Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
My wife and I have a different definition of “cleaning”.
When I clean up after dinner, she follows up.
Basically, I red-up and she cleans up.
My idea of house cleaning is that once a month is good, maybe once every two months.
She cleans house every week.
And sometimes it is more than that.
I am watching a Penguins game.
They are coming up ice to score.
And then suddenly a vacuum sweeper goes by.
“What are you doing?” “There is dirt on the rug.” “No there isn’t.”
“Yes there is!”
I don’t know if you have the same philosophical discussion in your homes.
Today’s sermon is about “cleaning”.
Jesus is cleansing the temple.
You know that is the case from the title of your Bible “Jesus Cleanses the Temple”.
Psalms: 145A, 4B, 135B
Scripture:
Now as Christians, this is very familiar story in scripture.
But you need to understand how shocking, how radical, how disturbing the passage really is - to the Jews of His day and the world of today.
Because the world’s definition of “cleaning” is much different than Jesus’ definition of “cleaning”.
When the world calls the “Jesus Cleaning Company” to clean their house, they expect a neat van with the Jesus Cleaning Company logo on the side.
Jesus comes in and says, “Oh there is a crumb here, a spec there, a smug over there.
Good.
See you in a month, no in 2 months”.
But they are shocked when in reality, the biggest bulldozer in the world pulls up to their house, with the Jesus Cleaning Company logo on the side, and it is revving up for a run at the house.
Jesus has come to clean house - literally.
And in our Scripture this morning, Jesus cleans house!
I. Jesus Cleanses the Temple
Let’s look at the setting:
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The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.
(2016).
().
Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.
(2016).
(Jn 2:13).
Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Sermon: The Benefits of Pre-Approval
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.
(2016).
().
Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
John 2:13
This is the first of five festivals Jesus attended in Jerusalem that are mentioned in the Fourth Gospel.
One sermon I read said that Passover was like our 4th of July.
Both celebrating “Independence”!
Well not quite the same.
One sermon I read said that Passover was like our 4th of July.
Both celebrating “Independence”!
Well not quite the same.
One sermon I read said that Passover was like our 4th of July.
Well not quite.
The Passover was, as you know, a central celebration of the Jews.
As one of the great feasts of the Jews, it attracted to Jerusalem the entire people of the country and from abroad.
Every male Jew, from the age of twelve and up, was expected to attend the Passover at Jerusalem, a feast celebrated to commemorate the deliverance of the people of Israel from Egyptian bondage by the God of Israel.
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001).
Exposition of the Gospel According to John (Vol. 1, p. 121).
Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
For the Jew, Jerusalem was the center of the world.
And Jesus went “up” to Jerusalem.
Anyone who has lived in Israel and has traveled much in Palestine knows by personal experience of the hills there that the pilgrim goes “up to Jerusalem” because Jerusalem is a mountain city.
They sang the Psalms of ascension (Psalm 122-134).
Jerusalem was packed, not just with tourists, but devout Jews centering on the Temple.
Jerusalem was packed, not just with tourists, but devout Jews centering on the Temple.
So what happened next was not something that occurred “off season”.
The Issue of the Desecration of the Temple
John 2
john 2:14 AMP
Now at this occasion Jesus, entering Jerusalem’s temple, notices that the court of the Gentiles had been changed into what must have resembled a stockyard.
There was the stench and the filth, the bleating and the lowing of animals, destined for sacrifice.
It is true, in the abstract, that each worshipper was allowed to bring to the temple an animal of his own selection.
But let him try it!
In all likelihood it would not be approved by the judges, the privileged venders who filled the money-chests of Annas!
Hence, to save trouble and disappointment, animals for sacrifice were bought right here in the outer court, which was called the court of the Gentiles because they were permitted to enter it.
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Of course, the dealers in cattle and sheep would be tempted to charge exorbitant prices for such animals.
They would exploit the worshippers.
And those who sold pigeons would do likewise, charging, perhaps, $4 for a pair of doves worth a nickel.
And then there were the money-changers, sitting cross-legged behind their little coin-covered tables.
They gave the worshipper lawful, Jewish coin in exchange for foreign currency.
It must be borne in mind that only Jewish coins were allowed to be offered in the temple, and every worshipper—women, slaves, and minors excepted—had to pay the annual temple tribute of half a shekel (cf.
).
The money-changers would charge a certain fee for every exchange-transaction.
Here, too, there were abundant opportunities for deception and abuse.
And the Temple authorities were in on the scheme and getting their cut.
John 2.12
So why is this wrong?
And in view of these conditions the Holy Temple, intended as a house of prayer for all people, had become a den of robbers (cf.
; ; ).
Isaiah
So why is this wrong?
And in view of these conditions the Holy Temple, intended as a house of prayer for all people, had become a den of robbers (cf.
; ; ).
So what did Jesus do?
Oh boy, the world’s view of Jesus as some kind Mr Roger’s singing “won’t you be my neighbor” is reputed here.
c
Weapons and clubs were forbidden in the temple courts, but the prescription apparently did not include such whips (phragellion; cf.
T. Benj.
2:3).
It is possible to interpret the text as suggesting that Jesus may have used it on both the merchants and the animals (2:15).
The masculine “all” (pantas) need not refer merely to animals as in the NIV.43
John 2.1
Jesus’ zealous reaction to the temple merchants (2:17) closely mirrors God’s anger at Sinai when the people played the harlot and worshiped around the golden calf (cf.
; ).
It also is not very different from Paul’s view of the wrath of God against ungodliness in .
Jesus’ zealous reaction to the temple merchants (2:17) closely mirrors God’s anger at Sinai when the people played the harlot and worshiped around the golden calf (cf.
; ).
It also is not very different from Paul’s view of the wrath of God against ungodliness in .
In this text the disciples are said to have viewed the action as righteous indignation and indeed as the fulfillment of Scripture (2:17; cf. ).
In this text the disciples are said to have viewed the action as righteous indignation and indeed as the fulfillment of Scripture (2:17; cf. ).
,
So this refers to the , a Messianic Psalm.
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