John 3:7

"Don't look surprised," Jesus continues, "It’s inevitable! You, and every other human, must be born again with heavenly power."  John 3:7 EFP

Jesus does not let up.  Nicodemus is obviously reeling from the frontal assault on his spiritual façade.  Jesus challenges him even further, "Don't be amazed at what I'm telling you, Nicodemus!"  Jesus has obviously identified something special in this man of the cloth.  He notes sincerity behind the propriety; openness on the other side of his religiosity; and insecurity hidden behind his self-sufficient veneer. 

Jesus is leading him to a truth he has been unable to even fathom before.  He has been captive to a system that placed demands upon demands on him.  For him, salvation is the result of a well-lived life.  Blessings are a side benefit of a life pleasing to God.  It is a checklist religion that holds little room for grace yet provides ample room for external improvement at the expense of inner change.  Note that Jesus adds the words "from above" to this developing masterpiece of divine love.

It is too easy to snicker inside when we read stories such as this one.  Nicodemus' point of view seems so archaic and stogy in spiritual terms.  We are so acquainted with grace and mercy as the foundation of our salvation through the merits of Jesus Christ.  Yet it is also all too easy to be fooled into creating a false salvation concoction that mixes divine grace with human works.  Jesus reminds the Nicodemus within me that this work of salvation is "from above."  It is a spiritual endeavor, thus void of even a thread of any personal merit.  By the way, Jesus is not done unraveling the Good News right before Nicodemus' eyes.  It is truly good news for the spiritually frail seeking assurance; but not so good news to the spiritually disciplined questioning the worthiness of those who have not reached their personal religious heights.  Any height I experience finds it apex on a craggy hill outside the city of Jerusalem on which the Lamb of God raised me up even as he was laying down His life on my behalf.

John 3:6

A mother gives birth to a natural child.  On the other hand, only the Spirit of God can engender a spiritual child.  John 3:6 EFP

There it is!  Jesus confirms the meaning of his "water and Spirit" reference in the previous verse.  The water is a direct reference to human birth, which is quite a liquid experience.  There is no such thing as a normal "dry" birth.  A birth does not take place without water.  The water is both part of the protective environment in which the child is nurtured throughout the months of the mother's pregnancy, as well as the lubricant to assist the actual delivery.

Jesus is trying to establish a contrast between the natural and spiritual birth. The Spirit is also responsible for preserving the child until the moment of spiritual delivery. The Spirit provides the ambiance in which the spiritual embryo can be nurtured and prepared for the moment when the Spirit also delivers the new spiritual infant into the world.  New birth does not take place without the sustaining and facilitating power of the Holy Spirit.

Just as certainly as a natural child, born of the union between a man and a woman, does not provide anything to make his birth possible, so it is with the spiritual birth  And while there is a human choice involved with the spiritual new birth, even this is not possible without the divine initiative to seek and save.  Nicodemus' head must be spinning by now.  But the new birth experience is a mind-bending experience.  We can't manufacture it or will it into being.  We can't earn it or negotiate for it.  It is from beginning to end a divine initiative.  But whereas the natural birth is independent of our choice, the spiritual birth requires a choice by both parties involved.  I need to want it. I need to need it.  I need to admit that there is something gone awry with my natural birth that requires a new one—a new birth initiated and sustained by the Spirit of the Almighty.  Jesus is lifting the veil me to see inside the heart of God!  Stay tuned.

John 3:5

"Listen," Jesus replies, "The truth is no one can be part of the Kingdom of God without experiencing a new birth, through water and through the Spirit."  John 3:5 EFP

Jesus preempts Nicodemus' attempt to sidestep the matter on which Jesus is focusing.  Nicodemus is not prepared to acknowledge the reason for which he has sought out Jesus.  He expands on his previous statement to head off any initial objection by Nicodemus.

In verse 3 Jesus states a new birth is a prerequisite to entering the kingdom of God.  Now he broadens the statement by adding information that sheds light on how this new birth takes place.  Jesus has already established that the answer to the human fallen and broken condition is a new birth, his adding "through water and through the Spirit" should sway Nicodemus to ask for an explanation.

We are left with little more than the words of Jesus to figure out what he means by this somewhat cryptic information.  Jesus seems to be making a contrast between tangible water and the unseen Spirit.  Both are necessary for new birth to take place.  The Spirit seems a logical and key entity to the new birth experience, since it is a spiritual experience. The addition of water is a bit more complicated.  Certainly it has been submitted by many that this mention of water is a reference to baptism--and it certainly is a compelling argument.  On the other hand, if water and the Spirit must both be present in order for new birth to take place, what are we to do with those who do not have the opportunity to experience water baptism?  I submit that this sentence is a reference to two types of births, the natural birth (through water) and supernatural birth (through the Spirit).  The second birth cannot take place without the other birth preceding it.  We do not will the first, we cannot will the second.  The first one brings us into the human family; the second one delivers us into the family of God.   Neither one takes place without God's will, but only the second one requires a choice by both parties. God has already made His choice.

