When Jesus Christ came to earth, he played a significant role in ensuring that the true word of God was spread. As the Old Testament prophets predicted, he came to save the world; and did this by feeding the world from the fountain of God. Anything that tried to contaminate the word of God was ridiculed by Jesus Christ, including the time when he cleansed the temple. Some Christians would like to know the significance of Jesus cleansing the temple. So, what can we learn from Jesus cleansing the temple?
From the incident of Jesus Christ cleansing the temple, we can learn that the dwelling place of God is a sacred place that should always be respected. From the church to the bodies of Christians, we are expected to always maintain the sanctity of the temples of God for us to be in a perfect relationship with God the father. Anything that mutilates the sanctity of the temple of God should be eliminated for the glory of God to be maintained.
Several Christians have asked why Jesus had to cleanse the temple. Why did Jesus Christ cleanse the temple? How did he do it? What was the importance of cleansing the temple? These and other questions regarding Jesus cleansing the temple have been discussed in this article; read to the end to find out.
Where in the Bible does it say Jesus cleansed the temple?
John 2:11-20 gave the first instance when Jesus Christ cleansed the temple. Jesus had just performed his first miracle at Can and had gone to Capernaum with his disciples and family. After spending a few days in Capernaum, the Passover feast came around. Jesus decided to visit the temple, where he was shocked to find people selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons. Money changers were also present and were doing the money exchange business from their tables. When Jesus saw this, he was enraged.
As he poured their goods onto the ground, Jesus shouted that his father’s house would not be turned into a marketplace. The people running their businesses there had crossed the line, and defiling the place of God was the last thing that Jesus Christ had expected from them. He had to remind them of the respect the temple of God deserved, even if force had to be utilized in this instance.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke have also recorded an instance where Jesus Christ cleansed the temple. In Matthew, it is recorded in chapter 21:12-17. In this instance, Jesus visited the temple just after the triumphant entry to Jerusalem. Jesus is recorded overturning the tables of moneychangers and driving out everybody buying and selling goods at the temple. Jesus shouted at them that his father’s house would not be turned into a den of thieves.
In this instance, Jesus Christ felt enraged that people had decided to turn the temple into a business area. Christian traditions have it that the thieves sold animal sacrifice at an inflated price at the temple. This act enraged Jesus, who decided to turn the tables and chase them away from the temple.
Why did Jesus cleanse the temple?
Jesus Christ had to cleanse the temple because it was the house of God and deserved lots of respect from the people. Since the Old Testament days, God has always reminded His people that he must be respected. Since His presence dwells at His temple, He had expected maximum respect from His people, but instead, the devil confused them, and they turned His house into a business place.
Jesus Christ had to cleanse the temple to remind the people that it was the dwelling place of their God, who had delivered them from their enemies since time immemorial. He had to cleanse the temple to remind the people that they owed God respect and honor for every favor He had done to them, including gifting them with the Messiah.
Jesus also cleansed the temple to establish dominance over the devil, who had confused the people of God into turning His temple into a business ground. Although Satan had succeeded in confusing the people of God, Jesus was present to nullify his works and remind the people that the temple was a holy place that deserved every respect from them.
How did Jesus cleanse the temple?
Jesus Christ cleansed the temple by expelling the business people who camped there to conduct their business through whipping. Doing business was not a bad Jewish practice; however, doing tricky business in the house of God was uncalled for. This temple of God was supposed to be devoid of any mutilators. Expelling the shrewd business people was, therefore, essential and Jesus cleansed the temple by applying these measures. Christian traditions have it that these businessmen overcharged people for animal sacrifice. Stealing in the house of God was regarded as disrespect to His dwelling place.
Jesus Christ also cleansed the temple by pouring the people’s money into the ground and releasing their animals. This reminded the people that their disrespect had enraged God and that business was unwelcome in His holy temple.
What was the significance of Jesus cleansing the temple?
Jesus’s cleansing of the temple reminded the people that the house of God was a sacred place that needed the utmost respect. It was an important reminder that it is unwelcome in heaven when the dwelling place of God is mutilated in any way. Since God is the creator of heaven and earth, He deserves lots of respect, including His dwelling place being given the respect it deserves.
Cleansing the temple also served as a reminder that our God is a jealous God who cannot tolerate when anything else takes His place. In this instance, the love for money had overtaken everything else in the people’s hearts, and they quickly forgot about their God. Jesus Christ had to remind them that they had gone astray and needed to return to their God.
Jesus cleansing the temple was also significant in exposing how personal God takes His battles with the devil and how He reacts whenever the devil pulls close to His people. When the people started doing business and stealing from each other at the temple, the wrath of God was erased through His son Jesus Christ. By whipping and sending the people away, He reminded them that messing with the temple of God had consequences and that the devil had no chance in the temple of God. Jesus established the dominance of God in the temple by rebuking the works of the devil who was trying to mutilate the Holy place of God.
Lessons Christians can learn from Jesus cleansing the temple?
From the cleansing of the temple, Christians can learn that the Holy place of God must be respected at all times. Since this is the dwelling place of God, it should be treated as a sacred place at all times. Trying to mutilate the place will attract rage from God. To avoid wrath from God, a Christian is expected to respect the Holy place of God and always ensure it is free from any mutilation.
Christians can also learn that the devil has no place on the battlefield whenever God is in control. The devil was only in control of the temple for some hours before God took over. When God took over, the devil was whipped into submission, as seen in those traders who had to run away from the beating of Jesus. Christians should therefore learn that even when the devil seems to be in control, God is always somewhere watching, and when He takes over, the devil has to scamper away.
How many times did Jesus cleanse the temple?
Jesus cleansed the temple twice, although some scholars suggest he did it only once. Several scholars have claimed that He did it twice because of the differences in the two instances where Jesus cleansed the temple.
In John 2:11-12, Jesus Christ cleansed the temple after his first miracle at Cana in Galilee. He had to the temple during Passover and found the business people selling goodies. He drove them out by whipping them and told them that his father’s house would not be turned into a marketplace.
In Matthew 21:12-17, Jesus Christ cleansed the temple after the triumphant entry to Jerusalem. In this verse, he just drove out the traders and told them that his father’s house would not be turned into a den of thieves. There is no mention of him using whips.
The difference in the events has made some scholars claim that Jesus cleansed the temple twice and not once, as some suggest.
References
Jesus cleanses the Temple commentary.
What a Christian can learn from Jesus cleansing the temple
Bible verses on the Temple of God
What the Bible says about cleansing the temple
The number of times Jesus cleansed the temple
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
