. We believe that not a single moment in my life is a wasted time, and not a single moment just flows away without meaning. It is a precious life accomplished by God, a life being crafted as a temple of the kingdom of heaven by the Lord; how could we ever treat it lightly?

 

Lord, in all the things we encounter, let us discover the hand of the living God and rejoice, and let us always confirm that we are within Your power. Let us know this joy that the world can never shake, and let us believe that our lives have already been accomplished in God’s hand. Thus, on this path I walk day by day, let us see the completed Passover, the completed laver, and the grace of the completed light and bread. Let us eat and drink only that which comes down from heaven, and let us never miss that life of being glad through what comes from heaven.

 

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.