January 4-John 2:1-25

If you are familiar with Matthew, Mark, and Luke, then you have already recognized discrepancies between their chronology and the sequence of events John reports.  How do we resolve the conflicts?  Some will try and harmonize and say for example that Jesus cleansed the temple twice–once at the beginning of his ministry as reported here in John 2:12-25, and again following Palm Sunday at the end of his ministry as Matthew, Mark, and Luke report.  I don’t think this is the solution.

First we must recognize that all of the material found in each of the gospels circulated in the church for a period of  twenty to seventy years before it was gathered into its present format.  The material was told in many settings as illustration for sermon points and teachings.  The intent of each writer of the gospels is to communicate to his audience what they need to know to put faith in Jesus Christ and to follow him.  It is an evangelical purpose rather than a biographical purpose.  I believe that their culture of the time was perfect for preserving these events accurately.  They had a strong attention to detail and to memorization–a strong oral tradition.  I believe the events are accurate and that each of the four gospels are inspired by the Holy Spirit.  The criterion for how they should report them for a chronological historical record is just different than our agenda today.

So, the cleansing of the temple happened once.  For John’s inspired purpose it is best that he tells about this confrontation early on in his Gospel.  For the other writers, also having inspired purposes, it is best told as part of the Holy Week events leading to Jesus’ death.

Regarding the miracle at the Wedding of Cana, we see something into the relationship of Mary and Jesus.  She apparently knew what he could do, and he said to her, “why do you involve me.”  But she goes ahead and instructs the servants to “do whatever he tells you.”  So Jesus does go to work.  The servants are instructed to fill six jars with water.  By the way these are no small jars, each holding 20 to 30 gallons.  Then Jesus instructs them to draw some of the liquid and take it to the master of the banquet.  They did so, and somewhere in the process the water had turned to wine, not just any wine, but fermented, aged wine.  The master of the banquet told the bridegroom he had saved the best wine till last.

Verse 11 tells us the important impact of the event:  “He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.”  So far from John we know these to be among his disciples:  Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip, Nathanael, and John.

The most remarkable aspect of the cleansing of the temple is the demand for a sign and Jesus’ reply.  The religious leaders, here referred to simply as the Jews, demanded, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”  Jesus replied, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”  The Jewish leaders obviously thought this was insane.  The temple had taken forty-six years to build.  But as John notes in verse 22 the disciples remembered this after Jesus was raised from the dead.  Then they understood he was referring to his own body as the temple.  Again they believed Jesus.

Do you see what is happening through these early chapters of John?  John is showing how the disciples came to trust and believe completely in Jesus.  At the same time John is letting us know that the disciples were privileged to see things others did not.  The bridegroom and the master of the banquet did not perceive the miracle of the water changed into wine.  But the disciples did.  The Jewish leaders did not catch the bigger picture of the true temple of God, but the disciples did.

God bless you as you pray, read and study.

Pastor Don