John 2

Thought on This Chapter

JN 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

This is early on in Jesus' ministry and the Jews ask Jesus for a sign. Jesus had just drove men out of the temple with a scourge of small cords. They wanted a sign to show by what authority He did these things. Jesus answers and tells them what the sign will be.

JN 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

JN 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

JN 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

The sign was to be that after they crucify Him that He will raise from the dead in 3 days. Jesus said the same thing again near the end of His public ministry. The cross was ever before Him. It was not an after thought. Jesus was predicting the crucifixion from the beginning of His ministry. Long before any of His enemies thought of it. In fact the crucifixion was planed before the foundation of the earth was laid.

Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him and yet He came and took upon Him the form of man anyway. He knew that the only way that sinful man could be saved is if the perfect Lamb of God would die as a substitute for sinners. He knew how horrible the death would be. He also knew that He would have to be made sin for us. And yet He came anyway.

Never doubt the love of God.

Thought On This Chapter

JN 2:13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

JN 2:14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

JN 2:15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

JN 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

JN 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

The Israelites had departed far from the system that God had given them. God told them to have only one high priest. They were only to have one, because it was a picture of there being only one mediator between God and man. It was to be a picture of Jesus who is the only way to the Father. They had departed from that and had more than one high priest. They added many man made traditions to what God gave them. And they had turned the Sabbath, which was to be for man, to being against man. They turned it into a hard burden. At this time their hearts were far from God. And even with all they had wrong and with all the twisting they had done to what God gave them, Jesus was still zealous for God's house. He still went to the temple during the feasts. He still called it His Father's house. He still cared about how things were done there.

In these verses we see Jesus chasing wicked men out of the temple. They were perverting God's house. They were not there for the right reason. They were not there for the spiritual. Far from it. They were only there to make money and to rip people off. And Jesus shows His great displeasure with it. Even thou the house was deep in apostasy, He still was very displeased. They were far from God but they were doing this wickedness in God's name.

How about today? How much goes on in churches today that Jesus is very displeased with? How many people are there for the wrong reason? Some are there only to make business contacts. To some it is a job and they are in it for the money. Some are only there for the entertainment. If Jesus walked into some churches today, would He make a scourge and drive some out?

We cannot do much about others, but what about ourselves. We can ask ourselves, am I there for the right reason. Would Jesus be pleased with how I behave in God's house? Would my heart be acceptable to Him? Am I there to hear the word of God and to let Him do a work in my life? Am I using the house of God in a manner that would please the Lord?

King James Bible Main Index:

John 2 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

JN 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

JN 2:2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

JN 2:3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

JN 2:4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

JN 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

JN 2:6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

JN 2:7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

JN 2:8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

JN 2:9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

JN 2:10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

JN 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

JN 2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

JN 2:13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

JN 2:14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

JN 2:15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

JN 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

JN 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

JN 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

JN 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

JN 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

JN 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

JN 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

JN 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

JN 2:24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

JN 2:25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

General Information About the Book of John.

The book of John was written by John the Apostle. He was the youngest of the Twelve Disciples.

John was the brother of James. He grew up in Galilee and was partners in the fishing business with James, Andres and Peter.

John was a disciple of John the Baptist.

He also wrote 4 other books of the Bible. I John, II John, III John, and Revelation.

General information on the book of John continued.

JN 2:3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

JN 2:4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

Jesus loved His mother and was in subjection to her as far as His humanity was concerned. But in these verses we see Mary trying to have authority over His deity.

And look again at how strongly Jesus rebuked her for it. "Woman, what have I to do with thee?"

The Catholic teaching that Mary can tell Jesus what to do in spiritual matters is clearly against what the Bible teaches.