John 3:4

"Whatever is born as a result of physical initiative is physical," Jesus continues, "likewise, whatever is born as a result of spiritual initiative is spiritual." John 3:4 EFP

It occurs to me Jesus' words in this particular narrative are among the most important ever spoken.  Personally speaking, I want to know what it takes to enter into the Kingdom of God. Jesus is telling Nicodemus what it takes.  It should have your attention as well.  It behooves me to know what it means to be "born again." How does it happen?  When does it take place?  What are the prerequisites, if any?  What do I have to do to experience it?  Once I have experienced it, does it stick?

Little by little Jesus is opening Nicodemus' eyes to the beauty and simplicity of the Gospel.  First he establishes the non-negotiable nature of the new birth experience.  There is no entrance into the Kingdom of God without it!  Secondly, Jesus clarifies that the new birth (spiritual) experience is not the same as the first birth (physical) experience.  The first requires water, the second requires the Spirit.

In this verse Jesus further establishes the disconnect that exists between the physical and spiritual births.  This distinction is extremely important. After all, according to Jesus, the best that can be produced through human effort is something physical in nature.  On the other hand when the Spirit provides the effort, the results are spiritual.  There is no connection between the two when it comes to the new birth.  Here is the crux of the frustration I wrestle with when I find myself on the wrong end of a defeat.  I am stuck at the physical level during a spiritual battle. Jesus is out to find and to save the lost.  I cannot make myself acceptable.  He has made that a reality already, it remains for me to understand and accept this reality.  This is where I fail and flounder.    

John 3:3

Jesus responds in a most surprising way. “Let me be clear,” he says, “no one can even set his or her eyes on God’s kingdom unless she or he is reborn.”  John 3:3 EFP

Jesus must have seen promise in this well-dressed, prim and proper Pharisee.  Otherwise he would have deflated his ego where he stood.  Jesus has a way of doing just that with people who proudly trumpet their religiosity and spiritual superiority.  But in this case, Jesus looks past Nicodemus’ weak attempt to veil the true reason he seeks Jesus out that evening.

Totally ignoring Nicodemus’ attempt to elicit a mutual exchange of pleasantries, Jesus cuts to the chase and redirects the dialogue unexpectedly, at least for Nicodemus.  He immediately identifies the very area that has been troubling him—the very reason for his evening visit.  Nicodemus is not happy with his present spiritual condition.  I don’t know if there is break between his spiritual commitment and his feeble resolve to honor those commitments.  Maybe he is tired of the rituals and traditions that surround his religious experience.  I don’t know.  But Jesus does, and he hones in immediately and lays down the gauntlet.  “You have to be born again!”  That’s the answer to the question Nicodemus has yet to ask.

And in a sense that is the answer to the questions I have yet to ask myself.  When my resolve does not match up with my intentions, Jesus says, “You have to be born again.”  When there is a discrepancy between my desire to grow spiritually and my stunted condition limited by my past, my rituals and the religious status quo, Jesus says, “Be born again!”  If I struggle with my lust, my lying, or even my libertine spirit, Jesus says, “Let me clear this up, you need to be reborn!”  He does not recommend an overhaul or a refurbishing.  He does not suggest a revival or some good old reformation.  Nope, nothing short of a rebirth will do.  Nicodemus has a choice to make…as do I.

John 3:2

This man seeks out Jesus after dark, and once he finds Him, he approaches Him and initiates a conversation. He begins, “Teacher, it is quite clear to many of us that you are a Man of God—one who speaks the words of the Lord.  The truth is, it is hard to fathom how anyone could perform the amazing feats you do without the power and presence of God.  He is obviously with you.” John 3:2 EFP

Much has been made of the fact that Nicodemus seeks out Jesus at night.  Beyond the fact that doing so makes sense for a man of his social and religious status, I cannot resist the thought that coming to Jesus at night is as much a declaration of the time of day as it is a description of the condition of his life.  Not unlike many of us wrapped up in our self-importance and busy lives, it is often in the dark and silent moments of our lives that we finally hear the “still and silent” voice of God, calling us.  When that moment comes we set aside all our rank and pretense to seek him.

In Nicodemus’ case, perhaps only rank is set aside, since his opening salvo is dripping with propriety and pretense.  He is, in typical Jewish fashion, laying on the compliments in order to elicit a similar response from Jesus.  Don’t get me wrong; what he is saying is altogether true.  After all, I am sure that by now Nicodemus is aware of the miracle in Cana, the temple incident, and perhaps even news of the many miracles Jesus has been performing during the Passover season in Jerusalem.  He has his facts in order.  But he begins his encounter with typical flattery.

It is funny how we often think that God, who Jesus has come to reveal, is somehow impressed or even moved by our platitudes.  Let me be clear, God is not dependent or in need of our praise to be moved to act on our behalf.  Nicodemus feels it is necessary to shower Jesus with praise.  But as was stated just a couple of verses prior, Jesus does not need human affirmation in order to be convinced of who he is or to validate his mission.  Nicodemus, to borrow a well-known phrase, had Jesus’ heart “from ‘Hello.’”  The same applies to despicable me.  Whatever the time of night (or day)—he is waiting for me to approach Him.  I can even come and do nothing but sit and be quiet.  He already knows what I need.  If only I aside the formalities and sit a spell.  I always will find a most willing Friend.

John 3:1

There is a certain man—a Pharisee, whose name is Nicodemus. In addition to being a Pharisee, he is also a member of the Jewish ruling council. John 3:1 EFP

The gospel channel changes suddenly.  No time reference is provided.  No setting is given at this point.  Only the pivotal players in this developing drama are introduced.  The first to be mentioned is the Pharisee.  His name is Nicodemus, and he is an important man in the Jewish community.

