Bible Study for Sermon on March 11, 2012

The story of Jesus' cleansing the Temple is familiar to most.  John's version in chapter 2, verses 13-22 is however quite distinct in terms of placing it so early on in the ministry of Jesus.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke place it near the end of Jesus' life.

Scholars have struggled down through the years with the difference in location in Jesus' ministry.  For Matthew, Mark, and Luke the placing of the cleansing near the end provides the impetus for his impending arrest, trial, and crucifixion.  John's placement of the cleansing at the very beginning of Jesus' ministry seems odd.  I think acknowledging this difference is important.  Rather than worrying about this difference, I want to comment on what John is saying by including the cleansing story in his account.

In 2:13 John is implying that he is part of a Christian community that is no longer part of the Jewish cmmunity and therefore is not celebrating Paassover in the historic sense.  However, unlike in Matthew, Mark, Luke where Jesus celebrates one Passover, here in John's account Jesus celebrates three Passovers.  In John's cleansing story there are oxen and sheep; he tells the dove sellers to "not make his father's house a market house."

In the story the disciple remembers words of Jesus and how Jesus modifies Old Testament texts to fit his mission and ministry.  We see from the very beginning of John's account what will eventually cause Jesus' demise:  his battle with Jewish tradition.

It is clear that remembering is important to John.  He wants his readers in the very beginning of the story to know that what Jesus did that angered God's people and eventuated in his death, was all of God's doings so that his people could be disciplined and corrected.