John, chapter 2

• 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. 13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Mark 1:21 Jesus was a teacher of the synagogue in Capernaum.

John, chapter 2

Capernaum synagogue reconstruction

John, chapter 2

• 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he 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.

John, chapter 2

• Other accounts show Jesus drove out the moneychanger at the end of his ministry.

• John includes the event at the beginning. This shows Jesus drove them out twice.

John, chapter 2

• Jesus is all about restoring fellowship with the Lord.

John, chapter 2

• 16 To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."

John, chapter 2

• 18 Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."

John, chapter 2

• 20 The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.

John, chapter 2

• 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. 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.

John, chapter 2

• 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

John, chapter 2

• NIV Zechariah 14:21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty.

• The term for Canaanite is also the term for MERCHANT

John, chapter 2

• There are not to be merchants in the courts where the peoples of the earth could learn of the Lord and have Israelites offer sacrifices for them.

John, chapter 2

• The buying and selling was not to be in the temple courts. This distracted from the purpose of the Temple: Grace and fellowship with the Lord. This was to be true for the nations of the earth also. Christ’s body (the ultimate temple would restore true and lasting grace and fellowship.

The practice was not bad, just the place

• NIV Deuteronomy 14:26 Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice.