Temples

Temple cleansed. 

Turning over of tables = turning over of age
Money on the ground = a new currency of heaven, faith in Jesus
Doves released = blood of animals no longer the way to worship
The chaos of the cleansing of the temple = new order of Christ
Judgment on Israel’s sacrificial temple and system proclaimed in Jesus’ prophetic sign act: The True-Temple-of-Jesus shows the end of the sacrificial system. No longer will God-followers worship here, true worshippers will worship in Spirit and truth (John 4:24). In him.

Yet, disciples don’t get it. They travel outside of Jerusalem, winding their ways through the crowds, down the dusty path. 

Jesus, in his patience as the disciples travel, gives another sign act:
In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:18-22

Jesus, the good teacher, wants to ensure his followers comprehend. And seeing a fig tree, the Teacher-of-teachers curses it. Cursing—the Covenant-Maker calls down the covenant curses, pronounces judgment on the fig tree. Fig tree—the Word-of-the-Lord draws on the Old Testament imagery of Israel as a fig tree. Jesus-the-Giver-of-God’s-Revelation’s message: The physical temple and its system is judged; no fruit will come from it again. Its time is over.

Disciples seem to be stuck on the visible rather than the message. James and John elbow each other, “Did you see that?” Judas puts his hand on his money bag, making sure that didn’t wither! Peter is speechless for once. Thomas goes and touches the fig tree to make sure. They marvel. Simon nudges John, “Ask him, ask the Rabbi.” John glances at Jesus, who patiently and silently stands there watching them as they process their marvel, “Jesus, how did you—how did—how did the fig tree wither so quickly? Gosh! Even the fig trees obey you!”

“If you have faith…” Did Jesus really answer their question?

Yes. He answers them on the visible plane. Faith can do miracles. Not a magic formula, but Jesus’ trust and reliance on the great power of God rather than sight, Jesus’ assurance that God’s new promised temple had come in him, his conviction of God’s power beyond what is seen (Heb. 11:1; 2 Cor. 5:7).

But the disciples were asking the wrong question. Jesus’ message: The fig tree/temple is destroyed. Jesus’ reply points them back to his message of revelation: “I am the new temple.” He answers them on the deeper message plane too. 

"If you have faith—if you believe in me, if you hold to the faith/teaching I am passing down, by faith you are now the new temple. You are now where the presence of God resides. By faith, you are now worshippers in Spirit and in truth."

"Not only do what has been done to the fig tree—you will replace the temple, you will be the oaks of righteousness planted for the display of his splendor, the true fig tree instead of the withered system of the temple (Isa. 61:3)"

Herod's Temple model

"Say to THIS mountain"—the Greek “this” is a strong specific, not just any mountain, but this mountain. So which mountain? Jesus looks over the Kidron Valley to the Temple Mount, the gleaming temple perched on Mount Moriah. "Look—if you say to this Temple Mount be moved, be thrown into the sea of judgment, it will happen. Isaiah promised that when the True Servant came, mountains would be moved in sign of the new age (Isaiah 40:3-4; Isaiah 49:11). Now, you are participating in this new age."

Jesus’ answered far more than a simple nature miracle—he answers pointing to himself. He points to the message of the fig tree, the message of the Messiah. “I am the new temple. By faith, you participate in the miracle of the new age. By faith, you are my body, the temple, the dwelling place of God.”

The disciples, if they understood, must have been left even more marveled. Fresh in their mind was the massive marble pillars, the huge blocks of white stone that made the temple one of the seven ancient wonders. The gleaming gold, carved adornment, the weight of impressiveness, the majesty of marble. Glitter and gold. The weight of thousands of years of prayers and reverence of the Torah given to the temple. Humble fishermen, awed by the glory of the temple.

Now they: They the temple, the presence-bearers, the priest-mediators, the holy temple.

"If you ask anything in my name your prayers will be heard. No longer is the temple the place of forgiveness, the place to access God in intercession, the place to find answers to prayer. Now, in you," this group of rough-handed, ragged-garbed, motley, uneducated fishermen, "now you are where God meets earth, where prayers are answered." In you and I, people who wash dishes and care for children and go to work and complain at having to sweep yet again.

In you is the presence of God—the presence that made Mount Sinai shake, the presence that left the temple in Ezekiel 10, the presence for whom the new wonder of Herod’s temple was unworthy to hold. We the presence-bearers! And in us, may our neighbors meet the Holy One! We bring his presence to the world, the veil is now torn and God’s presence no longer contained in a mere building. In our mere flesh. Let those I meet see you in me!

Mediators—we, a kingdom of priests (1 Peter 2:9-10; Rev. 1:6). We where prayer is answered. We as representing God to the world, and the world to God in intercession. Lord, give me boldness! Power and perseverance in prayer! Let me show you to my neighbors, and let me uphold my friends and neighbors in prayer! Our broken and needy world! Let me join you in your intercession, your desires, your purposes by prayer!

Power—we with the very Spirit of God dwelling in us. The power that made the world, that hung the stars, that toppled Jericho, in us. As we go for a walk, make dinner, talk with our neighbors, pray. Lord, convince my heart of your power! Let me honor you, let my prayers be big enough for a Big God!

Holiness—the presence of God in us the church, the same presence that Uzzah touched in the ark and found instant death because sinful flesh cannot stand the presence of holy. Oh Lord! Grant me holiness! Cleanse me! To be a fit vessel for you!

Jesus—the New Temple, the Bringer-of-the-New-Age, the patient Teacher, the Perfect-and-Final-Sacrifice, the Creator-of-a-New-Humanity, the Fashioner-of-Worshippers-in-Spirit-and-Truth!