Nicodemus is important for two reasons mentioned in this text.  First, he is important because he is a Pharisee.  Despite the rough treatment given people using the moniker “Pharisee,” these individuals are considered the faithful of Israel.  Their task was to raise the standards of the Jewish nation in order to usher in the coming of the Messiah.  How can you fault someone wanting to raise moral standards, purify the culture, and expel sin from the Jewish nation?  As they understood it, only then, would the Messiah come to deliver his chosen ones from oppression.  Nicodemus was a pillar in the religious community.

But secondly he is also a member of the Jewish Council, a group of Jewish power-brokers that are the brain trust of the Jewish nation. This illustrious group is not only the moral conscience of the people, but also the movers and shakers. In other words, they are the decision-makers.  Those are his credentials, placed here for maximum contrast with Jesus’ heaven-ordained credentials. From a purely human perspective, there is no connection between these two.  Nicodemus is a man of renown.  Jesus is still an unknown.  But these two very different people are on a heaven-ordained collision course.  God is always at work moving in my heart to draw me to Him.  He is not moved to act by my credentials; he is seeking those who are seeking Him, whether they know it or not.  The Light of the World is about to dawn on the life of Nicodemus.  He will never be the same again.

John 2:25

The truth is Jesus does not need anyone’s approval or any confirmation of his status as a human, after all he knows he is a man. John 2:25 EFP

What an odd way to end a story, particularly this one.  In a sense I can’t help but feel that John, the author of this Gospel narrative, wants to clarify this point beyond the shadow of a doubt.  He wants to establish Jesus’ humanity as well as Jesus’ divinity.  Let me explain.

Why is it important to John that Jesus be seen as a red-blooded human?  One reason would certainly be because by the time he sits down to pen this inspired treatise, the concept that Jesus was not truly man was making the rounds (Read 1 John 4:13).  A number of early church heresies grew out of this belief.  John stated earlier in this Gospel that The Word (Jesus) became flesh and lived among us.  He is One of us.  He is One like us.  He is One with us.

Beyond that John seems determined to clarify that Jesus does not need anyone to vouch for him.  He is who he claims he is.  The proof that he is totally human will come when He lays down his life and dies a very human death.  That will prove that he is a man like us.  But just as certainly his resurrection three days later will be his proof of authority over all things.  Certainly his death proves his humanity, but it is his resurrection that confirms his divinity.  Jesus knows who he is and what he is called to do.  And yet he moved on.  He is The Man!  There is strength in the confidence of knowing my standing with God. I want to grow in that assurance.  I want to walk boldly knowing that my every step in guided by God’s Spirit. I have so far to go!

John 2:24

But in spite of the notoriety, Jesus does not get caught up in the acclaim; he knows how fickle human emotion can be.  John 2:24 EFP

The ministry of Jesus is fraught with dangers from the very beginning.  Over the course of his three-year mission he would face accusations, threats, lies, assassination attempts, and finally the injustice of an unmerited death sentence and ultimate martyrdom.  But there are also dangers that are subtle yet just as destructive to the task that lay before him.

Although the Bible says that Jesus' physical appearance was not the basis of his attraction (Isaiah 53:2) he becomes nonetheless a person with the ability to draw people to himself.  Over time thousands will flock to listen to him speak.  Multitudes will line up from dawn until dusk to be healed and comforted by this special itinerant preacher.  His name will be spoken by people from all levels of the Palestinian social stratum and his popularity would soar to incredible heights.  Today's passage leads me to believe that Jesus was both aware and on guard against the temptation to bask in the glow of human acclaim.

The gain of popularity is not the purpose of his mission.  He did not come to become king or leader of an earthly kingdom.  He came to seek and save; all that he says and does grows out of that desire to rescue the human race from doom.  He knows there is danger in buying into the lure of human acclaim and praise.  This reality cannot be lost on me today.  First of all, human praise and flattery is fickle and fleeting.  It can never be the basis of any lasting venture.  Secondly, emotion can turn just as suddenly as it starts and can become destructive, as was the case at the end of Jesus' ministry.  The praise and approval I seek comes from above.  Only the words of my Heavenly Father, "well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21 NIV) will satisfy and endure.  I must beware of the trap of seeking and finding security in fame and flattery.  It is most certainly fool's gold!  Any good that comes about as a result of my ministry is totally a God thing.  Any glitch and disaster is totally my doing.

John 2:23

During the time Jesus spends celebrating Passover in Jerusalem he performs many miracles.  Many people witness these signs and, as a result, faith in his name is born in their hearts.  John 2:23 EFP

Things must have finally calmed down after the temple cleansing.  Apparently the authorities choose not pursue the matter any further.  This frees Jesus to broaden the impact of his ministry among the Passover crowd that represented people from all over Palestine and beyond.  This would become the pattern of his ministry. 

