John 2:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

NIV: Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."

NASB: Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'

CSB: Jesus answered, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days."

NLT: All right,' Jesus replied. 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'

KJV: Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

NKJV: Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

John uses the term "the Jews" to refer to the scribes and other religious leaders. Since Jesus had just disrupted their business and caused a scene (John 2:14–16), they were right to question Him. In doing so, they challenged Him (John 2:18) to perform a miracle. This was the traditional sign of a true prophet; it would have demonstrated that Jesus' words were from God. This is precisely why John refers to Jesus' miracles as "signs:" they were meant to prove Christ's divinity. And yet, Jesus will later point out that no evidence is ever enough for the hardened skeptic (John 5:39–40; Luke 16:31).

Rather than responding with magic and fireworks, Jesus makes a claim which almost nobody understands at first. The temple in Jerusalem had taken nearly fifty years to build. It was the most important place in Jewish society. Work on this version of the temple had continued nearly constantly since around 20 BC. So, when Jesus claimed that He could rebuild a destroyed temple in only three days, they assumed He was crazy. However, Jesus' reference was to His future death and resurrection (Matthew 27:63; Mark 14:58). After He is crucified, that connection will be clear to the disciples.

John 2:13–23 describes Jesus driving corrupt businessmen from the temple. His wrath is not because of selling sacrifices, itself, but rather the greedy focus on money with no regard to serving God. Jesus is never depicted as out of control, but His anger is clear. It's likely that this is an early temple cleansing, and the other gospels record a second, separate incident. Jesus' right to act this way is challenged by the authorities. In typical Hebrew style, they demand a miraculous sign. Jesus instead predicts His own death and resurrection. This passage contrasts with the quiet, joyous miracle at the wedding.

Jesus attends a wedding where He performs His first miracle: turning water into wine. This symbolizes a transformation of human rituals into divine sacrifice. Few people are even aware that a miracle has occurred. Jesus then drives crooked businessmen out of the temple, scolding them for turning a sacred area into a crass marketplace.

Chapter 2 begins to show Jesus' "signs," or miracles, which will prove that He is the Savior. The miracles will become more spectacular over time, but they start quietly. Contrast is an important part of the gospel of John. The quiet, joyful miracle at the wedding is starkly different from the loud public spectacle of clearing the temple. Jesus' first miracle symbolizes His mission. During the temple clearing, He also predicts His death and resurrection. This sets the stage for Jesus' private discussion with Nicodemus, a respected and influential man.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.