John Bible Study ~ John 2:13-25 ~ Jesus Cleanses Hearts for his Father

There is a side of Jesus that a lot of people have trouble relating to. The world is okay with a wimpy Jesus who just loves everyone and leaves them as they are. The thought that he is our Creator, that he can come into the world and judge what people are doing, and that he is the only way anyone can know the only true God, is quite repulsive to a prideful world that imagines itself the master of its own destiny. 

Our next study in John’s gospel shows us how Jesus confronted something so horrible in the world because it was a direct attack on his Father. The Temple that was to be the dwelling place of God among his people had been turned into a marketplace for the religious elite. When Jesus arrived, it was time to cleanup the mess. 

Jesus’ response to the evil things going on in the Temple not only shows how he felt about what the people were doing, but also reveals him as having the authority to judge those activities. At the same time, Jesus’ expression of God’s judgment on that day gives a glimpse into his right to judge us all in the end. It also presents an idea of what it will look like for Jesus to carry out his greater purpose of cleansing hearts now the way he cleansed the Temple then. 

John Bible Study ~ John 2:13-25 ~ Jesus Cleanses Hearts for his Father[1] 

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. 

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. (John 2 ~ ESV) 

The first thing John told us in his gospel account was that Jesus was the Word who was with his Father in the very beginning. Jesus was not only with God, but he was God. We cannot fathom what it was like for the eternal Father and Son to set in motion the plan of salvation that would involve the Word leaving heaven and becoming human flesh. However, their relationship was quite alive and well on planet earth the whole time Jesus was here. John also said that Jesus came to make the Father known to us. This passage focuses on the first time Jesus identifies himself to Israel as the Son of God and how he expresses his relationship to his Father. 

Part 1: Jesus Defends His Father’s House 

As the plan of God unfolds, we now see the theme of Jesus’ relationship with his Father expressing itself in the way he handled his Father’s earthly House. It not only shows us what Jesus’ relationship with his Father was like, but gives us an introduction to what our relationship to God as Father might be like. 

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2) 

1.     In the previous scene we saw Jesus relating to a need at a wedding. Now we see him relating to a national commemoration for Israel where he addresses a far greater need than running out of wine. What do Jesus’ actions in relation to the things he found in the Temple tell you about his view of what was going on there? 

 

2.    What was Jesus’ showing the people about himself in his declaration, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade”? 

 

3.     What does it tell you about Jesus that his disciples considered his actions a fulfillment of prophecy? 

 

4.    We know that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth,” and, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known”. What is Jesus making known to you about the Father that fits his announcement, “Take these things away,” because they do not match what it looks like to be in Father’s House? 

 

Part 2: A Sign That Leads to Faith 

One element of getting to know Jesus is discovering that what he means by something he says is likely to be different from what we initially imagine. The encouragement is that, when our first thoughts about what he means don’t seem to make sense, his words are still like a signpost pointing us to things that will definitely build up our faith when we get there. This section shows us that journey in one short paragraph. 

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (John 2) 

1.     Why do you think the religious elite demanded a sign from Jesus after his surprising actions in the temple? 

 

2.    What does the contrast between what Jesus meant by his reference to “this temple” and what the Jews understood encourage us to do when we read God’s word, the Bible? 

 

3.    What place does Jesus’ resurrection hold in helping us as we read this section of God’s word today (vs 22)? 

 

4.    How does this part of God’s word offer you the same opportunity to believe the Scripture and the word that Jesus has spoken?  

 

Part 3: A One-way Faith 

There are many things in God’s word that indicate that something works in one direction but not another. For example, we worship God our Creator and Redeemer, but would never expect him to worship us. We absolutely need Jesus to give us life, but he does not need anything from us for him to be fully alive. Faith is another thing that is absolutely essential from our side of relationship with Christ but not from his. This concluding focus of this passage shows how the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ attaches us to a Savior who is not the least bit influenced by the faithlessness of people. And, if you think about it, this is a very good thing. 

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. (John 2) 

1.     One of the patterns in Jesus’ life and ministry was to show the way he was treated by the religious elite in contrast to the response of the general population. After seeing the way the leaders challenged Jesus about what he did in the Temple, what are we told was the general response to him from the rest of the people? 