I do make a mental note that Jesus’ early ministry is distinguished by the presence of many miracles.  We read about the miracle at the wedding at Cana, followed by the cleansing of the temple.  Yes, the temple cleansing was a miracle on a couple of levels.  First, one man, using only a whip made of intertwined rope scraps, empties the temple court of dozens, if not hundreds, of people and their merchandise without any notable resistance.  How does one man do that?  These are merchants and worshippers, both driven to do what they came to do!  Secondly, no charges are pressed for loss of income and such.  But I digress.  Today's text says that Jesus spends a good amount of time doing miracles during Passover.  Very few words are recorded in these early days of his ministry.

It seems to me that Jesus is simply taking advantage of the moment.  The city is ripe with people searching for a blessing, and He is still in the early stages of his messianic ministry.  He seizes the opportunity to maximize the impact by creating a "buzz" that will not only endure after the Passover season is over, but will spread far and wide across Palestine.  And why not?  Shouldn't I take advantage of every opportunity to "shine" for the faith I claim as my own?  Believing in a loving God means little if only I experience it.  Faith, as love, is meant to be shared, not hidden or hoarded.  I like the way the apostle Paul phrases it in Romans 10 (NIV).  First he quotes the words of the prophet Joel, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  But then he asks, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?"  He follows that with a logical progression that speaks to today's passage, "And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?"  I rest my case. I have Good News to share.

John 2:22

Three years later when Jesus is raised from the dead, his disciples recall these very words.  As a result they believe the Scripture, as well as the words of Jesus. John 2:22 EFP

I had to think about this passage a while before it began to make sense.  Perhaps it is because I was resisting the tenor of the text.  At first reading I was left wondering how the disciples could have spent three years with Jesus and not believe “the words of Scripture and the words of Jesus”?  They didn’t believe Scripture until they remembered these words?  They didn’t believe Jesus through all the time they were together until after the resurrection?  That couldn’t be right!

Then it struck me, after coming to my senses, of course they believed Jesus.  Of course they believed Scripture.  The three and half years they spent together listening to his teaching and seeing the power that emanated from him cemented their faith in him  They walked and talked with the Man for all those months—it certainly rubbed off.  Think about what it must have been to spend every moment of every day with the Messiah!  It would have been impossible not to be changed forever….and yet.

In the midst of the chaotic events in that final visit to Jerusalem, his disciples scatter, deny, hide, and return to old ways.  Read the story.  They returned to their fishing, and that was even after they saw him appear mysteriously among them while they were in hiding.  These strong men—strong men of faith, were totally devastated.  Their faith dissipated like so much rising steam after a desert storm.  They were adrift as if they had never known the Master.  They lost confidence in Scripture and shelved the words of their best Friend who now rested in a tomb.  Who could blame them?  Am I not shaken occasionally by tragedy, failure, and crises?  But you know what?  Jesus does not “blame me.”  He simply reminds me, “Peace be with you” (John 20:26).  Then I, as they, remember His words. “I am with you always.”  “I will rise again.” He is with me…always, even in the moments I deny him, or lose confidence in his promises.  Thank God for second chances.

John 2:21

But the Jewish leaders fail to realize that the temple of which Jesus speaks is his own body.  John 2:21 EFP

The cryptic words Jesus speaks on that day in the wake of his cleansing of the temple courts during this Passover season in Jerusalem are a prediction of the events that would take place three years later during this very time of year and in this specific place.  Now that Jesus' ministry has officially begun his mind is already focused on the climax of his mission to seek and save humanity.

For the next three years he will dedicate night and day searching for His lost sheep, but it will all lead to the moment when he would voluntarily place his life at the mercy of evil men, and permit them to snuff out his life in order save the very ones who kill him.  He tells the temple leaders you will "destroy this temple"-- a direct reference to the death they would seek.  They would precipitate the kangaroo court, the beating, the flogging, the insults, the nails, the spears.  Destroying the temple is their contribution-- building it back up in three days is his.  This temple is his, and because of this fact, he has the authority to clean it up and expel those who profane it.  Herod may have built it, but Jesus is the one who makes it glorious, in fact even greater than the Temple of Solomon (read Haggai 2:9).

More so, Jesus also states that this temple, his body, is also his.  Thus, even if he chooses to let it be destroyed, it is not the end.  He knows that he will be raised up within three days.  It's amazing to me to recognize that Jesus already knows his destiny at this point, but these words crystalize his resolve to enter the gauntlet.  It's overwhelming to consider the perspective that Jesus is already saying, "this is my body" which is laid down for our salvation.  His body. His choice. His Gift.  His covenant-- forever…with me.

John 2:20

The Jewish leaders are taken aback by his response.  "What?" they reply, "it’s taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you claim you can rebuild it in three days?  That's ridiculous!"  John 2:20 EFP

What else can the Jewish temple leaders say?  From their perspective, this Johnny-come-lately who has just finished putting a serious dent into their temple fund-raising initiatives now apparently claims he can rebuild Herod's temple in three days.  Please note that Herod's temple was a work in progress.  The building had been in continual state of expansion for forty-six years.   It was, in a sense, not finished yet.  It was truly a magnificent edifice.

I do wonder if the leaders' response to Jesus is more in the fashion of Nicodemus' question to Jesus when he asked, "How can a man re-enter his mother's womb to be born again?"  Are they being obtuse on purpose, trying to avoid having to face the true meaning of the statement Jesus has just made?  They could have simply asked, "That sounds a bit over-the-top, you must mean something other than what we hear you say.  What are you really saying?"  Then Jesus perhaps would have given them the knowledge he wanted them to internalize, and they would have been introduced to the Messiah.  Jesus is not trying to be evasive; He is making sure they want to know the answer and not just playing mind games.

