Tough Love

In this episode I seek to determine what provoked Jesus' anger in cleansing the Temple, and make application to present day followers of Christ.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Hello, welcome to Scripture Simplified. This is Tim Wolfe. We continue our study of the Gospel of John today, and we're looking at John's Gospel chapter 2, beginning with verse 12 and reading through verse 25. After this, he, that's Jesus, went down to Capernaum, he and his mother and his brethren and his disciples, and they continued there not many days. And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the changers of money sitting, 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. And he said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence, make not my father's house a house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them, and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had said. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast day, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man for he knew what was in man. I've entitled this message today Tough Love. In the modern mind, touch tough love seems to be an illogical juxtaposition of words. We have softened our understanding of how love operates. Antonyms for tough are words like soft, gentle, or sensitive, maybe maybe even tolerant and permissive. But maybe the greatest love someone can show us is that of correction. Solomon wrote this Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. I thought about titling the message When Words Aren't Enough, because the lesson that Jesus teaches on this day goes beyond the lecture's podium. We find Jesus wielding a whip and turning over tables. There's an old song that probably only old folks remember, but it goes like this School days, school days, dear old golden rule days, reading and writing and arithmetic, taught to the tune of a hickory stick. Unfortunately for yours truly, many of the greatest lessons I learned in school was lecture reinforced by a leather strap. It was tough love because the lesson was worth the pain. And it's the same here. It seems that all some people can focus on in this story is the Lord's anger, but there's much more going on than that. Let's see what we can learn from this much discussed event in the life and ministry of Jesus. After the wedding, the first thing we see here is a celebratory feast. It says after the wedding feast in Cana, which we talked about last time, Jesus and his first five followers, along with Mary, his mother, and his siblings, returned to Capernaum for a few days and then depart on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. The Passover was a commemorative feast. In the feast the Jewish nation remembered their deliverance from Egyptian slavery. The last of God's plagues on Egypt was the death of the firstborn. For Israel to be protected from this plague, they were instructed to kill a lamb for each household and apply the blood to the lintel and the doorpost of each house. If the blood was seen by the Lord, the house was spared the judgment. This was observed yearly in Jerusalem with residents and pilgrims coming together to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. It is estimated that the number of people in Jerusalem and its environs would swell from 50,000 to as many as 300,000 for the feast. And that's a conservative estimate. Josephus, the Jewish historian, claimed that as many as two million people were in the city for the Passover at about 65 A.D. Luke records Jesus attending two Passovers, one with his parents when he was twelve years of age, and the other on the week of his crucifixion. Matthew and Mark only record him attending one, and that too is the week of his crucifixion. In John's Gospel, the early focus is on Jesus' Judean ministry, and we find Jesus attending at least three Passovers. So the scene of this occasion is of great activity, excitement, and joy, as Jews from Israel and Jewish communities throughout the Roman Empire gather to celebrate their birth as a nation. So the first thing we see is this celebratory feast, but the second thing we see is a controlled fury. In verses 13 through 17, we see a Jesus that some prefer not to see. We see an angry Jesus. As a noun, anger indicates a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. So what is it that evokes this very real emotion from Jesus? Well, let's set the scene. The Jewish Temple of Jesus' day was built on an elevated platform called the Temple Mount. It measured approximately thirty-six acres. It featured several distinct courts for worship. Primarily the vast outer court, which was called the Court of the Gentiles, the raised women's court, and the innermost courts, which included the court of Israel, which was for the men, and the court of the priest. It is in this outer court, the court of the Gentiles, that this scene takes place. It was in this outer court that booths of merchandisers were located. They were called money changers. It was law that every Jewish male over the age of twenty was to pay a temple tax of one half shekel. Much of the money was coinage from Gentile region and was considered unclean to be offered to God. The money changer used the Gentile court to change the money into Jewish coinage. There were also animals needed for sacrifice. Instead of bringing an animal for sacrifice with them, they would bring money and purchase a sacrifice in Jerusalem. It is in the court of the Gentiles that this business was transacted. William Barclay strongly suggests that financial corruption and price gouging was taking place. In certain instances, according to Barclay, a man might pay as much as a day's wage just in getting his money exchanged. Jesus is incensed by what he sees and hears and makes a scourge of small cords and turns over the tables of the money changers and drives out the sheep and the oxen. So the question is, for what cause? Why did Jesus do something like this? Well, he gives the answer. He says, Take these things hence, make not my father's house a house of merchandise. Now there's a later cleansing of the temple that takes place during the week of his crucifixion. This one we're looking at today takes place early in his ministry. It does not take long after his actions in this cleansing for