John 2:13-25
Signs and riddles–what an interesting way to communicate truth. You would think that if someone has something important to say, they would say it in the clearest way possible. Yet these tend to be Jesus’ go-to teaching methods.
In John 2 we see Jesus get into a little confrontation with the Jewish leaders. He catches them defiling the temple, God’s House and the Jewish holy place of worship. Enraged by such a terrible offense, Jesus drives everybody out of the temple, flipping over tables and dumping our money bags.
Imagine this from the standpoint of the Jewish leaders. They’re thinking, “who in the world does this guy think he is? What gives him the right?” So they ask Jesus, “By what authority do You do these things? Prove yourself!” Little did they know they were talking to the Son of God.
Jesus could have just come right out with it saying, “Guys, I’m literally God in the flesh. You know, that one whom your teachers have been speaking of for centuries, that’s me.” and then give them sign after sign as He was standing in their midst. Instead, He spoke of a sign that was to come. He says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.” The Jewish leaders–certain He is crazy–responded, “This temple took decades to build, you would rebuild it in three days?” Clearly they had no idea what He was talking about.
Luckily we get some behind the scenes commentary on what Jesus is really getting at. John tells us that Jesus was speaking of the day when He would be crucified and then raise back to life three days later. He was pointing to His death and resurrection as a sign that proclaims Him to be the Son of God, the One who came to take away the sins of the world.
I believe many of us are like the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day–constantly missing God’s message to us. God has gone through incredible lengths to draw us to Himself and to our Savior. Unfortunately we miss what He is trying to tell us. There is an easy solution though! The Bible is God’s megaphone through which His love and grace is shouted to the ends of the earth. Let’s turn to its pages and dive deep!
CHALLENGE
Do you have a riddle that you are working through in your life right now?
What is confusing about it?
Where have you looked for answers? How can you look for answers in the word of God?
By Chris Willett | Springville, UT