In John 2:13-17, it is apparent that this temple cleansing scene is different from the temple cleansing late in Matthew and Mark. Chapter 2 opens with the warning that Christ’s hour had not yet come, but Christ introduces Himself by purging the temple. The temple is a pattern revealed from heaven (Exodus 25:9), and Jesus Christ manifested Himself in the temple. Thus, this scene occurs early in Christ’s earthly ministry.
The worship of God is central to Christ’s teachings, and here again we see spiritual purity demanded, this time in our worship of God.
The scene highlights that worship of God had been reduced to an afterthought through buying and selling in the temple. The temple had not been transformed into a market but was a place where animals could be purchased for sacrifices in conformity to the law of Moses.
A would-be worshipper wrote out a shopping list for groceries, household supplies, and an animal sacrifice. The animal had become just another item to check off the to-do list while heading out to market. There was no “broken and contrite heart” or “Godly sorrow”.
Confession of sin originates in the heart, and the scene in verses 13 through 17 illustrates that the heart had grown cold. People attending temple worship were only going through the motions. The market sellers had enabled cold hearts, and they themselves had also lost sight of what it means to worship God.
Temple worship was reduced to financial gain under the pretense of religion. They wanted the truth and knowledge of the truth and were not prepared to abandon truth. However, there was no spiritual purity congruent with the truth. God brought similar indictments against the people back in Malachi 400 years earlier. The people, including the priests and rulers, were only going through the motions, claiming to be obedient while their hearts were not in it.
When Christ came, it was necessary to purify and cleanse the temple. If the state of affairs at the temple were not addressed, new believers would associate the same improper practices of worship to following Christ. Thus, the purity introduced in chapter 1 and the transformation from the first part of chapter 2 are central to all of Christ’s teachings. At the core of Christ’s teachings is complete consecration and dedication of heart and life to Him.
John very early in his gospel (John 2:19) introduces the reason Christ came to earth to live among us. He came to die for our sin, make us children of God, impart new natures to us through the Holy Spirit for spiritual purity, and give the world a new covenant. This one verse sets the course for the remainder of the gospel of John. John’s gospel is not a chronology of events as we see more in the other gospels. John writes on Christ Himself.
Through the miracle of turning water into wine and Christ’s cleansing the temple at Passover, we plainly see that there is more to justification by faith and salvation than simply believing that Christ is the Messiah. Sanctification begins here. Spiritual purity is demanded by Christ. To be a child of God and born of God means not just that we are believers but that we embody spiritual purity. Our lives must embody that which is consistent with the truth of Christ.
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