I'm no different at times.  I can be obtuse when I don't really want to hear the answer I’m getting from people-- Penny particularly.  It's almost as if I become dull-of-thinking (more than usual) when what I am hearing is not very convenient or pleasant to my plans to the contrary.  I am prone to ask a rather moronic question to side-step the issue.  Penny usually gives me "the look" which is enough to put me back on track, but sometimes she lets me off the hook and concedes that pressing the issue would not benefit either one of us.  I have no doubt God occasionally acts in the same manner.  He does not seek to impose his will. He is not in the business of forcing relationships on his children.  Sometimes he simply lets us make the choice to "play dumb", and make no mistake, we are very good at it.  There is the risk that we will become satisfied with our self-deception, but that is the risk a loving God is willing to take to ensure we love him and enter into a close relationship with him out of a true sense of love and commitment.  I can handle that.

John 2:19

Jesus responds to their request. "Destroy this temple," he says, "and in three days I will raise it up as good as new."  John 2:19 EFP

This is a good time for a brief summary.  Jesus comes to Jerusalem for Passover after spending times with family and friends in Capernaum.  He comes to the temple and is confronted by a scene that moves him to take drastic action in order to remedy the affront to His Father's house.  As a result he singlehandedly clears the temple court of merchants and vendors with a whip he makes with his own hands.  The temple court is now cleared.  All that remain are Jesus, a stunned group of people wondering what just happened, and the temple leaders who now ask Jesus what miraculous sign he can provide to prove he has authority to do what he has just done.  A bit strange, to say the least.

The temple leadership does not arrest Jesus.  They do not enquire of Jesus why he did what he did.  They simply ask for a sign.  How odd.  They, in spite of their personal feelings toward this Galilean stranger, know they have witnessed an extraordinary event.  Jesus' response is quite cryptic.  This declaration would cause a totally different result during his third and final visit to Jerusalem (Matthew 26:61; 27:40).  These words will be used against him in the final quest to condemn him to death.  They misunderstand the meaning of Jesus' words on this particular day, and will continue to overlook their significance even when his prophetic words come to pass three years later.

Jesus is answering their question.  He is providing his interrogators his credentials.  He is giving them the miraculous sign they request to validate his authority.  Jesus is saying, "You want a sign?  You need proof of my authority?  The day is coming when you will put me to death, but I will come back to life three days later.  How's that for a miraculous sign?"  In brief Jesus establishes the calling card of the Christian faith; the linchpin of this new kingdom he is ushering into existence.  All his sermons, all his acts of compassion, all his miracles large and small, are nothing without the resurrection.  Others might be able to mimic his acts, and repeat his words, but no one will ever be able to die, be buried, and to raise themselves up from the dead.  Nothing else matters if this is not true.  The Apostle Paul puts it quite succinctly, "[I]f Christ has not been raised," he says in 1 Corinthians 15, "our preaching is useless and so is your faith."  The Jewish leaders do not understand what Jesus is telling them that day-- sadly they would not get it in the future.  But Jesus certainly got it.  His mission was clear. But all he did during his lifetime would be meaningless if he did not validate his divine authority to clean up our mess by crushing the Prince of Darkness on his turf.  Death would be defeated and Satan's fate would be secured.  That is good news.

John 2:18

The religious leaders immediately confront Jesus and ask, “Why don’t you perform some miracle for us?  Maybe you can prove you actually have even a hint of authority to disrupt our temple activities!” John 2:18 EFP

Wow, news travels fast!  The events that took place in the small hamlet of Cana in Galilee but a few days prior to the Passover have already reached the religious leaders in Jerusalem.  Otherwise the way they confronted him would not have made any sense.  Why would they ask a common-run-of-the-mill rabble-rouser to produce some “miraculous sign”?  Somehow someone who had attended the wedding had communicated the “miracle” that had taken place in Cana.  They made it their business to keep abreast of happenings of note.

I am not sure if the Jewish leaders who confront Jesus are at all convinced any miracle had actually taken place in Cana or if they are simply trying to mock Jesus.  This is, after all, a time ripe with false Messiahs, some of whom are attributed with miracles of various types.  The religious leaders, and perhaps the temple CFOs, demand Jesus show them his credentials.  He does not look like a Jerusalem-type.  Jesus is probably dressed very modestly without the trappings of the more sophisticated Jerusalem crowd.  His accent appears to be from the north—from Galilee.  Nothing good could come from Galilee; they are not even considered on equal social or spiritual footing as people from the south—the blessed region of Judea.

The credential they request is a sign—a miraculous one.  “Make us some wine, Jesus!”  “How about adding a little bread to go with it?”  There must have been more than a bit of derision in their request.  In their eyes he is nothing but a country bumpkin with illusions of grandeur.  Taking a righteous stance is not always easy or popular, but it is always righteous.  Choosing to honor God and his will is all the authority I need to stare down the status quo of injustice, greed, and ritualism.  Jesus knows God is not being honored by what is taking place in his house.  He knows the consequences.  He is not disappointed.  The opposition comes fast and furious.  He is ready—he knows exactly where he stands.

