John 2:13-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 2:12-22

Here we have, I. The short visit Christ made to Capernaum, John 2:12. It was a large and populous city, about a day's journey from Cana; it is called his own city (Matt. 9:1), because he made it his head-quarters in Galilee, and what little rest he had was there. It was a place of concourse, and therefore Christ chose it, that the fame of his doctrine and miracles might thence spread the further. Observe, 1. The company that attended him thither: his mother, his brethren, and his disciples.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 2:12-16

2:12-16 After this Jesus went down to Capernaum with his mother and his brothers and his disciples; and they stayed there for a short time. The Passover Feast of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the Temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers sitting at their tables. He made a scourge of cords and drove them all out of the Temple, and the sheep and the oxen as well. He scattered the coins of the exchangers and overturned... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 2:12-16

Now let us see why Jesus acted as he did. His anger is a terrifying thing; the picture of Jesus with the whip is an awe-inspiring sight. We must see what moved Jesus to this white-hot anger in the Temple Courts. The passover was the greatest of all the Jewish feasts. As we have already seen, the law laid it down that every adult male Jew who lived within fifteen miles of Jerusalem was bound to attend it. But it was not only the Jews in Palestine who came to the Passover. By this time Jews... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 2:12-16

We have seen that it was the exploitation of the pilgrims by conscienceless men which moved Jesus to immediate wrath; but there were deep things behind the cleansing of the Temple. Let us see if we can penetrate to the even deeper reasons why Jesus took this drastic step. No two of the evangelists give Jesus' words in precisely the same way. They all remembered their own version. It is only by putting all the accounts together that we get a true picture of what Jesus said. So then let us set... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 2:17-22

2:17-22 His disciples remembered that there is a scripture which stands written: "For zeal for your house has consumed me." Then the Jews demanded of him: "What sign do you show us to justify your acting in this way?" Jesus answered: "Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up." Then the Jews said: "It has taken forty-six years to build the Temple so far, and are you going to raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his body. So when he was raised from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 2:13

And the Jews' passover was at hand ,.... That feast which was kept on the fourteenth day of Nisan, in commemoration of the Lord's passing over, and by the houses of the Israelites, when he slew the firstborn in Egypt: and it is called the Jews' passover, because they only were obliged to keep it: nor was it obligatory upon the Gentiles; and, besides, was now abolished when John wrote this Gospel, though still retained by the Jews. And moreover, John was now among the Gentiles, and for whose... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 2:14

And found in the temple ,.... Not in the holy place itself, nor in the court of the priests, where the sacrifices were offered, nor in the court of the women, nor in the court of the Israelites, where the people worshipped; but in the court of the Gentiles, or the outward court, even all that space of ground which was between the wall which divided the whole from common ground, and the buildings of the temple, and which was open to the air; for the whole sacred enclosure, or all within the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 2:15

And when he had made a scourge of small cords ,.... That is, Jesus, as the Persic version expresses it. This scourge might be made either of thongs cut out of the hides of beasts slain in sacrifice; or of the cords, with which the owners of the cattle had brought them to this place; or with which they had fastened them in it. And it seems to be made, and used, not so much for force and terror, as to intimate, that these persons, the violators of the holy place, deserved the scourge of divine... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 2:16

And said unto them that sold doves ,.... For as these were kept in coups, or cages, they could not be drove, as the sheep and oxen, nor could they be let out, and fly, without the loss of the owners: and therefore Christ said to them, take these things hence ; not only the doves, but the pens, coups, or cages, in which they were, and both together: make not my Father's house an house of merchandise ; so he calls the temple, which was built as an house for God, and where he took up... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 2:17

And his disciples remembered that it was written ,.... In Psalm 69:9 , which Psalm belongs to the Messiah, as is manifest from the citations out of it in the New Testament, and the application of them to Christ, as in John 15:25 , compared with Psalm 69:4 . Christ is represented in it, as suffering for the sins of his people; for he himself was innocent; and was hated without a cause; but having the sins of his people imputed to him, he made satisfaction for them, and so restored what... read more

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