When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.”…

“The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”

‭‭John‬ ‭2‬:‭13-15, 18‬-‭19‬, ‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus had just driven the merchandisers out of the temple with a whip, scattering money and making mayhem of the birds and animals being sold for sacrifices. Imagine that! So mundane had their worship in God’s “house” become to them that they thought nothing of trading in the very precincts of the temple.  

Jesus was enraged. This behaviour was the most blatant expression of disrespect and lack of the fear of God.  The merchants and money changers deserved the treatment they got from Him!

The religious leaders, who were no doubt at the helm of this disgraceful spectacle for a cut of the profits, were equally enraged. Someone had dared to overstep their authority! The whole issue was not about what Jesus had done but who had given Him authority to go over their heads and do what He had done. He was in serious trouble if He had acted without valid authorisation. 

Jesus’ response was mystifying. If He said, “My authority comes from God,” they could have counter claimed…”but we have God’s authority in Israel.” It was His word against theirs. 

Proof! Evidence! 

Jesus refused to engage in a futile argument. “I’ll show you the evidence of my authority,” was His strategy. Across the whole spectrum of the gospels, Jesus, acting on the Father’s authority, provided the people with signs of His legitimate authority against which there was no argument.  He backed up His claim to be the Son of God with signs they could not explain. Who could argue with that? The Pharisees tried to identify His authority as Beelzebub but this made no sense.  

“Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see…But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” 

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭22‬, ‭24‬, ‭26‬-28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Pharisees had no answer! Hard as they tried, because of the evidence, they could not disprove His claims.  They had only one alternative! Silence Him forever, so they thought!

Jesus response to their question, 

“What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 

…prophetically pointing them to the greatest of all evidence that He was the Son of God to whom the Father has given all authority in heaven and on earth. 

So, John  concludes…

“After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”

…the resurrection of Jesus is the final and irrefutable evidence and proof that He IS the Son of God, that He IS Lord, and that He HAS all authority in heaven and on earth. 

To be continued…