Eyewitnesses of his Majesty John 2:18-22

The Jews questioned Jesus' authority.  He had just walked in to the Temple, the heart of Jewish religious life, and literally turned the tables.  The Jews that day desired an answer; how could he do this? They wanted a sign to authenticate his authority. 

Jesus gave them what they asked for, but not at all how they expected.  He didn't give them a sign they could see that day, and he didn't explain his actions.  He spoke to them of the ultimate sign.  A sign that would show he had authority over the temple, and over much more: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19)

In his death and resurrection of Jesus Christ accomplished many things he "ransomed people for God" (Rev 5:9), he the Devil and all his spiritual enemies, and he answered the Jews question from John 2.  This was the sign of his authority.  By his resurrection he was,"declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead." (Rom 1:4).  It demonstrated that Jesus was the judge of all men, "he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31)  

That day Jesus pointed the Jews towards his own death and resurrection.  For all men and women this is still the most important thing for them to pay attention to. 

"But he was speaking about the temple of his body." Jesus body was a temple.  Jesus was the reality that the temple was a shadow and a picture of.  In the post about Jesus cleansing the temple I described the purposes of the temple as worship, prayer, and sacrifice for reconciliation. 

The temple was the place for the name of God to be exalted.  Now, "God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." (Phil 2:9-10)

The temple was where people drew near to God.  Jesus instructed his disciples to pray in his name, "whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." (John 15:16)

And Jesus body was the sacrifice that truly made reconciliation between God and man. "And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51)

"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." (John 2:22) These men heard him say these words, and the saw him risen again.  We can see the authority these eyewitnesses attributed to Christ by reading what they wrote about him.  John wrote, "every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God." (1 Jn 4:3)  And Peter wrote that his readers were chosen "for obedience to Jesus Christ." (1 Pet 1:2)

We must be mindflul of the authority of Christ which has been demonstrated so definitively in his resurrection.  Let us take his Commandment to heart knowing that he is the Lord of heaven and earth. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. " (Matt 22:39) And, "do not be anxious about your life" (Matt 6:25) And, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Lk 9:23)

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Matthew 28:18