JEWELS From The GOSPEL Of JOHN - The MAD MESSIAH? JOHN 2:13-17

The following is a series of short exhortations, brief commentary and writings to convey thoughtful meditation on God's Word. I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. These articles will not run contiguously on this blog but peppered throughout and in the midst of other articles (though some might be posted consecutively). I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints

JOHN 2:13-17
13 And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. 17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.


We as people are known by our families, friends and loved ones by certain defining characteristics; some of us have a very cheerful demeanor, others are of a talkative nature, some are insatiably curious, and there are those of us who are considered loners. There is a wide spectrum of such characteristics, nearly innumerable.

When you think of Jesus Christ, what defining characteristic comes to your mind? His graciousness, His uncompromising dedication to the truth? His holiness? These are easy to attribute to the LORD because "grace and truth come by Jesus Christ" (JOHN 1:17) and He is the Holy One of Israel (ISAIAH 1:4).

We see Him as loving, compassionate, kind and merciful. We don't always see Him angry - and many people find it difficult to imagine, but Scripture records such instances, as we see in our text today, and elsewhere (MARK 3:1-5; in MARK 10:14 He was indignant). What is it that makes Jesus angry? you might ask.

Of course we understand that when the LORD Jesus Christ returns to this world, He will be extraordinarily angry (ISAIAH 63:1-4; REV. 14:19) for all of the injustice, oppression, rebellion and out right sin  and abomination that has, and will continue to increase, in this fallen world of rebel souls who refuse to repent (REV. 9:20-21; 16:9-11). We understand that this will escalate to a pinnacle of perdition when "the prince that shall come" (DAN 9:26) - that is, the anti-Christ, reigns over all the world - and when Christ comes back and confronts this diabolical man and his vast armies - the wrath of GOD will be such, that this 'battle' will be a blood bath!

The LORD God is the  HOLY JUDGE and because of this fact, He cannot ignore sin, or overlook it or just dismiss it. Any judge who is true to His office must render justice no matter what. To do anything less would be objectionable. Needless to say to temper judgment with appropriately dispensed mercy is always a good thing - but if justice is served, then "the punishment will fit the crime".

Too often people think of sin as "mistakes" and while they certainly are, they are far, far more than that! I have come to think of sin as treasonous, criminal evil against the Holy Throne of the King, the LORD God. In old times, if one committed treason against a monarch, it was punishable by death, no questions asked.

How much more severe would the punishment be for one who has committed unholy treason against the Holy God of all creation? This is why God is angry with sinners every day (PSALM 7:11) - because they continue to rebel against His authority. As well as this, because they refuse to come to the LORD Jesus Christ for salvation, when it was His own precious blood that was spilled on the behalf of sinners; yet they persistently step on that blood, and treat it as some worthless thing (HEB. 10:29)! 

This is the essential reason why the TIME of JACOB's TROUBLE is destined to occur: this seven year period also known as DANIEL's 70th week, or commonly referred to as The TIME of the TRIBULATION  (though technically its the latter three and a half years that is "great tribulation") - because sinful man refuses to repent and by this severity of judgment sent by the hand of God, many will turn to Him and receive salvation (REV. 7:9-14) through Jesus Christ!

In our text today, we see Jesus entering into the Temple - and what does He see? Merchandising of the most heinous kind: 

Roman currency was the common money in those days, but unacceptable for use in the Temple; only the Temple shekel could be used to provide offerings or to pay for sacrificial animals. So the Temple priests set up an exchange system, but charged a huge percentage fee for the exchange!

The Temple priests also raised sacrificial animals that were pre-inspected and pre-approved for sacrifice. Animals under Levitical law had to be pure and without blemish (consider for example, NUM 19:2); but what these priests would do is inspect such animals that the people brought until they 'found' some blemish (imaginary or not) and declared such an animal unfit for sacrifice.

Then they would offer one of their own special animals to sell to the petitioner - for a hefty price! Thus, we see how the religion of the day exploited people "in the name of God", ripping them off by taking advantage of their desire to worship and serve the LORD. 

I shudder to think of all the televangelists today who are in serious danger of judgment, for all the money they have raked in, in the name of God, likewise exploiting people's desire to worship and please the LORD!

The LORD becomes angry, but His anger is tempered - not crazily out of control - we know this because while angry, He made a cord of whips. Shepherds would sometimes fashion such devices while tending sheep, and use these scourges to repel wolves or other predators. But they took a while to weave together! Here the Good Shepherd of the sheep is about to chase out wolves that desire to devour God's own (MATT. 23:14)!

Notice also that when the LORD is angry, it's never for His own sake. Here He is angry for His Father's sake; in instances cited above, He is angry at the lack of compassion from the Pharisees for the cripple's suffering or for the sake of children who weren't permitted to come to Him. We should take note of this: in the LORD's meekness, He is never angry for personal offenses or wrongs committed against Him - but always for the sake of others, and especially the Father!

Also notice that right after this demonstration of potent anger, there were people with various infirmities that came to the LORD Jesus for healing. I don't know about you, but if I saw someone who had such power as He, Who flipped over stone tables with heavy chests of coin on them, and started cracking a whip to drive out those Temple thieves, I think I'd come back another day - or week, and allow Him time to cool off - to ask for my healing! 

But we see them coming to the LORD: it seems obvious to me, they sensed He was approachable because the anger He exhibited was done and over (PSALM 30:5), and He was once again, JESUS, meek and mild and willing to heal!

Here are three articles you may find helpful that pertains to meekness and what biblical meekness is all about:

MEEKNESS is NOT WEAKNESS but GREATNESS
PART ONE; PART TWO; PART THREE

Let us also consider that while the Temple in Jerusalem was defiled by such corruption, our own temple - our bodies and souls and spirits are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 COR. 6:19-20). May we ask the LORD to 'enter in' (in fact He already dwells there) and inspect our Temple and chase out anything that offends Him, for He has purchased us with His own blood.

We belong to Him: our very being is "under new management" and any temptation Satan may bring our way constitutes a violation of trespass, since he is entering a territory that is now the property of Jesus Christ! In the exercise of sanctification, let us post some "No Trespassing" signs against any attempt on the enemies part to infiltrate the temple of the Holy Spirit. 

For more on this and related subject matter, consider the following article:
FROM The MIND of FIRE: ZEALOUS For The NAME Of The LORD

1 THESSALONIANS 4:3-4
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

2 PETER 3:17-18
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Next time, we will look at JOHN 2:18-22 in the JEWELS of the GOSPEL of JOHN, entitled THREE DAYS IN RAISING! May the LORD GOD bless you saints, WAY TOO MUCH!