God Saves The Best Wine Till Last – Part 2
JOHN 2:1-25 – STUDY TEXT
JOHN 2:12-25 – TODAY’S TEXT
In the second chapter of John, there are TWO EVENTS, detailed, which illustrate the “EMPTINESS AND DEFICIENCY OF JUDAISM” – IN THE NEW TESTAMENT TIMES.
(1). “THE SPIRITUAL EMPTINESS” DEPICTED IN THE SIX EMPTY WATER JARS (JOHN 2:6) AT “THE WEDDING FEAST” IN JOHN 2:1-11. THIS EVENT DESCRIBES THE CONDITION OF JUDAISM IN MEETING THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE (IT WAS ALL CEREMONY AND POMP – JOHN 2:6) BUT IT DID NOT MEET THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
* GOD’S SOLUTION – GOD SAVES THE BEST WINE UNTIL THE LAST “DAYS”.
(2). “THE SPIRITUAL EMPTINESS” IS FURTHER DEPICTED IN THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE (JOHN 2:12-22) AND THAT JUDAISM WAS CORRUPTED AND WAS NOT TRULY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE (ESPECIALLY THE GENTILE PEOPLE – JOHN 2:14-16) AND THAT JUDAISM WAS CORRUPTED AND HAD COMPROMISED “THE WORD OF GOD” – FOR MONEY.
* GOD’S SOLUTION – GOD CLEANSES THE TEMPLE FOR TRUE WORSHIP OF GOD.
JOHN 2:12 – “After this, He went down to CAPERNAUM, He and His mother, and His brethren, and His disciples: and they continued there not many days”.
After Christ Jesus turned the water into wine at the marriage at Cana of Galilee, Christ Jesus, His disciples, His mother, and half brothers, all traveled to the city of Capernaum, and there they continued for not many days.
* “CAPERNAUM” – MEANS IN THE GREEK – “VILLAGE OF COMFORT”!
JOHN 2:13 – “And the Jews’ Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem”,
* JESUS WENT UP TO JERUSALEM – WHERE IT WASN’T “COMFORTABLE”!
JOHN 2:14 – “AND FOUND IN THE TEMPLE those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of the money sitting”:
The visit of our Lord to the Temple, at His first appearance in Jerusalem, after beginning His ministry, I believe was a partial fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy: “The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple” (MALACHI 3:1). While the Jewish nation was expecting the appearance of a conquering Messiah with power and great glory, the true Messiah suddenly appeared in the Temple, and declared His presence, not by exhibiting His external powers, BUT BY INSISTING ON GREATER PURITY IN THE TEMPLE WORSHIP, AS THE FIRST THING WHICH THE NATION NEEDED!
“AND FOUND IN THE TEMPLE” – The sale of animals for sacrifice was needed because some of the pilgrims would have to come long distances and would not have wanted to bring their animals along on the journey. In addition, the inspectors of the animals brought by some of the people were disqualified, probably most often for questionable physical defects, and they were forced to buy new animals at unethical, exorbitant prices! Money from other regions had to be exchanged for coins acceptable to the Jews, and of course, a fee was charged. What had begun as a service to the worshipers, under the corrupt rule of the chief priests, the Temple of God had become a “Robber’s Den” (MATTHEW 21:13).
At one time, the animal merchants set up their stalls across the Kidron Valley, on the slopes of Mount Olive, but as Christ Jesus entered into the Temple, from the east entrance, Jesus entered into the first of four “courtyards”, which was “The Court of the Gentiles”. This space within the Temple grounds was dedicated to the “Gentiles”, to be able to enter into the Temple and to pray and worship God, and now, it smelled and sounded like a “Barnyard”!
JOHN 2:15 – “And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changer’s money, and overthrew the tables”;
JOHN 2:16 – “And said unto them that sold doves, take these things hence; MAKE NOT MY FATHER’S HOUSE A HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE”.
