1. The Life Of Christ Lesson Four – The Beginning Of Christ’s Ministry
Jesus’ First Disciples – John 1:35-51
Jesus’ First Miracle – John 2:1-11
Jesus Cleanses the Temple – John 2:13-25
Jesus and Nicodemus – John 3:1-21
John’s Second Testimony – John 3:22-36

2. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
Matthew, Mark and Luke record a similar event that took place near the end of Jesus’ ministry.
(Matthew 21:10-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-46)
Different or the same?
Matthew, Mark and Luke record different words and actions.
Any expectation that the Jews would have listened to Jesus once and for all and put a permanent end to what He condemned?

3. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
What are we to learn?
The Lord’s church is not to be a house of merchandise! It is not to be an opportunity for personal or “corporate” profit. It is to be a house of prayer, worship and edification.

4. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
What are we to learn?
Do not let the church be burdened! 1 Timothy 5:16
Were the stones or building materials of the temple holy? Or was the purpose of the structure holy? They had burdened the house of God with activities that didn’t belong.
We can’t let the purpose of the Lord’s church to be compromised.

5. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
What are we to learn?
We need to take the purity of the mission and purpose of the Lord’s house – His Church – very seriously.
“Zeal for Your house will consume Me” “Zeal” – zeal, ardor in embracing or consuming anything. “Consume” - to eat up or devour.

6. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
What are we to learn?
The need for preparation for our worship.
Do we wait until the last minute to make preparations to worship the Lord and what we plan to offer in worship unto Him?

7. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
Interesting question:
What made Jesus angry?

8. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
Subsequent to Jesus driving out the merchandisers out of the temple, their question for Jesus was: “what sign do you show us as your authority for doing these things?” (Matthew 12:38; 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; John 4:48; 6:30 – compare to John 2:23; 11:47)
Would anything satisfy them? Luke 16:31
Matt 12:38 - Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."
Mark 8: And the Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 12 And sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, "Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." 13 And leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.
John 4: Jesus therefore said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe."
John 6: They said therefore to Him, "What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat. '"
John 2:23 – many believed in His name, beholding His signs.
John 11:47 – acknowledgment that Jesus was performing many signs that would invoke belief.
Luke 16:31 – “But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.'"

9. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
Jesus states His sign was the sign of the destruction of “this temple” and His raising of it in 3 days – His burial and resurrection from the dead.
This claim made a lasting impression. Matthew 26:61; 27:40
Romans 1:4, “… declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord”

10. Jesus Cleanses The Temple John 2:13-25
John states Jesus’ disciples also “remembered that He said this” after His resurrection.
Luke 24:6-8, “And they believed the scripture …”
John 20:9; Luke 24:25-27; (Psalms 16:10)
Luke 24:6-9 - He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." 8 And they remembered His words, 9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
John 20: For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
Luke 24: And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.