the money changers and all the business that had been transacted in the temple to return to their former corruption. And so it stands to be cleansed again later, the week that Jesus is crucified. The same provocations are in place at that time. In Matthew's account of this later cleansing, he records Jesus as saying, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you've made it a den of thieves. I like the way Mark records Jesus' sentiment. It says, and he taught. I want us to get that phrase there. And he taught. This was about Jesus giving a lesson. You say, Oh, it's about his anger. Jesus' anger didn't have, it was not without purpose. He was teaching a lesson. He says, and he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But you've made it a den of thieves. This is not simply pure rage. It is anger demonstrated with a purpose. It's a lesson to be learned, not for the destruction of the hearers, but for their spiritual well-being. It is a corrective anger. Luke records the same sentiment. The purpose of God's house had been corrupted. There are two sides of this lesson. First of all, the honor of God. The highest allegiance that Jesus had was not to humanity, but to his heavenly Father. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, soul, and strength. Well, Jesus did that. He loved the Father more than anybody. And we are to do the same. In the Gospel of John, this is a prominent picture of Jesus. In John chapter 4, verse 34, Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. And then in John chapter 8, verse 29, it says, And he that sent me is with me. That's what Jesus said. The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him. Oh, yes, my friends, he was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. And we can't forget the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus said, Not my will, but thine be done. He always did those things that pleased his Father. His disciples in reflection on the event remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. That's a quote from Psalm 69 in verse nine. But it wasn't just the Father's honor in view here, it's also the good of mankind. Jesus is concerned about people. He is indeed the good shepherd. And you might say, Is the good shepherd in in view here with this anger? I think so. John Phillips writes this. He said the Lord's heart was moved at the sight of all this business traffic in the temple. The place of prayer for all nations smelled of the barnyard, sounded like a cattle market, was filled with noise and din, was the scene of many a swindle. The temple was to be a place where people could draw near to God and worship. But that purpose was being circumvented. Jesus was rightly incensed when he perceived attempts, particularly in the name of God, to prevent people from receiving God's merciful kindness. There's an incident recorded in Mark's Gospel chapter 3 where Jesus is teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and the man with a withered hand is present. There are religious leaders present there who are opposed to healing on the Sabbath day, and they want to catch Jesus breaking their authoritative traditions. It says Jesus asked the question to his opponents Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days or to do evil, to save life or to kill? But they held their peace. It then says this, and when he had looked round about them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts. He then proceeded to heal the man. There, he looked at them with anger. So it's not just one time. There are other times, and he's grieved. Why is he grieved? Why is he angry? Because these individuals cared nothing for the man who was suffering. All they cared about was their traditions, and they were envious of Jesus. They were so blind to the needs of others, and it angered Jesus. Jesus was determined, and I'm so thankful for this, he was determined to press through the intimidation on that day to heal a needy man. And I want you to know, my friend, that Jesus is wanting to press through to you today. Jesus is reaching out to you. Some people have this view that Jesus is some kind of a, you know, Scrooge type God that has his arms folded against us weak human beings. But his arms are not folded. They're outstretched. He's like the father and the prodigal son who runs to meet his wayward son and kisses him and puts a robe on him and clothes him and feeds him. Jesus is pressing through here to make sure that sincere Gentile worshipers can honor God with their worship and prayers. I quote Barclay again here. I think it speaks in an application here to this. Is there anything in our church life a snobbiness snobbishness, excuse me, an exclusiveness, a coldness, a lack of welcome, a tendency to make the congregation into a closed club, an arrogance, a fastidiousness which keeps the seeking stranger out? Let us remember the wrath of Jesus against those who made it difficult and even impossible for the seeking stranger to make contact with God. And folks, I can't help but remember the words of our Lord Jesus when he said, But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me? It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18 and verse 6. And then finally we see a confident forecast. We see this in verses 18 through 22. After Jesus cleanses cleanses the temple, the leaders come and ask for his credentials. They ask, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus then says, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. After the destruction of Solomon's temple by the Babylonians, the temple had been rebuilt by Zerubbabel in 516 BC. A massive renovation project was begun by Herod the Great around 20 BC. At the time of the cleansing, it was said by the Jews, forty-six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? When Jesus was on trial, false witnesses came and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days. But you have to understand Jesus never said he would destroy it. Note he says, Destroy this temple, and I'll raise it up in three days. His statement is prophetic and is so recognized by his disciples after his resurrection. They then knew that Jesus was referring to the temple of his body. Let's talk a little bit more about the temple worship in that day. The temple worship overall