John Bible Study - Lesson 7

John Bible Study - Lesson 7

Read the passage below using the 2 different Bible translations:

John 2:13-25 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts

¹³ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. ¹⁵ So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. ¹⁶ To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

¹⁸ The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

²⁰ They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” ²¹ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. ²² After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

²³ Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. ²⁴ But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. ²⁵ He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

John 2:13-25 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Clears the Temple

¹³ It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. ¹⁵ Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. ¹⁶ Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

¹⁷ Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”

¹⁸ But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”

¹⁹ “All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

²⁰ “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” ²¹ But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. ²² After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.

²³ Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. ²⁴ But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. ²⁵ No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.

Note:

Here are the 3 questions for you to answer. I have given some basic answers below the questions to help you understand the passage. Answer the questions first yourself before you look at my answers. Take a moment before you begin and ask God to help you understand what you are reading.

3 questions to answer:

1.    Content: What is this passage about?

2.    Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

3.    Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

Answers to the questions above and some background:

Content: What is this passage about?

·        Jesus went to Jerusalem around the time of the Passover.

·     Jesus was upset that merchants were turning the Temple into a market place, so  with righteous anger, He began to chase the merchants away

·        Jesus disciples remembered what the prophets said about the Messiah

·        The Jewish leaders demand a miraculous sign from Jesus to prove His authority  to cleanse the temple

·     Jesus tells the Jewish leaders to destroy the temple and in three days He will    raise it up.

·        The Leaders did not understand that Jesus was talking about His own body and    not the Temple

·      Later on, when Jesus was resurrected, His disciples were reminded about what  He said about the resurrection of the temple/His body

·        The disciples believed the scripture and what Jesus said about Himself

·         Many began to trust in Jesus after He performed miraculous signs.

           Jesus however, didn’t trust the people.

·        Due to His understanding of human nature,  Jesus knew exactly what was really going on in the people’s hearts

 

Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

·        Jesus fulfilled prophecy

·        Jesus has zeal (passion) for God’s house

Prophecy in the Old Testament:

Psalm 69

For zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me

Prophecy fulfilled in the New Testament:

John 2:17

His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."

·        Jesus fulfilled His own prophecy about Himself (See below)

Luke 24:1-7 New Living Translation (NLT)

The Resurrection

But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ³ So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

⁵ The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

Matthew 12:38-45 New Living Translation (NLT)

The Sign of Jonah

³⁸ One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”

³⁹ But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

·        God’s temple is sacred and should not be used for anything but the things that God cares about which include: Worship, Fellowship, Prayer, Service

·        Jesus prophesied His own resurrection when He told the Jewish Leaders the He would raise the Temple in 3 days after it was destroyed.

·        The Jewish leaders could not grasp the spiritual truth Jesus was talking about

·        The Jewish leaders refused to recognize Jesus as the Messiah even though He performed miraculous signs and fulfilled biblical prophecy.  Today, many refuse to believe in Jesus based on their desire to be their own Lord and remain in unrepentant sin.

·        Jesus has the power and  the authority to perform miraculous signs

·        Because of Jesus’ divine nature and attributes, He knows what is in everyone’s heart

Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·        Read God’s Word  and meditate on what the scripture is saying to you personally

·        Ask yourself why you go to church and then see if you are just checking a box or truly want to love and serve God and His people

·        Look into your own heart and try to identify those things that Jesus would say about your character, honesty and level of love

·        Is your anger righteous or born out of sin?

Don’t forget:

John’s main purpose in writing this Gospel:

·        To tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah for the Jews and Gentiles

·        The events were recorded so that we might believe and have eternal life

John 20:30-31 New International Version (NIV)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Questions to ponder:

·        Do you have zeal for God’s house?

·        Have you investigated the prophecies about Jesus?

     (Check out the link below)

http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefactsandlists/a/Prophecies-Jesus.htm

·        Do you believe in the resurrection?

·        Do you believe Jesus has the power to change your life?

·        Where in your life are you keeping Jesus at a distance due to your sin?

·        Can you really trust yourself to do the right things?

·        Do you see a need for God’s direction in your life?

Have a great week…………….Dave