John 2:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"

NIV: They replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"

NASB: The Jews then said, 'It took forty-six years to build this temple, and yet You will raise it up in three days?'

CSB: Therefore the Jews said, "This temple took forty-six years to build, and will you raise it up in three days?"

NLT: What!' they exclaimed. 'It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?'

KJV: Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

NKJV: Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

The temple was massive and beautiful. Solomon had built a gorgeous structure (1 Kings 6), which was unfortunately raided by the Egyptians a few decades later (2 Chronicles 12:1–5). Israel eventually rebuilt it, as described in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The Rome-appointed king, Herod, was upgrading this "second temple" at the time Jesus began His ministry. It was the center of Jewish worship, and entirely necessary for proper sacrifices to God. When asked to perform a miracle to justify His disruption of trade inside the temple grounds (John 2:13–18), Jesus claimed He can rebuild a destroyed temple in three days (John 2:19).

In this gospel, "the Jews" are usually the scribes, Pharisees, and other religious leaders. They would have been offended at the idea that something so important could be so easily rebuilt. However, Jesus was predicting His own death and resurrection. This statement will be used against Jesus both during His trials (Matthew 26:61) and as heckling when He is crucified (Matthew 27:40). In AD 70, the Roman Empire would completely obliterate the temple and the Jewish sacrificial system would be erased (Mark 13:2; Hebrews 8:13).

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.