CHAPTER FIVE
John 2:12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.
15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables.
16 And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"
17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up."
18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"
19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,
25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
(NKJV)
The family scene of John's Gospel seems to stand in contrast to the three previous reports.
Matt. 12:46 ¶ While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.
12:47 Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."
12:48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"
12:49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!
12:50 "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."
Mark 3:31 ¶ Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.
3:32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."
3:33 But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"
3:34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!
3:35 "For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."
Luke 8:19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.
8:20 And it was told Him [by some], who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."
8:21 But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."
We arrive at a point when a discussion of the purposes of the various writers again needs discussion
While the synoptics were concerned with detail, John writes with a concern for unity. He FOCUSES on the times when they all stand together. He will later give us the details of Christ's garden prayer which also include Jesus' call for a unified Church. All along, John points out how they were called together, invited each other to join, were united by jobs, studies or family before Christ came to them. This thread runs throughout, even how others are united against them by various forces, but it is Christ who takes this group with members such as Zionists, Pharisees, tax collectors, students, fishermen, person after person who would have no reason to be with the others and draws them to him. The society of the United States allows more transition between classes and voices for everyone, even the poorest, so it is very difficult to realize the depth of this statement: literally everyone who came to him found an ear to listen to their plea and found relief from their most serious wounds.
John wants us to know that Christ was actually making a point of that union, that everyone was in fact his family, that the previous Gospel statement was NOT a rejection of his family or of family in general. Though he would say later, we must value him above Earthly family as he valued his mission above family, we should also open our arms to family and welcome them when they heed his call. Apparently, later the family will see the rising tide against him and respond to it fearfully.The worries of the day overcoming their faith. But John dwells on that first unity. Apparently the water to wine convinced or convicted them. The power of heaven used to solve a mortal problem.
And the "family" arrives at Capernaum.
Matt. 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,
14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:
16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
(NKJV)
Jesus fulfilled prophecy and would later have a lot to do with Capernaum, but John mentions it here to follow the timeline of Christ's life,
Then Jesus goes to Jerusalem
And things get complicated.
In Jesus' time, the restoration of the temple under Herod was still proceeding and would go on til 64 AD. The moneychanger scene likely takes place in the vestibule before entry to the main temple area. The priesthood likely considered it not sacred ground since it wasn't part of the main worship area. It also seems likely the priests took a cut of profits or charged some sort of rental for the tables and selling places, like a modern flea market
In these verses, John first shows the effect on the disciples, that they realize this is also a fulfillment of prophecy, that the apparently violent act was, in fact, a sign that this was their Messiah.
Meanwhile, the religious Jews totally miss the obvious sign since they had no zeal for God, were zealous instead for the law and their own power.
What they clearly understood was that this back country hick's action pointed out their illegality to everyone. Pointed out their lack of zeal. Pointed out they were violating that law to which they said they had added so many rules. rules the regular people with their daily concerns found hard to follow.
Their reaction was understandably defensive.
"Give us a sign!!!!"
Signs. The religious keep demanding signs. "Bring down rain. Bring down fire. Heal the sick. Raise the dead." Then: "You salted the clouds It was a meteor. It was the drugs that didn't seem to work but actually did. He was never really dead. A coma. A secret drug. He pretended and the doctors were in on it."
You'll hear those last coming from any other religion talking about Jesus.
If they sound like the cynics, the religious who misuse their religion or who love religion rather than God or love other than the true God are perhaps the deepest cynics. You are telling them the stilts they stand on will never reach heaven. That fact would shatter their world if accepted. When you talk to a priest of that religion, he has the MOST to lose in accepting the truth. They would lose their power, place, their identity. What do you do if you no longer serve that false god, what do you say to the other followers who were your friends?
So Jesus tells them of the coming sign, the body which will be killed but rise again. Everyone wonders what it means, Some will even bribe a witness to use it against him in their coming kangaroo court.
But the disciples will think of it at his resurrection and it will strengthen THEIR belief.
And John sees from a distance the way Christ was always giving them preparations, small events to secure their belief in him.
Jesus' knowledge of the human heart, his clear vision of human motive underpins his action with the priests and his disciples and with the next group mentioned.
2:23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,
25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
Jesus knew who he was. he was the Messiah, but more than Messiah. He was there to redeem the souls of all humanity. The crowd who loved him then would later be calling for his crucifixion. The Son of God needed no one to boost his ego because he had no insecurities about his position or his Father.
So many of us husbands read the Bible appointing us as leaders of our families and then need to prove that leadership and end up misusing the power since we are insecure in our identity as the leader. So many of our wives asked to follow become insure in our competence and either seize leadership or undermine it. Both insecurities lead to Christians having as many divorces as the unsaved population.
Some Christians seek to add things needed for salvation. One must be baptized in "our" church in "the proper way." One must tithe to the local and national church. One must drink a poison or lift a snake. One must pray in this way or that way. One must talk in tongues to be saved or more saved. One must NEVER talk in tongues. One must still keep the Law or some portion of the Law, keeping festivals, worshiping on Saturday or Sunday as the real day of worship. Like the Pharisees, they add to Christ, his blood, his sacrifice. It's something we can all creep into with the easiest slip of attitude, with the simplest decision to join a "better" church. All of these amount to myths as well. Things that crept into the Church, leftovers of other religions
Like the Pharisees, we can all want God reduced to rules, by rules, to someone we can understand. And God, his Son, already understands that about us. And would just as soon not have us guarding his back either. And really doesn't need it.
He knows our hearts and so seeks only one thing from us, that our hearts be like David's, seeking after the heart of God.
The next Failure of Myth: not only is it not a Gospel, it can not add anything of worth to the Gospel because, coming as it does from man, it's heart is false.
