John 2:19-22 Sad Jews
19 Yeshua replied, “Tear down this temple, and I’ll rebuild it in three days.” 20 The Jews said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple. Do you really think you’re going to rebuild it in three days?” 21 But the temple Yeshua spoke about was his own body. 22 After he came back to life, his disciples remembered that he had said this. So, they believed the Scripture and this statement that Yeshua had made.
In my youth, I was only a fan of rock and roll music; to be more honest, it was mostly hard rock or heavy metal music. My father told me my taste in music would change as I got older. I doubted what he told me, but he was right. Before I turned 30, hard rock and heavy metal got a little boring, and I missed some of the music my father listened to. So, I bought country western CDs, artists like Johnny Cash, George Jones, Patsy Cline, and Hank Williams Sr. I was not religious but a song at the end of Johnny Cash’s Folsom County Prison album. “Greystone Chapel” I liked. The song’s lyrics give thanks that Greystone chapel exists at Folsom County prison. Jesus was upset false religious leaders made His Father’s house a den of thieves. The lyrics of “Greystone Chapel.” continue to sing words that praise the house of God among a den of sin. It has saved the souls of many lost men. A criminal’s body may be inside the walls of a prison, but the Lord has set his soul free. The Jewish Sadducees controlled the Jerusalem temple but used it to gain money, not save souls or praise God. Jesus knew this, and the Sadducee knew it as well. The Sadducees were Jews highly influenced by the Greek culture; the money the temple gained was their God more than Yahweh, who the temple was made to worship. The Sadducee Jews were unlike the Pharisee Jews; they did not believe in the resurrection of the believers of God. So, Jesus told them He would raise the temple of His body three days after His death, but they did not understand what He was saying. Sadducee Jews were upset when they saw Jesus tossing their money on the temple floor and chasing the animals away because the means they earned money were gone. Having physical worldly items as your God or master is like being a prisoner within prison walls. When a person loves wealth or is broke, their salvation is gone. When those who have a physical understanding of Scripture lose their physical temple, they also lose their salvation. The Western Wall is the remains of the same temple where Jesus tipped over the money-exchanging tables and chased away the animals. The Western Wall is also called the Wailing Wall. Modern Jews pray at the Western Wall, crying that Jerusalem and the temple be restored to a physical holy state. Christians also visit the Wailing Wall because they believe it is holy, but sadly, it is just a stone wall representing absolutely nothing. Jesus knows and teaches this, and His disciples learn why they saw Jesus rise to life after three days of death. You and I should understand this as well. Don’t worship physical temples or empty idols. Worship the Lord and spirit; we become His living temple when He dwells with you and me. God bless you all. The Lord Jesus loves you, and so do I. His humble bondservant, Samuel Jerry Head.