had become perfunctory and corrupt, and Jesus anticipated its destruction. We will see later in our study of Samaritan woman and her interaction with Jesus. The conversation goes as follows. She says, Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, and you claim and you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem. Jesus said, Woman, believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know, we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, and they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. John chapter 4, verses 20 through 24. On the Mount of Olives, the disciples wanted Jesus to join them in admiring the ongoing temple mount renovations, all the beautiful, and I'm sure they were, beautiful buildings that had been built. And Jesus prophetically responded, See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. As we mentioned, this renovation had been going on for many years, 46 years, and it did not finish. The renovation was not finished until A.D. 65. And the temple was destroyed just five years later in AD 70. When my wife and I visited Israel, we stood at the western wall, the renovated part of it, not below the whaling wall. And there are massive stones laying at the base of this excavated western wall. And they're laying in random positions as though cast down. They're laying on the road that was existent at the time of Christ, and I believe at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. It happened just like Jesus said. We learn at the crucifixion of Jesus that the veil in the temple, which led to the Holy of Holies, into the Holy of Holies, was split from top to bottom. I'm so thankful for what that signifies. That means that we need no lamb. We need no earthly priest. We have a great high priest in heaven who has taken his own blood and opened the way to the most holy place for us all. The author of the book of Hebrews writes, But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews chapter 9, verses eleven and twelve. In one of my early pastorates, a man who owned an independent insurance business who attended the church, invited me to come by his office. He wanted to speak to me about something. He shared with me that I was bringing some of my problems with certain people in the church into the pulpit. And you know the truth hurts. He was right. It's exactly what I'd been doing. I was at times making the sacred pulpit a bully pulpit, my pulpit. I was deeply hurt. And before this man, I broke down in tears of repentance. And as far as I know, I never allowed that to happen again. It was corrective in a marvelous way for me. His words were meant to heal, not to hurt. It hurt me. But it healed me. What Jesus did in anger was meant to bring ultimate healing and order. When we think about this incident in the life of Jesus, we need to understand his unique authority. There are too many people that take this license as a license. Well, Jesus got angry, they say. But they take it as a license to execute vengeance in the name of God. We must remember the one who acted on this day as the Son of God. He is the Messiah, and certainly he has the credentials that are necessary to act in this way. Finally, we read these verses. Now, when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover and the feast day, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men, and needed not any that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. I simply want to. Say that Jesus knows you and he knows me. He saw the corruption in the temple, and he knows the corruption that might be in our hearts that's hindering the worship of God in our lives. Based on 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 19 through 20, believers are considered the temple of the Holy Spirit, meaning their bodies, our bodies, are sacred spaces where God dwells. This signifies that the Holy Spirit resides within individuals that were bought with the price necessitating stewardship of physical health, purity, and actions to honor God. Vance Habner illustrated the importance of keeping our temple clean for God's use. He said this: He said, When I was a little boy, my father used to take me out in the country to an old-fashioned mill operated by a water wheel. And the stream would flow up that wheel and it would turn. And all the little wheels would turn and the miller was in business. Now suppose he came down there some morning and the wheel wouldn't turn. The mill wouldn't operate. How foolish he'd be by straining and striving to make the wheel go round. How foolish he would be to call in the neighbors and strive to get the wheel going. But I can tell you what he could do. He could go up the creek and remove the hindrances and clear the channel and get the dead leaves and the debris out of the way, and the water would flow, and the wheel would turn, and the mill would operate, and he'd be in business. All of these wonderful things that we read about in the book of Acts, he goes on to say, were simply the outflow and the overflow of the inflow of the Spirit of God. Just that. He goes on to say, and I meet pastors and church workers all over the country sweating and straining and striving, trying to make the wheels go around. It's about time we went up the creek and cleared the channel and got sin out of our hearts and our lives. What a wonderful lesson. And if there is that kind of defilement, God in love comes and he invites us, he challenges us, he commands us to confess our sins to him. And if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I pray that God will help us respond positively to his tough love. Let's pray. Our Father, we come to you this day in the name of Jesus. And yes, sometimes, God, we need to take a take account of ourselves. We need to get somewhere and get quiet, and we need to be honest, and we need to put everything out before you, God, to be true and honest before you and with ourselves. If there's defilement in our temple, God, I pray, God, that we will ask you to cleanse us, that we might be acceptable for your use, that we might be filled with your spirit. Lord God bless everyone in the sound of my voice this day. And those who may hear later. I pray, Father, that you'd help us all to respond to your tough love. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.