John 2:17

Those words sound familiar to the disciples.  They remember that somewhere in Scripture it says, “The passion for your house burns intensely within my heart.” John 2:17 EFP

Yesterday we were reminded of the special place that exists in the heart of Jesus for the poor.  He personally understands the struggles of those who battle every day of their lives to make ends meet.  He understands hunger.  He understands need.  But I believe that Jesus also understands the concept of total dependence on God that exists among the poor who find comfort and succor from God in their times of trial.  Those of us who have experienced some level of poverty also understand the joy we find in the simple things and small miracles.  There is more openness to the things of God from those who sense a need.

But there is a second and equally significant area that is highlighted in this passage.  It is the passion Jesus feels for the house of God—his Father.  But you have to ask, to what “house of God” is the future King David referring in Psalm 69?  If you read the Psalm you sense David is in a state of anguish due to the numerous entities intent on his destruction.  They come at him from all sides.  Life is chaotic and threatening for the younger David fleeing from the presence of King Saul.  But what house burns so intensely within him?  There is no temple in Jerusalem; in fact, Jerusalem has not been even chosen as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel. 

I understand David’s reference as describing any place where the presence of God can be personally seen or felt.  Read the narrative of Jacob’s flight from his home and the significance of the place where he felt God’s presence with him (Genesis 12).  This passion of Christ was one for that special place where people find God.  It doesn’t have to be in a building, though it often is, but it is a place where people find solace and escape from the pressures, conflicts, disappointments, and crises that assail them.  Thus Jesus’ ire against those who would pollute this “house of God” with anything that would detract from the work God is trying to do in the life of even one soul searching for salvation is intense.  He passionately seeks those moments of surrender.  Perhaps it is easier to understand why he would have responded so vehemently to the cacophony of noisy commerce by the scores of marketers squelching the work of the Spirit of God on behalf of even one penitent sinner.  My heart should not burn any less intensely for those he came to seek and save.

John 2:16

As Jesus expels the merchants from the temple, he calls out the dove-sellers specifically and tells them, “Get out of here—the whole lot of you!” You have no right to convert my Father’s house into a marketplace!” John 2:16 EFP

A couple of questions come to mind as I consider this text.  The first is somewhat obvious—why does Jesus single out the dove-sellers out of the whole bunch of merchants present in the temple court?  This is Passover, after all; there must have been a wide variety of merchants, since the sacrificial system required various forms of sacrifices (Leviticus 1-9).  There were lambs, sheep, goats, bullocks, and doves for sale.  Why did Jesus single out the ones selling doves? 

I can’t help but believe Jesus singles out these particular sellers because they primarily provided their service to the poor—those who could not afford to purchase a more expensive lamb, or even a bullock, to offer up to God.  You may recall that Mary and Joseph took Jesus to be dedicated in the temple when he was eight days old.  They offered "a pair of doves or two young pigeons" (Luke 2:24) since they were of limited means.  This must have particularly affected Jesus when his mother recounted the story, since his family was among the many that had to sacrifice to even be able to afford two simple doves in order to fulfill the requirements of the Levitical regulations.  Now here, during the Passover, the highest of all Jewish holy days, merchants are taking advantage of the needy to provide a service at the highest cost the market can bear.  The dove merchants took advantage of the most vulnerable.

It’s easy to overlook the needy among us.  They are “out of sight—out of mind” for much of the time.  Jesus later said the poor would always be with us (John 12:8), and yet other than the individuals who stand at major intersections asking for money with “God Bless You!” signs, most of us are either poor like them or oblivious to the poor and their plight.  Yet Jesus has a special place in his heart for the poor, not only because he identifies with them, but because he knows the danger inherent in the rabid pursuit of money.  This exchange in the temple court presents a contrast between the devotion of the destitute and the blind greed of the religious vendors seeking to line their pockets on the backs of the poor.  “You have no right!” Jesus says.  Church should be a haven from the fight to survive.  We are all lifted above the ordinary of life and placed on equal footing in our Father’s house!

John 2:15

When Jesus sees this chaos in the temple court he fashions a whip made of rope chords, and uses it to drive the merchandising mob from the temple area.  This includes sheep and cattle as well.  He scatters the money changers' currency all over the floor and overturns the tables where they conduct business.  John 2:15 EFP

Perhaps it is the accumulation of a righteous indignation from all the years Jesus had come to the temple to worship only to be bombarded with the noise and chaos of a common street market in the very court where reverence for God should abound.  I must confess that I have felt a similar indignation in moments when the line between commerce and worship is blurred in churches and religious gatherings I have attended.  There is something that shouts inside of me, "Not now!  Not here!"  But I have not reached the point where I take the steps Jesus did in this passage.

I know he wasn't outside his right to do what He did, which only leads me to one other option, one I would rather not think about.  Or perhaps there is something at play here that is foreign to me; something I do not understand about the emotion that drove him to expel the temple merchants.  He changed the nature of the chaos-- from one defined by the buying, selling, bartering, profit and loss, to a chaos initiated by the One meting out immediate and intentional retribution on the perpetrators.  Jesus must have cast a large image-- he is one man driving out the entire mob.  There is no mention of the early disciples pitching in with their own whips.  Certainly the temple guards did not help.  The fact is the temple inhabitants who benefitted from the income generated by this display must have been more than a bit chagrined by the actions of this stranger.  But no one stops him.  He lays waste to all the filthy lucre of the day and cleans house.

