John 2:13-17 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.… I. HIS ATTENDANCE AT THE PASSOVER, One of the three great annual festivals which all males were required to attend. None excused but the sick and the disabled. God made the ordinance peremptory, to teach — (1) That His worship and service were the chief things. (2) That God's house was to be the centre of the moral universe, and that all nations would flow to it. Christ's attendance showed — 1. His fulfilling of all righteousness. He came not to destroy. 2. His communion with believers of the Old Testament. Partaking of their sacraments, He declared Himself of one body and spirit with them, just as by instituting sacraments for New Testament believers He declared Himself of one body and spirit with them. Thus Christ is the bond of both dispensations. 3. Himself and His mission to the nation. The promise was that He should come to His temple. Here the people could identify Him if they chose. II. THE CONDITION IN WHICH HE FOUND THE TEMPLE, AND HIS INTERFERENCE THEREWITH. The market was going on in the outer courts of the Gentiles. The sheep, etc., were sold there to save the inconvenience of individual Jews bringing their offerings from a distance. The money-changers were there, to exchange foreign money for the half-shekel of the sanctuary. The abuse consisted in making God's house a house of merchandise, in which the priests themselves profited. Christ interfered to show His official assumption and exercise of legitimate authority in His own house. The cattle were driven out, the money-tables overthrown; but the doves ordered to be taken away, so that they might not be harmed. Nothing harmful or cruel was done. In this interference we see His glory as the "Son of God" and His administrative authority as "King of Israel." Unsupported Himself, all fled before Him. III. THE CONVICTION WROUGHT IN THE MINDS OF SERVANTS (ver. 17). 1. We have here the love of Christ, and His earnestness for their salvation and God's glory: typical of His whole work. 2. Christ's example to us. (1) Our zeal must begin with ourselves. (2) Must concern itself with God's honour and man's salvation. (3) Must be actuated by love. (A. Beith, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,WEB: The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. |
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