The purging of the
temple in the Gospel of John is prophesied in Malachi 3:1-4. Chronologically,
one of the first things that Jesus does after being baptized by John the
Baptist is purge the temple. Notice that in Malachi 3:1 immediately after
mentioning the messenger that will prepare the way - that the Lord whom you
seek shall suddenly come to his temple. This is exactly what we find in the
gospel of John when Jesus suddenly purges the temple. The time period for the
fulfillment of Malachi 3:1 ended when the temple was destroyed in AD 70. This
means that according to Malachi 3:1-4 either Jesus is the Messiah or the
Messiah doesn’t exist.
Malachi 3:1 “Behold,
I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord,
whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the
covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of
hosts. 2 But who may abide the day of his
coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner's fire,
and like fullers' soap: 3 And he shall
sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi,
and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an
offering in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be
pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.”
John 2:13-17 “The Passover of
the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found
those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers at
their business. 15 And he made a whip of cords, and drove them all, with the
sheep and oxen, out of the temple. And he poured out the money of the
money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he said to those who sold
doves, “Take these things away! You shall not make my Father’s house a house of
merchandise!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your
house will consume me.””
J.
Clontz – Editor of The Comprehensive New Testament
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