This story seems so out of character for Jesus, although this intense disdain for those who malign the name of the God he came to reveal comes to the surface a number of other situations in the Gospel narrative.  His divine anger is not aimed at those who come broken and defeated.  His holy wrath is not intended to drive out anyone seeking forgiveness and a new start.  Jesus makes clear that he will never drive away those who come to him (John 6:36).  This day brings out Jesus' intense ire towards those who in the name of God act in the most ungodly ways, and by doing portray God as one who is for sale and makes salvation something to be sold and bought, or worse a God who is accessible only to those who can afford it. Maybe there should be more disdain by believers today towards the merchandising of the Gospel.  Has Christianity become little more than a religious Big Business?  The events of this particular day in Jerusalem seem to point out that danger.  But Jesus has yet to make his inspired statement of the day....

John 2:14

When Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, he finds the temple courts full of men selling cattle, sheep, and doves; he even sees men sitting at tables they have set up to do money exchange with people coming to buy the temple wares for the Passover celebration.  John 2:14 EFP

I have to remind myself that this was not Jesus' first visit to Jerusalem or the temple.  It is, however, his first visit as the Messiah-- after his baptism and the official commencement of his ministry.  Does he see things differently through his messianic eyes?  Do the things he sees when he arrives for the first time in this new anointed role affect him differently this particular day?  Does the sad bleating of the lambs register as never before now that he has taken on himself the role of the Lamb of God?  Does the cacophony of silver and gold coinage pounding on old wooden tables grate him as never before now that he enters the courts of the temple as the Son of God?

The text tells us the courts are full.  That would have been good news if they had been full of men and women seeking God is prayer and meditation.  I am certain these people are there--somewhere, lost in the noise and havoc of the religious merchandise.  Even the sound of children giggling and singing silly songs would have been preferable.  But what he hears and sees is a swap meet complete with vendors seeking to make a buck negotiating with buyers trying to bargain for a break from the exorbitant fees charged by the greedy vendors.  It is a traditional and busy marketplace, which is typical of any city or hamlet from Judea to Galilee.  But this is the Jerusalem temple-- the house of God!

I have often wondered over the years when I hear this story, what parallels exist between that scene and those that take place on a weekly basis in churches across the this nation and beyond-- mostly in "developed" nations.  We could argue that today we are simply spreading the Gospel through the materials being sold-- but would not that be the argument given by those who provided a service in the temple in the days of Jesus?  What is their crime?  Is it buying and selling?  Is there no connection between God's house and any buying or selling?  How would the ministries grow and expand without the financial resources provided by these items?  That again could have also been a first century argument by the temple traders.  Was it blind greed winning over the best-intentioned gesture provided by the religious leaders?  The answer may not be one we want to hear, but it's coming.  Stay tuned.

John 2:13

While they are in Capernaum, and seeing that the time for the Jewish Passover was at hand, Jesus travels to Jerusalem.  John 2:13

We can only speculate how long Jesus spends in Capernaum with his family and friends.  I would have liked to have been there just to see what Jesus did with his leisure time.  What did he talk about with the people he knew best?  What did he do when he was not in the role of Messiah?  He had obviously taken a significant step in Cana towards officially setting his ministry in motion.  But the crowds have not materialized yet.  The demands that would weigh on him are still a thing of the future.  He is still Jesus among friends.  He knows his mission, but the reality of the opposition and the trials leading to his death are still beyond the horizon.  What was Jesus' life before the full weight of his special role fell on his shoulders?  Did he laugh and share stories with his friends, before he became the "man of sorrows"?  His life was still simple and peaceful....

Then Passover shows up on the radar.  Jesus had been attending Passover in Jerusalem for 18 years.  His understanding of the meaning of Passover had grown and crystalized over time as he passed from adolescence to adulthood.  But now, at the dawn of his ministry, he must have realized that every event from that day on would inevitably lead to the ultimate sacrifice.  Passover will never be the same again.  Everything is different now.  Every event, every conversation, every person is a marker on the road to Moriah, where God would provide the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.

It moves me to think that Jesus, even at this early juncture of his ministry, could have chosen to stay in Capernaum with his friends and family.  It would have been so easy to make the choice to avoid the path that would lead to his passion and ultimate death-- violent and agonizing.  But today's text is quite clear, "Jesus goes to Jerusalem."  He doesn't stay away.  He didn't avoid the city that would condemn him and hang him on a cruel cross.  He makes an early statement and faces his fears.  Once the lot is cast; once he steps into the city, no longer as Citizen Jesus, but as Jesus the Anointed One, his life will never be the same.  But he goes anyway.  What thoughts race through his mind as he takes every step that leads him from Galilee to Judea; from Capernaum to Jerusalem?  I wonder his demeanor.  I marvel at his love.  I am awed and blown away by his willingness to do what needed to be done to "seek and save" the lot of us.  I am not worthy, but I am forever thankful.