JOHN 2:17 – “And His disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of thine house has eaten me up”.
* CHRIST JESUS SPEAKS OF A NEW TEMPLE AND ITS DESTINY
JOHN 2:18 – “Then answered the Jews and said unto Him, WHAT SIGN SHEWEST THOU UNTO US, SEEING THAT THOU DOEST THESE THINGS”?
Ironically, the only “SIGN” that the Jewish leadership would get is that which was predicted by Jesus, in JOHN 2:19 – in His crucifixion, death, burial, and on “The Third Day” – His resurrection.
IT IS THE “SIGN OF JONAH” (MATTHEW 12:39, 40; LUKE 11:29-32)!
JOHN 20:19 – “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week (Sunday) when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for FEAR OF THE JEWS, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, PEACE BE UNTO YOU”.
JOHN 20:20 – AND WHEN HE HAD SO SAID, HE SHEWED (#1166) UNTO THEM HIS HANDS AND HIS SIDE (THE SIGN OF JONAH). THEN WERE THE DISCIPLES GLAD, WHEN THEY SAW THE LORD”.
“SHEWEST” OR “SHEWED” – This is the Strong’s Greek word #1166 and means: “TO SHOW AND HAS THE SENSE OF TO DRAW ATTENTION TO, to point out, TO SHOW TO MAKE KNOWN, to exhibit something,” and this Greek word is found 31 times and 29 verses in the Greek New Testament Bible.
* THE TWO BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT BIBLE – THAT HAS THIS GREEK WORD (# 1166), THE MOST AND MEANS “TO BE DEMONSTRATIVE OR REVEALING” – IS IN THE BOOK OF JOHN (7 TIMES) AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION (8 TIMES) – THESE TWO BOOKS ACCOUNT FOR ALMOST 50% OF THIS GREEK WORD, IN THE NEW TESTAMENT BIBLE!
* SO, WHERE THIS GREEK WORD (#1166) IS THE MOST “DEMONSTRATIVE, GRAPHIC OR REVEALING” – IT IS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION!
* How interesting it is that in the “Revealing”, we encounter this verb, which means “To show and bring attention to”, is found in the Book of Revelation, where God shows mankind His plan for the ages to come.
REVELATION 22:6 – “AND HE SAID UNTO ME (JOHN), THESE SAYINGS ARE FAITHFUL AND TRUE: AND THE LORD GOD OF THE HOLY PROPHETS SENT HIS ANGEL TO SHEW (#1166) UNTO HIS SERVANTS (BOND SERVANTS) THE THINGS WHICH SHORTLY BE DONE”.
REVELATION 22:7 – “BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY: BLESSED IS HE THAT KEEPETH THE SAYINGS OF THE PROPHECY OF THIS BOOK”.
REVELATION 22:8 – “And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showest me these things”.
REVELATION 22:9 – “Then saith he (the angel) unto me, SEE THOU DO IT NOT: FOR I AM THY FELLOW SERVANT, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: WORSHIP GOD”!
* Note that it is the “BOND SERVANTS) (REVELATION 22:6), Who will be shown these previously unrevealed mysteries! Little wonder that many do not understand and are frightened by the “Book of Revelation”, for they are not in His “BOND SERVICE”, but in fact, are “Earth Dwellers”!
That in the eight places, in the “Book of Revelation”, where this Greek word is found, it is where God wants us to see, this preview of His “Coming Attractions”, THAT WE MIGHT BE MOTIVATED TO LIVE ACCORDINGLY!
JOHN 2:19 – “Jesus answered and said unto them, DESTROY THIS TEMPLE, and in THREE DAYS I WILL RAISE IT UP”.
IRONY # 1 – ABOUT 3 YEARS LATER, AFTER HE HAD SAID THESE WORDS, THE JEWS WOULD IN EFFECT, “OBEY” JESUS’ COMMAND (DESTROY THIS TEMP[LE – THE PHYSICAL BODY OF JESUS) AND END UP MURDERING THEIR OWN MESSIAH!
