A HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS

XXII. Christ’s Exposition Of The Father At His Ministry’s First Passover

(John 2:12-25)

I. Introduction

A. John 1:18 KJV states that Jesus, the Son of God Who was in the bosom of the Father, “declared” God the Father in His earthly ministry, that He had literally “exegeted” Him. (Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 273)

B. Christ’s exegesis of the Father occurred even at the start of His public ministry with His first visit to Jerusalem for the Passover in John 2:12-25. We view that passage for our insight, application, and edification:

II. Christ’s Exposition Of The Father At His Ministry’s First Passover, John 2:12-25.

A. Christ exegeted the Father’s righteousness in His ministry’s first Passover, John 2:12-15:

1. Though Jesus functioned peaceably in Capernaum back in Galilee, when He went with His disciples and family to Jerusalem for the first Passover of His earthly ministry, He saw the materialistic display of the moneychangers with the sheep, the cattle and birds there. People had come from far away, planning on exchanging their moneys for sacrificial animals, so moneychangers had set up their business there.

2. Much financial profit was being made by the moneychangers’ high prices for the worshipers, what doubtless angered the worshipers opposite righteous demands of God. Accordingly, Jesus made a scourge of small cords and drove out the sheep, the oxen and poured out the money from the moneychangers’ coffers in expressing God’s righteous indignation at this sin in His temple, John 2:15.

B. Christ exegeted the Father’s holiness in His ministry’s first Passover, John 2:15b-16b:

1. Jesus used the scourge to drive away the animals, the moneychangers, and to overthrow their tables while also pouring out their moneys to remove these objects of sin from the temple, John 2:15b.

2. The separation of these items from the temple revealed that the Father was holy, separate from sin, v. 16b.

C. Christ exegeted the Father’s love in His ministry’s first Passover, John 2:16:

1. Significantly, when it came to the caged sacrificial birds who were bound to get injured were Jesus to have overthrown their cages, Jesus just told those who sold the doves to remove them from the temple, v. 16.

2. He demonstrated loving compassion for these helpless, caged birds and possibly also showed compassion for the poor as these birds were the offerings of the poor. (J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ, 1991, p. 121, citing David Smith, The Days of His Flesh, 1911, pp. 58-59)

D. Christ exegeted the Father’s sovereignty in His ministry’s first Passover, John 2:18-19:

1. The Jews who saw Christ’s deed did not critique it, for they knew that the moneychangers’ materialism in the temple was wrong. However, they questioned His authority to do what He had done, John 2:18 NIV.

2. Jesus replied that if they destroyed this temple, in three days He would raise it up, John 2:19. He spoke of the resurrection of His body, and when He raised it after the religious leaders had crucified Him, Jesus would show that His authority was from God, and in doing so expound God’s sovereignty over them.

E. Christ exegeted the Father’s omnipotence in His ministry’s first Passover, John 2:19-22: When Jesus said that He would raise His body from the dead, what only God could do, He alluded to the omnipotence of God.

F. Christ exegeted the Father’s patience in His ministry’s first Passover, John 2:22:

1. The religious rulers reacted to Jesus’ claim about raising up the temple three days after they had destroyed it by asking how He could raise up the Jerusalem temple had been under construction for 46 years, v. 20.

2. Jesus did not answer this question, but patiently waited until the end of His earthly ministry 3 ½ years later to prove His point in the resurrection of His body from the dead, displaying the Father’s patience.

G. Christ exegeted the Father’s omniscience in His ministry’s first Passover, John 2:23-25:

1. While He was in Jerusalem at that first Passover of His earthly ministry, performing many miracles, many people were superficially impressed by His miracles, so they believed Him to be some prophet, John 2:23.

2. However, Jesus did not entrust Himself to them because He knew that they had a superficial faith in Him and were not trusting Him to be the Messiah and Son of God, John 2:24a.

3. John added that Jesus knew all men and needed not that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man as a sinner, demonstrating the omniscience of God, John 2:24b-25.

Lesson: In His first Passover in Jerusalem during His public ministry, Jesus exegeted God the Father.

Application: May we trust in Christ as Messiah and Son of God and relate in respect with God the Father Whom Jesus revealed to be righteous, holy, loving, sovereign, omnipotent, patient, and omniscient.