Biblical Reflection. Gospel John, 2, 13-25

Antoni BigCuore*

Date 03/03/2018
Time: 14.48 hours
Location: São Paulo,SP.,Brazil

Gospel - John 2,13-25
Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son; everyone who believes in him will have eternal life (John 3:16).
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The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple the merchants of oxen, sheep and doves, and tables of the coin changers.
He made a whip of ropes, drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep and the oxen, and scattered the money of the changers, and overturned the tables.
And he said to them that sold the doves, Take this thing from hence, and make not of my Father's house a house of merchants.

Then his disciples remembered what it is written, "The zeal of your house consumes me."
 The Jews asked him, "What sign do you present to us to do this?" 19 Jesus said to them, "Destroy this temple, and I will restore it in three days."

The Jews replied, "This temple was built in forty-six years, and will you raise it in three days?"
But he spoke of the temple of his body.
After his resurrection from the dead, his disciples remembered these words and believed in the Scripture and the word of Jesus.
While Jesus celebrated the feast of the Passover feast in Jerusalem, many believed in his name, in view of the miracles he performed.
24 But Jesus himself did not trust them, because he knew them all.
25 He did not need anyone to testify to any man, for he well knew what was in man.
Word of Salvation.

COMMENTARY OF A. BIGCUORE. The Temple, at the time of Jesus, meant a sacred place for the Jews, where they kept all the gold they collected and the tithes. It represented the old law, the old testament.

The love of God is totally FREE. The manipulators of the temple used it to hide their petty and personal interests. Jesus comes to show them that the true temple is He, Jesus himself, who would die for many for the remission of sins. And that, He would rise on the third day. But the Pharisees and teachers of the law understood nothing! For He spoke of the temple of his own body.
So much so that they questioned Jesus, saying: "The building of the Temple lasted 46 years, and you will raise it in three days?" (P.1356, bible pastoral edition Pauline)

Jesus becomes angry when he sees that the temple has become a true market for animals and other objects. There was a deviation from purpose.
Temple is place of Prayer; and praying means silence to hear God and also to speak with him.
"The old temple is attached to structures and laws that serve only the interests of power and manipulation. He must be destroyed and give place to a new one, Jesus himself, the Son of God. " (cf. God With Us day by day, March / 18, p. 50, Pe.Rogério Gomes, C.Ss.R.).

That in this Lent we make a revision of life to assess how our process of conversion to God is going! God bless you! Peace and good!

(*) author is Writer and Communicator of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the whole planet. Know his Blog Bem Viver Brazil - antonibigcuore.blogspot.com (self-knowledge, spirituality and healthy life) and its poetic and philosophical link: www.recantodasletras.com.br/autores/antonibigcuore