John 2:12

After the wedding at Cana, Jesus goes to Capernaum in the company of his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.  They remain in town for a few days.  John 2:12 EFP

It seems that after the events at Cana, Jesus decides to take a few days off in Capernaum.  He does not travel alone, his mother, brothers, and his newly recruited disciples tag along with him, or maybe the other way around.  Why Capernaum?  That will become clearer in the following verses, but certainly there is a sense that Jesus simply chooses to go with his family and friends to a familiar place where there is some sort of pleasant history.  He grew up just a few miles away.

It is nice for me to see this verse as a testimony to the fact that Jesus tries to find balance in his life.  Yes, he has just officially launched his ministry in Cana.  There would those who might have suggested to him that it is important to "strike while the iron is hot."  After all, the story of his recent miracle in Cana must have been spreading like wildfire across the Galilean villages on the shores of the lake.  But Jesus chooses to take some time off.  Just goes with his closest friends and family and does nothing but spend a few days with them.  That's it! 

Yes, there are things to do, places to go, people to save, but before he continues doing the things he has come to this orb to do, he takes a few days to get away to rest.  I am sure there is lots of praying going on.  I am positive he speaks to his Father long and often.  We will see later that he certainly has some housekeeping to do in town.  But this text simply reads, "[t]hey remain in town for a few days."  He kicks his shoes off and spends some time with people he loves.  He shares some meals.  He goes fishing with his buddies.  He sits down with his friends and talks the afternoon away.  It is amazing to read how the great I AM took time to slow down and enjoy time with those he loves, while I, anything but all-powerful, often get so lost in what I do that I forget who I am and those who matter most-- my friends and family.  I need to take time today to spend leisurely moments with a friend or a family member.  I need to hug Penny more often.  I need to kick off my shoes and play with my grandkids.  There will always be something I have to do—I need to take time to do the things that my heart needs to do.  That adds a different meaning to the words, "walk in Jesus' shoes."

John 2:11

This is the first of many miracles Jesus performs in Cana of Galilee.  In doing this He gives his disciples a glimpse of his glory, and as a result his disciples believe in Him."  John 2:11 EFP

There are a couple of questions that come to mind as I read this passage today.  First of all, why is it important for the apostle John to let the reader know this miracle is the first, as opposed to another miracle that may not have made it into the Gospel narrative?  Secondly, why does Jesus use a wedding to give his disciples the first real glimpse of his glory?  And what is it about this miracle that causes his still inexperienced disciples "to place their faith in him"?

I suppose there is more than one reason why Jesus may have chosen a wedding as the place to reveal his God-given gift for the first time.  I can't help but be reminded that miracles happen in the most common of human moments.  It does not take an out-of-the-ordinary spectacle for God to cause something extraordinary to happen.  That sort of speaks to the first question as well.  No doubt John wanted us to know that the Son of God is also the Son of Man-- totally invested in the human race.  The wedding is the event, but it is the crisis that brings about divine intervention.  It is the Gospel in a nutshell. God comes to rescue the party from our own failed attempts to have one.  He comes and responds to a crisis he did not create, but intervenes simply because he cannot stand idly by as a moment meant to bring joy becomes a matter of shame

 

Jesus' disciples are a different story altogether.  This fledgling crew of disciples, only five in number, come to a wedding to enjoy the festivities, and is now leaving the party with a new-found belief in this Man of Nazareth with power in his hands.  As miracles go, this was not up there on the "wow" scale as the raising someone from the dead, but it will always be first on the list because of what Jesus does for a nameless couple in the annals of Scripture.  Their lives are affected forever-- their shame is turned to praise, their lack becomes abundance, their suitable morphs into stupendous-- all because of a mysterious guest that finds joy in making our special days into super and spectacular ones.

John 2:10

The wedding master says,” My vast experience has shown me that people first bring out the good wine and save the not-so-good wine for later when the guests have already had their fill.  I have never been to a wedding like yours.  You saved the best wine for last!"  John 2:10 EFP

The focus now changes briefly from the wedding servants, who by this time are totally blown away by what they see, to the banquet master and the groom.  Unlike the servants, who have not only followed the developments from the beginning but have in a sense actively participated in causing the miracle to take place, these two characters are mostly clueless about the participants, much less the miracle.  As a result, the banquet planner ends up giving credit to the wrong person, while the groom can do nothing but accept the hollow praise.  Interestingly enough, but not surprisingly, Jesus does not consider that a problem.

The banquet planner cannot understand why the groom would wait until this late hour in the wedding event to bring out the "good stuff."  After all, most hosts understand the benefit of making a good first impression.  We do it when have people over for dinner.  We bring out the best up front, and plenty of it.  If the group is big the rules don't change, just the stakes. If I notice the snacks are running low, I start hunting through the cupboards looking for anything that can be put out for the remaining crowd, mainly to avoid having to go to the market again.

In this case, the good juice is delivered when the guests have already filled up on the original offering.  I am sure the first wine was good.  Nobody but the truly cheap try to cut corners on the wedding banquet.  The point I glean from this miracle is that compared to the vintage Jesus provides, our best offerings come up way short.  The groom thought he had put out his best, and by most standards it was great; but when Jesus, the Creator of all, including grapes, transforms regular well water into the best grape juice ever made, the result is awesome.  The whole wedding list benefitted from Jesus' first miracle-- good and bad.  But only a few got the opportunity to know what truly happened.  Jesus' first miracle included servants--individuals who simply did what Jesus asked.  He is still looking for servants like that.  Where do I sign up?