A Johaninne Study (John 2:18-22)

¹⁸ So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ²⁰ The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” ²¹ But he was speaking about the temple of his body. ²² 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.

In 966 BC, the first temple was built. It was 2700 square feet, with a 45 foot ceiling. The walls and ceiling were covered with cedar and inlaid with gold. The decor included depictions of flowers, cherubim and trees. At the time, this building was truly remarkable. Not long after, however, it was plundered and eventually destroyed. In 20/19 BC, the temple began a rebuilding process that would last until 64 AD. The benefactor financing this construction was Herod the Great. However, he was being far from benevolent. Piecing together historical accounts, it seems Herod was more interested in himself than God. Nonetheless, God used him to build a temple grander than king Solomon’s. The property spanned more than two football fields. The temple itself was similar to Solomon’s in terms of square foot, but it had a 60 foot ceiling. The sheer scale of it was magnificent.

In the midst of the temple’s construction, Jesus tells certain antagonistic Jews that he will raise the temple in three days if it is destroyed. They respond by saying that it has taken forty-six years to build the temple, and it has yet to be completed! But Jesus is not talking about Herod’s temple, or even Solomon’s temple. He reveals that he was talking about himself.

John, the author of this gospel, is adumbrating. He is showing that Jesus knew about his coming death and resurrection. And by foreshadowing the gospel, Jesus revealed that his metaphorical temple, or his body, trumps any architectural structure. In other words, whatever the temple stood for, whatever purpose it had, it finds its fulfillment in Jesus.

Buildings are not important in and of themselves. Even modern buildings have their function. Some are used to house families, some are used to sell merchandise. Still others are used for offices, and others stand as historical landmarks. If a building loses its purpose, it is abandoned and considered a waste of space. The purpose of the temple was, simply, to facilitate the worship of God. So, when Jesus refers to himself as the temple, he is saying that he is the way to God.

Ultimately, this passage finds meaning three days after Jesus dies. In death, Jesus appears to be weak, ostensibly losing to the enemy. Indeed, Satan must have rejoiced in the midst of those three days. But God does not fail. Jesus is resurrected three days later. Before, the way to God was ostensibly lost. But now, God has made a way for us through the greater and truer temple - Jesus Christ.