IRONY # 2 – THE FACT THAT ULTIMATELY THE JEWS THEMSELVES WERE TO BE “THE MEANS”, OF BRINGING ABOUT THE “SIGN”, THAT THEY ASKED JESUS TO PRODUCE, AND WHICH THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE WHEN IT CAME!
IRONY # 3 – WHEN THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP PUT JESUS TO DEATH – THEY PROVIDED MANKIND THE “ONE SACRIFICE” FOR MANKIND, THAT COULD TRULY FORGIVE MANKIND’S SIN AND THUS “DOOMED (DESTROYED) THE TEMPLE”, AS A PLACE OF SPIRITUAL NEED OR NECESSITY (JOHN 4:21-26)!
JOHN 4:23 – “But the HOUR COMETH, AND NOW IS, when the TRUE WORSHIPERS shall worship the Father in SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: for the Father seeketh such to WORSHIP HIM”.
JOHN 4:24 – “GOD IS A SPIRIT AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH”.
JOHN 2:20 – “Then said the Jews, forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou now rear it up in THREE DAYS”?
JOHN 2:21 – “BUT HE SPAKE OF THE TEMPLE OF HIS BODY”.
JOHN 2:22 – “When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and the Word which Jesus had said”.
JOHN 14:26 – “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”.
JOHN 16:4 – “But these things I have TOLD YOU, that when THE TIME SHALL COME, YE MAY REMEMBER THAT I TOLD YOU OF THEM. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, BECAUSE I WAS WITH YOU”.
* CHRIST JESUS DOES NOT ENTRUST HIMSELF TO THE MANY WHO BELIEVE
JOHN 2:23 – “Now when He was in Jerusalem at Passover, in the feast day, MANY BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, WHEN THEY SAW THE MIRACLES WHICH HE DID”.
“MANY BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, WHEN THEY SAW THE MIRACLES WHICH HE DID – Christ Jesus knew that the many who believed in him had a sin and superficial belief. It wasn’t based on anything other than the “ADMIRATION OF THE SPECTACULAR”. Knowing this, Jesus did not commit himself to them.
* IF “BELIEF” IS NOTHING MORE THAN “ADMIRATION FOR THE SPECTACULAR”, IT WILL CREATE A MULTITUDE OF APPLAUSE; BUT THE SON OF GOD CANNOT COMMIT HIMSELF TO THIS KIND OF “FAITH”.
JAMES 2:19 – “ THOU BELIEVEST THAT THERE IS ONE GOD; THOU DOEST WELL: THE DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE, AND TREMBLE”.
JOHN 2:24 – “BUT JESUS DID NOT COMMIT HIMSELF UNTO THEM, BECAUSE HE KNEW ALL MEN”,
JOHN 2:25 – “AND NEEDED NOT THAT ANY SHOULD TESTIFY OF MAN: FOR HE KNEW ALL MEN”.
GOD IS SAVING “THE BEST WINE UNTIL THE LAST”!
“THE HOUR COMETH AND NOW IS” – WHEN THE TRUE CHURCH IN “THE LAST DAYS”, WILL BE DESPERATE FOR A “REVELATION” – OF GOD’S EVALUATION OF THEIR OWN HEARTS!
PROVERBS 21:2 – “EVERY WAY OF A MAN IS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES: BUT THE LORD PONDERETH THE HEARTS”.
JEREMIAH 17:9 – “THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS, AND DESPERATELY WICKED: WHO CAN KNOW IT”?
JEREMIAH 17:10 – “I THE LORD SEARCH THE HEART, I TRY THE REINS, EVEN TO GIVE MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS, AND ACCORDING TO THE FRUIT OF HIS DOINGS”.
THEN AND ONLY THEN, CAN WE WORSHIP GOD IN “SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH!