 

2.    What does it mean that Jesus “knew all people” and “knew what was in man”? 

 

3.    How did Jesus relate to people based on what he knew about them/us? 

 

4.    How does it encourage your faith in Jesus that his trustworthiness is unaffected by how untrustworthy we are? 

 

Conclusion: Hearing, Seeing, Joining 

After seeing the way Jesus took authority over the sinful things that were going on in his Father’s House: 

1.     What do you hear God speaking to you about? 

 

2.    What do you see God doing in you through this part of his word? 

 

3.    How are you going to join God in his work? 

 

© 2021 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)

  

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[1] A .doc version to use for prayer-journaling can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/p2yy671pud74f6l/0010%20-%20John%202_13-25%20-%20Jesus%20Cleanses%20the%20Temple.docx?dl=0

 

A .pdf version to print out can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9j46iawsnddf302/0010%20-%20John%202_13-25%20-%20Jesus%20Cleanses%20the%20Temple.pdf?dl=0

 

John Bible Study ~ John 2:1-12 – Jesus’ Glory at a Wedding

The Apostle John’s account of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection include his focus on seven specific signs Jesus’ performed. Each of them individually are like facets of a single diamond that reveals Jesus to us for one simple purpose: that we would believe in him. 

The first of Jesus’ signs takes place at a wedding. The normal tradition was interrupted by a social tragedy, running out of wine! This set the stage for Jesus to respond to the need in a way that revealed his power to perform miracles and his compassion for people in need. It also showed that he who was the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the one who made man in his own image as male and female, honored the very marriage relationship he himself established in the beginning. 

Whatever we may think of weddings, and whatever place wine has or has not played in our lives, God’s word invites us back in time to a tradition that was everyday life for the people involved. On that stage can see how the same Savior who helped them then is here to help us now with issues much greater than the one he met that day. 

John Bible Study ~ John 2:1-12 – Jesus’ Glory at a Wedding[1] 

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days. (John 2 ~ ESV) 

This section introduces us to something John calls, “the first of his signs”. As with any other sign, the purpose is always to direct us somewhere. In this case, the signs Jesus performed are intended to turn our hearts to believe in him, something his disciples followed. As we explore this account, we are invited to do the same. 

Part 1: A Need Presented 

Jesus now has a small band of disciples beginning to “come and see” who he is and what he is about. This sets the stage for Jesus to respond to a need in a very gracious way that also teaches us something of how he responds to our needs to this day, particularly how he responds to our greatest need of all. 

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2) 

1.     Because Jesus was the Word of God, full of grace and truth, we know that he never did anything contrary to his Father’s will. What is Jesus’ presence at this wedding affirming about God’s institution of marriage? 

 

2.    Wine was a basic part of the diet and custom of these people. What is communicated in the way Jesus becomes attached to this need? 

 

3.    What does Jesus remind his mother about regarding the distinctiveness of his place in the world? 

 

4.    What does Jesus’ mother communicate about Jesus that matches what she knows about who he really is? 

 

Part 2: God’s Words of Response 

When Jesus responds to our needs, he shows how he can do extraordinary works with ordinary things. This section identifies the ordinary things in this scene of the good news and how Jesus used this stage to respond to the need. It invites us to welcome Jesus into the ordinary things of our lives, trusting him to use whatever he pleases to meet all our needs according to his good, acceptable and perfect will. 

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. (John 2)  

1.     What does this description make clear about the things Jesus had to work with to respond to the need?  

 

2.    What becomes clear about how Jesus is directing the situation?  

 

3.    What becomes clear that Jesus does NOT do in response to the need? 

 

4.    How does this set the stage for the disciples to see this as a sign of Jesus’ glory? 

 

Part 3: The Glory of a Need Met 

In all the descriptions of Jesus’ life and ministry, we repeatedly come to the end of an encounter with a sense of, “what am I to do with this?” As we see what people did to respond to Jesus then, we are invited to agree with them in our response to Jesus today. 

9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2) 

1.     What did the people at the wedding discover about Jesus’ response to the need that had been presented to him? 

 

2.    What does it mean to you that this was a sign that revealed Jesus’ glory? 

 

3.    How does the disciples’ response to Jesus show how the “come and see” relationship to Jesus develops? 

 

4.    What effect is it having on you that Jesus reveals his glory to you in such practical ways as meeting this need? 

 

Conclusion: Hearing, Seeing, Joining 

After seeing the way Jesus revealed his glory in the meeting of a need: 

1.     What do you hear God speaking to you about? 

 

2.    What do you see God doing in you through this part of his word? 

 

3.    How are you going to join God in his work? 

 

© 2021 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)

 

[1] A .doc version to use for prayer-journaling can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lk9vdb7ssf9bib6/0009%20-%20John%202_1-12%20-%20Jesus%27%20Glory%20at%20a%20Wedding.docx?dl=0 

A .pdf version to print out can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ie5x80t9p1o0j54/0009%20-%20John%202_1-12%20-%20Jesus%27%20Glory%20at%20a%20Wedding.pdf?dl=0

A Wounded Coach's Look at a Wounded Team's Spirit

I came away from my morning time with Father feeling like a long-standing struggle has been resolved.

