John 2:12-25 Fools

John 2:12-25

After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

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.”

So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.

But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

Here we see Jesus get mad. He went out and fashioned a whip. He didn't just explode when He saw what was going on in the temple. He went outside, gathered the material and sat and made a whip. This required time. He sat and braided the material together. Once He completed it, He went back in, and then drove away the people selling things, dumped the tables and got rid of the animals. Jesus displayed righteous indignation. He had a right to be angry and expressed it with dignity. 

Many believed in Jesus when they saw Him drive out the merchants. The merchants had been taking advantage of the people and they knew it but no one would stand up to them. Finally, someone had come along who got rid of them, they wanted to be with Him! But they only wanted what they could get from Jesus. Jesus knew their hearts. He knew they didn't truly believe He was the Messiah. 

Today, some follow Jesus because of what they think they can get from Him. But Jesus sees the heart, He knows if your commitment is genuine. It's dangerous to try to fool God. Adam and Eve tried to fool God in the Garden after they had eaten the forbidden fruit by hiding. God wasn't fooled then and He's not fooled now. 

Galatians 6:7 But do not be deceived; God is not mocked.

Blessings, Cecilia