John 2:12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.
15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables.
16 And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"
17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up."
18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"
19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,
25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
(NKJV)
The family scene of John's Gospel seems to stand in contrast to the three previous reports.
Matt. 12:46 ¶ While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.
12:47 Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."
12:48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"
12:49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!
12:50 "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."
Mark 3:31 ¶ Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.
3:32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."
3:33 But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"
3:34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!
3:35 "For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."
Luke 8:19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.
8:20 And it was told Him [by some], who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."
8:21 But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."
We arrive at a point when a discussion of the purposes of the various writers again needs discussion
While the synoptics were concerned with detail, John writes with a concern for unity. He FOCUSES on the times when they all stand together. He will later give us the details of Christ's garden prayer which also include Jesus' call for a unified Church. All along, John points out how they were called together, invited each other to join, were united by jobs, studies or family before Christ came to them. This thread runs throughout, even how others are united against them by various forces, but it is Christ who takes this group with members such as Zionists, Pharisees, tax collectors, students, fishermen, person after person who would have no reason to be with the others and draws them to him. The society of the United States allows more transition between classes and voices for everyone, even the poorest, so it is very difficult to realize the depth of this statement: literally everyone who came to him found an ear to listen to their plea and found relief from their most serious wounds.
John wants us to know that Christ was actually making a point of that union, that everyone was in fact his family, that the previous Gospel statement was NOT a rejection of his family or of family in general. Though he would say later, we must value him above Earthly family as he valued his mission above family, we should also open our arms to family and welcome them when they heed his call. Apparently, later the family will see the rising tide against him and respond to it fearfully.The worries of the day overcoming their faith. But John dwells on that first unity. Apparently the water to wine convinced or convicted them. The power of heaven used to solve a mortal problem.
And the "family" arrives at Capernaum.
Matt. 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,
14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:
16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
(NKJV)
Jesus fulfilled prophecy and would later have a lot to do with Capernaum, but John mentions it here to follow the timeline of Christ's life,
Then Jesus goes to Jerusalem
And things get complicated.
In Jesus' time, the restoration of the temple under Herod was still proceeding and would go on til 64 AD. The moneychanger scene likely takes place in the vestibule before entry to the main temple area. The priesthood likely considered it not sacred ground since it wasn't part of the main worship area. It also seems likely the priests took a cut of profits or charged some sort of rental for the tables and selling places, like a modern flea market
In these verses, John first shows the effect on the disciples, that they realize this is also a fulfillment of prophecy, that the apparently violent act was, in fact, a sign that this was their Messiah.
Meanwhile, the religious Jews totally miss the obvious sign since they had no zeal for God, were zealous instead for the law and their own power.
What they clearly understood was that this back country hick's action pointed out their illegality to everyone. Pointed out their lack of zeal. Pointed out they were violating that law to which they said they had added so many rules. rules the regular people with their daily concerns found hard to follow.
Their reaction was understandably defensive.
"Give us a sign!!!!"
Signs. The religious keep demanding signs. "Bring down rain. Bring down fire. Heal the sick. Raise the dead." Then: "You salted the clouds It was a meteor. It was the drugs that didn't seem to work but actually did. He was never really dead. A coma. A secret drug. He pretended and the doctors were in on it."
You'll hear those last coming from any other religion talking about Jesus.
If they sound like the cynics, the religious who misuse their religion or who love religion rather than God or love other than the true God are perhaps the deepest cynics. You are telling them the stilts they stand on will never reach heaven. That fact would shatter their world if accepted. When you talk to a priest of that religion, he has the MOST to lose in accepting the truth. They would lose their power, place, their identity. What do you do if you no longer serve that false god, what do you say to the other followers who were your friends?
So Jesus tells them of the coming sign, the body which will be killed but rise again. Everyone wonders what it means, Some will even bribe a witness to use it against him in their coming kangaroo court.
But the disciples will think of it at his resurrection and it will strengthen THEIR belief.
And John sees from a distance the way Christ was always giving them preparations, small events to secure their belief in him.
Jesus' knowledge of the human heart, his clear vision of human motive underpins his action with the priests and his disciples and with the next group mentioned.
2:23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,
25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
Jesus knew who he was. he was the Messiah, but more than Messiah. He was there to redeem the souls of all humanity. The crowd who loved him then would later be calling for his crucifixion. The Son of God needed no one to boost his ego because he had no insecurities about his position or his Father.
So many of us husbands read the Bible appointing us as leaders of our families and then need to prove that leadership and end up misusing the power since we are insecure in our identity as the leader. So many of our wives asked to follow become insure in our competence and either seize leadership or undermine it. Both insecurities lead to Christians having as many divorces as the unsaved population.
Some Christians seek to add things needed for salvation. One must be baptized in "our" church in "the proper way." One must tithe to the local and national church. One must drink a poison or lift a snake. One must pray in this way or that way. One must talk in tongues to be saved or more saved. One must NEVER talk in tongues. One must still keep the Law or some portion of the Law, keeping festivals, worshiping on Saturday or Sunday as the real day of worship. Like the Pharisees, they add to Christ, his blood, his sacrifice. It's something we can all creep into with the easiest slip of attitude, with the simplest decision to join a "better" church. All of these amount to myths as well. Things that crept into the Church, leftovers of other religions
Like the Pharisees, we can all want God reduced to rules, by rules, to someone we can understand. And God, his Son, already understands that about us. And would just as soon not have us guarding his back either. And really doesn't need it.
He knows our hearts and so seeks only one thing from us, that our hearts be like David's, seeking after the heart of God.
The next Failure of Myth: not only is it not a Gospel, it can not add anything of worth to the Gospel because, coming as it does from man, it's heart is false.
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