Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #11 Passover

Departing from Cana, Jesus moved on to the town of Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee where Peter, Andrew, James, and John lived. Let’s continue following him there.

Travel to Jerusalem

A full day’s journey in the primary mode of transportation back then, would usually mean a walk of about 20 to 25 miles. This particular trip took them less than a day.

John 2:12,13 [NKJV]:
After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

The Bible doesn’t tell us why Jesus and company went to Capernaum at this time, but we do know that later in his ministry, Jesus returned there to make it a primary base of operations. Perhaps this was a scouting trip to determine its suitability. Whatever the reason, they did not stay very long. It was time for the Passover, and up to Jerusalem they went! And things began to get heated….

My Father’s House

The time for the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was near. Many had come from far off lands (as they did for Pentecost, “out of every nation,” Acts 2:5,8-11) to celebrate God’s deliverance for His people in the exodus from Egypt.

Conveniently, sacrificial offerings were sold nearby in the “Royal Stoa,” a building adjacent to the sacred Temple mount area built by Herod the Great about ten years before. It was also there that money changers exchanged foreign currency or provided small change for a fee.

At the time of the major feasts, some of the upper official priests took advantage of their office to allow these same services in the Temple area in the Court of the Gentiles, literally “in the Temple.”

The sons of Annas (the high priest from 6 A.D. to 15 A.D.) were particularly notorious for setting up their bazaars in this sacred area and extorting exorbitant amounts from those who sold the animals and doves for the privilege of selling their wares there, and high fees and interest rates for the money changers.

John 2:14 [NKJV]:
And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 

With such greed and the defilement of the Temple, not to mention bringing foreign money into the Temple and charging their brethren interest, is it any wonder that Jesus took the action he did?

John 2:15,16 [NKJV]:
When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with (both) the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 
 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

Jesus was certainly making himself known, although this was anything but a publicity stunt. His pure heart for the house of his heavenly Father could not allow these grievous sins to continue without correction. Later, his disciples remembered the scripture (Psalm 69:9) that so encapsulated the passion and love for the Father’s house that consumed him.

John 2:17 [NKJV]:
Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

Most of us have experienced a small taste of this, perhaps standing up against a bully who has been tormenting a friend or a brother. Maybe you’ve confronted a thief in the workplace, or a cheat in a competition. I have, but not without some trepidation. Yet I could not keep silent when I knew that my heavenly Father was at work within me to do it His way. We all do this when needed, following our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Temple of the Lord

Jesus was defending the purity of the Temple and the heartfelt offerings of the people—a love of and for the one true God—against the love of money, the root of all evil.

I Timothy 6:9,10:
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Did those watching respond to Jesus in humility? Hardly. Yet the Jewish leaders would not have dared to make a bigger scene at this time because the Roman garrison was nearby in Fort Antonia, and they would not risk any sort of uprising. So instead, with subtle insinuation, they questioned his authority to disrupt the “holiday shopping” by demanding a sign.

John 2:18-20 [NKJV]:
So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since (why) You do these things?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

The Jews’ vision for Israel went only as far as the physical Temple; they could not perceive the spiritual reality of what Jesus was talking about.

At the time, even his disciples did not understand, but they kept these things in their heart until they were later able to put it together with the Scripture.

John 2:21,22 [NKJV]:
But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 
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.

God met His people in the Temple, and received the sacrifices for their atonement there. How fitting this was that Jesus—the lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice, the Temple of God in his resurrected body—could reveal this about himself in the Temple at Passover time. But oh, how few were able to receive it!

In the book of I Peter, we read about the stark contrast between the redeeming love of God and the enslaving love of money.

I Peter 1:18-19:
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

The “tradition from your fathers” had taught the Jewish people to treasure the corruptible silver and gold in their hearts. Only the full embodiment of His love for His people in the perfect sacrifice of His only begotten Son could have redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

And now, thank God, we have been partakers of His redemption. For those of us who have believed on His Son, we are the Temple of the living God in Christ.

II Corinthians 6:16,17:
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

What unclean thing should we separate ourselves from? Worshiping and making sacrifice in the temple of idols, the bondage of the material world and the love of money. Instead, we trust the Father to meet our every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) Thank God, we’ve been made free!

Many believed in Jesus because of the signs from God which he did. But Jesus knew, from the scriptures and by personal revelation from God, that man could not be trusted. He committed himself  in thought, word and deed, to his Father alone.

John 2:23-25 [NKJV]:
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. 
But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 
and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

There may be men and women who have their own opinions about how we should think, how we should walk, and how we should talk. But as God’s dear children today, we have the opportunity to commit ourselves solely to God’s perfect will for us in Christ.

John 15:9-11:
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Have a joy-filled day, my brothers and sisters, beloved of the Father!

NEXT:  Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #12 Nicodemus

PREVIOUS:  Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #10 Wedding in Cana