Zeal for His House/Part Four

Zeal for His House/Part Four

The “Red Letter” Words of Jesus

Day Twenty

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”  John 2:13-17 (NKJV)

“My Father’s house.” Right from the start of His public ministry, Jesus made it clear who He was and what He was about. He proclaimed Himself to be equal to God. Even as a child He said He must be about His Father’s business. According to the Hebrew Law, those words could’ve earned Him the death penalty. Eventually they did.

Obviously, He never read Dale Carnegie’s book How to Make Friends and Influence Others. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus enraged the spiritual leaders of His time (mainly the Pharisees and Sadducees) whenever He declared Himself God. Statements such as “My Father’s house” and “My Father’s business” and “I AM” (as in I AM the Bread of Life; I AM the way, the truth and the life) made it clear to everyone He claimed to be God. He then backed up those words with miracles, signs and wonders.

Declaring Himself God was one of the reasons the spiritual leaders began to plot Jesus’ death (along with the fact they were jealous of His popularity among the common folks).

Jesus could’ve done good, healed the sick, raised the dead, and kept His mouth shut. The mobs of people would’ve continued to follow this remarkable Rabbi. His popularity would’ve soared. However, He chose not to remain quiet. He came for a specific purpose. Affirming His divine nature was a part of the plan.

If God called me to serve others but I knew for sure it would lead to persecution and death, would I continue down that path? I don’t know. My self-preservation is alive and well. 

Jesus knew His words would lead to death on the cross. That truth didn’t bother Him one bit. He stayed the course. He didn’t hesitate to declare and fulfill His divine destiny.

https://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/2.htm

https://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/expositors/john/2.htm

https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-thebible/john-2-1.html