I often swing between two extremes. On one side is a confidence that God can use me as a pastor. On the other is an almost helpless and hopeless awareness of things wrong with me that prove me nothing of the sort.

Some days, both my pastoring and my pain seem to be almost plumb[1] because I am attaching to God in whichever one he is working on with a genuine desire to be my best on the team. Other times, I don’t even know whether I am facing things the Father is showing me in the Beatitudinal Program[2] or confronting the enemy’s schemes to stop me from accepting the training I need.

Lately, I have been combining the imagery of coach and shepherd to help our home church work together on how our team/flock is doing. We can never let go of the beauty of the shepherd/sheep relationship that is all through Scripture. It is the way Jesus wants us to see our relationship with him, and it is his choice of imagery for how pastors and churches relate to one another.

At the same time, there are so many aspects of the coach/team relationship that are familiar to us today that it has some benefit to add that facet of understanding how things work in each church. It is this metaphor/simile that opened the door for me to picture what our team is like right now, including my place in the mix.

Our personal identity is determined by the team Owner and was set in place before any of us were born. It really has nothing to do with our life-experience; it has everything to do with the Owner’s heart. This is about him picking us for his team, including what position each of us is to play.

But then life happened. We were all on the bus when disaster occurred. Everyone was hurt. Injuries galore. Incredible confusion. Brain injuries, PTSD, and lots and lots of pain. Trauma has been no respecter of persons, so everyone is left dealing with what happened to them irrespective of who they are on the team.

Triage has tried to sort out the urgency of all the treatments needed and the nature of what each person’s care should be. The Owner has it all working, but the injuries of all the teammates means there is a whole range of how well each person is attached to his purposes, how aware they are of his activity in helping them, and how they feel about his choice of treatment.

The one thing that does not change is the identity of our team and our players. We are who we are as a unit, and we are who we are in the positions that each person holds. We are just injured.

What this imagery settles for me is that I am still who I am on the team even when God shows me wounds that need addressing. My injuries say nothing about who I am, only about what I am capable of doing at the moment. This means that I am a coach injured in the same accident as the rest of the team, not a loser because my injuries have left me unable to be my best as a coach.

What does a good coach do when he discovers injuries that were hidden behind anesthetic or shock? He lets the owner prescribe his treatment for healing while he continues to contribute to the team out of the health that is still working as designed. He leads as far as his current ability allows, trusts team doctors to contribute treatments to the players that are beyond his area of expertise, and stays in constant contact with the Owner about how each player is doing and what they need.

Maybe this is one of those “please-show-me-something-in-words-or-pictures” moments where Father has again used my love of writing and describing things to let me see for myself what he wants for our team. I hope it encourages all our players to be who we are on the team while letting the Owner prescribe the treatment for our injuries as he sees best. Even while healing continues, we can contribute to building our relationship with the coach and the team so that we are helping the healing and training that is going on right now.

I hope that this word-picture also helps you see your place, position and condition on your local team more clearly. Maybe it will help you recognize how you can contribute to your own healing and physiotherapy by joining the treatment the Owner has prescribed for you and that it will actually encourage the rest of your team that you are doing what is needed for your injuries and training while everyone else is doing the same for theirs.

If each of us sees ourselves as the players the Owner has made us, accepting that we have as much to give the team as the Owner wants to do through us even when focusing on our own healing is all we can do, it will still build up and encourage the team that we are joining the Owner in his work and getting better for the sake of the team.

And, that may sometimes include what the Owner gives you to encourage your coach during those times that he is more aware of his injuries than his position.

If we all remember who we are, and who each teammate is, we will attach to the group dynamic of healing with the expectation that the Owner is making us a victorious team as we keep in step with what he is doing among us. I can see how he has encouraged me in this today, and I hope that my sharing about it, combined with your awareness of his work in you, will bring more hope, healing, and victory to our lives even today.

 

© 2021 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)

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[1] “Plumb” refers to the “plumbline” that hangs vertically true. It has been used since ancient times to measure the vertical line of walls, and to guide wall-builders in building walls that are vertically true. God uses the imagery of the plumbline to illustrate how he accurately measures how his people are relating to him, so it is nothing new to consider the illustration, even if it needs some explaining. Here are the Scriptures that refer to this: https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=plumb+line&resultspp=250&version=ESV

[2] The “Beatitudinal Program” is a way of referring to the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:1-12 as it would be described as a team training program to get every player in their best shape for the game.