13 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover Feast. So Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courtyard he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves. Others were sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So Jesus made a whip out of ropes. He chased all the sheep and cattle from the temple courtyard. He scattered the coins of the people exchanging money. And he turned over their tables. 16 He told those who were selling doves, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered what had been written. It says, “My great love for your house will destroy me.”
18 Then the Jewish leaders asked him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “When you destroy this temple, I will raise it up again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken 46 years to build this temple. Are you going to raise it up in three days?” 21 But the temple Jesus had spoken about was his body. 22 His disciples later remembered what he had said. That was after he had been raised from the dead. Then they believed the Scripture. They also believed the words that Jesus had spoken.
23 Meanwhile, he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast. Many people saw the signs he was doing. And they believed in his name. 24 But Jesus did not fully trust them. He knew what people are like. 25 He didn’t need anyone to tell him what people are like. He already knew why people do what they do.
Read John 2:13-25 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
At Jesus’ first Passover feast following His baptism, John includes an interesting summary of what happened following Jesus’ infamous temple cleansing and challenge from the Jewish leaders. In this summary, we can see a clearer picture of Jesus’ character, and we can see better what Jesus is like.
To wrap up this chapter, John shares that while Jesus was in Jerusalem during this Passover Feast, many people saw what Jesus was doing and they believed in Him. But John tells us that “Jesus did not fully trust them. He knew what people are like. He didn’t need anyone to tell him what people are like. He already knew why people do what they do.” (v. 24-25)
If someone was looking for a reason to distrust Jesus, this might be it. After all, why fully trust someone who isn’t willing to fully trust you?
But this may actually be a bad comparison, because if I were to ask you if you fully trusted you, could you say that you did. Do you know what you would do if pressed to your limit? In some ways, Jesus knowing what is in our hearts and what make us untrustworthy actually helps the case for us fully trusting in Him.
A “not-fully-trusting-others” Jesus, however bad this may sound, can actually be an incredible statement about who God is and what He is really like. Satan would want us to read this and believe that because Jesus didn’t fully trust us, we shouldn’t fully trust in Him – but what Satan doesn’t want us to realize is that Jesus still came knowing we were untrustworthy!
God loved us so much that even while we were untrustworthy, Jesus came to make a way for us to be saved. After being betrayed and crucified, Jesus still loves us. Knowing that we would kill His Son and after it had happened, God still loves us. It is amazing when I look at these words and realize that when reading that Jesus didn’t fully trust people, it actually helps us realize how much more loving He is to have come in the first place! Jesus came and died for some untrustworthy people and this truth gives hope for you and for me!
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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