9/29/16
The earliest Christians followed a Jewish tradition of pausing to pray, preferably together, first thing in the morning, about mid morning, at noon, about mid afternoon, and in the evening. “Just a Note” posts are brief observations made from Scripture readings not related to a lectionary. If I have one to post, it normally appears about 9:00 in the morning, at “the hour of prayer.”
The commotion caused by Jesus in the temple in the middle of John chapter 2 provokes a discussion with some leaders afterward. Why does Jesus think he can go doing these things? It is a very valid question. Jesus’ response seems a non sequitur. At first glance it has nothing to do with the question. However, his statements point to his coming resurrection.
Jesus is the temple of God. God the Son has come in the flesh and is indwelling this temple. It was millennia in the making, and was not made by any human will. Jesus, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, is the temple not made by human hands. When he is destroyed on the cross, he raises himself from the dead in three days.
The resurrection, one of the better documented events in antiquity, is Jesus’ proof to his authority. He is the one who can lay down his life and take it up again. He gets to decide how his people will have access to God. This access is not through their own plans, such as the plans of the moneychangers or the people who sold their imperfect sacrifices. Rather, it is by the means of the resurrected Christ. This is Jesus’ authority to deal with worship in the temple.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
The earliest Christians followed a Jewish tradition of pausing to pray, preferably together, first thing in the morning, about mid morning, at noon, about mid afternoon, and in the evening. “Just a Note” posts are brief observations made from Scripture readings not related to a lectionary. If I have one to post, it normally appears about 9:00 in the morning, at “the hour of prayer.”
The commotion caused by Jesus in the temple in the middle of John chapter 2 provokes a discussion with some leaders afterward. Why does Jesus think he can go doing these things? It is a very valid question. Jesus’ response seems a non sequitur. At first glance it has nothing to do with the question. However, his statements point to his coming resurrection.
Jesus is the temple of God. God the Son has come in the flesh and is indwelling this temple. It was millennia in the making, and was not made by any human will. Jesus, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, is the temple not made by human hands. When he is destroyed on the cross, he raises himself from the dead in three days.
The resurrection, one of the better documented events in antiquity, is Jesus’ proof to his authority. He is the one who can lay down his life and take it up again. He gets to decide how his people will have access to God. This access is not through their own plans, such as the plans of the moneychangers or the people who sold their imperfect sacrifices. Rather, it is by the means of the resurrected Christ. This is Jesus’ authority to deal with worship in the temple.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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