Anchor My Faith

The Resurrection of Jesus in Prophecy

Scripture: John 2:20-22

We ended the previous lesson, stating the possibility that Jesus died on Thursday instead of on Friday as celebrated today. Nothing more will be said on that topic until much later, but I felt it important to introduce the idea to you to think about until then. The two links given in the previous lesson might provide you with a challenge to the current tradition.

Back to the temple where Jesus and the Jews are having a discussion over what authority gave Jesus the right to cleanse the temple. The Jews wanted a sign from Jesus to show that he had the authority of a prophet. Jesus said he would involve them in a sign: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” “The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?”’ (John 2:20 ESV). Jesus often makes statements that are not understood by the natural mind. These are people who are seeing but do not see and hearing but do not hear, nor do they understand (Matthew 13:13). When we are spiritually alive and have the Spirit dwelling within, giving us understanding, then these statements of Jesus can be understood because we can see the spiritual dimension to them. Without that spiritual discernment, what Jesus says is foolishness to the natural mind.

As is clear to us, “[Jesus] was speaking about the temple of his body” (John 2:21), not the physical temple there in Jerusalem. “When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken” (John 2:22 ESV). We find reference to this understanding in John 12:16 (ESV): “His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.” At first the disciples did not know enough to understand what Jesus meant by being raised up, but after his resurrection they understood. At Pentecost, when the Spirit came and indwelled them, they understood even more.

Even today as we study the Scriptures there are things that seem obscure and difficult and we don’t understand, but we can treasure what we read or heard in our memory and then one day something else might be learned that will then give us understanding of that which we couldn’t grasp in the past. There are prophecies that are obscure when spoken which become perfectly plain when the event takes place.

The idea that Jesus would rise from the dead in found in Psalm 16:10 (ESV): “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” With the passing of time and other events, this prophecy takes on great meaning.

Apparently, the things Jesus said and did get the attention of a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who wanted to meet Jesus alone and engage him in conversation.

Prayer

Father, Jesus steps forward and cleanses the temple, that which he does with us when we come to him and was then questioned by the Jews over his authority. His answer baffles them but sets the stage for some exciting Bible study in our next lessons. Father, thank you for Jesus; his teaching; and the salvation he provided. Father, I pray for the Spirit to guide us as we look at John 3:16 and its surrounding context in the next section of study along the gospel path.