基督的權柄
約翰福音二章17至25節
17他的門徒就想起經上記著說：“我為你的殿，心裡焦急，如同火燒。”
18因此猶太人問他說：“你既做這些事，還顯甚麼神蹟給我們看呢？”
19耶穌回答說：“你們拆毀這殿，我三日內要再建立起來。”
20猶太人便說：“這殿是四十六年才造成的，你三日內就再建立起來嗎？”
21但耶穌這話，是以他的身體為殿。
22所以到他從死裡復活以後，門徒就想起他說過這話，便信了聖經和耶穌所說的。
23當耶穌在耶路撒冷過逾越節的時候，有許多人看見他所行的神蹟，就信了他的名。
24耶穌卻不將自己交託他們，因為他知道萬人；
25也用不著誰見證人怎樣，因他知道人心裡所存的。
信息分享
然而，祂獨自站在聖殿不久，猶太人的領袖便立即質問祂，祂有何權柄作出這樣激烈的行動。從來沒有人敢作這事。祂剛才宣稱這是祂父的殿，猶太人便挑戰祂說：「倘若神是你的父，那麼現在就行個神蹟證明給我們看吧！」
我們的主回答說：「你們拆毀這殿，我三日內要再建立起來。」他們聽見這話，一定是大笑起來。這聖殿用了許多年才建成的！然而，耶穌和他們其實講的不是同一個地方，他們是指用石木建成的聖殿；耶穌是講祂的身體就是聖殿，且預言祂的死與復活。
基督沒有解釋祂說的話，因為解釋也沒有多大作用。這些猶太人不會聽祂或嘗試明白祂，他們最終只想釘祂十字架──那正是耶穌剛剛講到的。基督其實要說：「透過我的受死和復活，你們就得到最終的證據，來證明這是我父的殿，和我是父所差來的。」同樣地，今天祂能夠潔淨我們的罪，並使我們重生的權柄，乃在於祂的受死和勝過死亡而復活。
令人傷痛的是，當基督離開後，該處又再回復原狀，成為牲畜市場和兌換銀錢的地方。因此，在祂死前一週，祂曾再次將他們趕出，隨後就只能由他們任意而為了。但願我們每天都禱告主說：「主啊，求你進入我的心中，潔淨保守它。它是屬於你的，按你的心意來做，使用它榮耀你的名。阿們。」
THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST
John 2:17-25
17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”
18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”
19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,
25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
Message
But He wasn’t alone too long. Immediately the Jewish leaders demanded to know His authority for His drastic actions. No one had ever done this before. He had just claimed this was His Father’s house and the Jews were disputing His claim. “If your Father is God then show us a miracle to prove it right here and now.”
Our Lord gave them this answer, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days.” How they must have laughed at His answer. That Temple had taken many many years to build. But they were not speaking about the same place. The Jews were referring to the building of stone and wood. Christ was speaking of His death and resurrection and meant the temple of His body.
Christ didn’t explain what He meant. It would not have been much use. Those Jews would not listen to Him or try to understand Him; their final answer was to crucify Him - the very event He was talking about. Christ said, “The final proof that this is my Father’s house and that the Father has sent me will be seen in my death and resurrection.” It is the same today. His right to cleanse and remake a life lies in His death and triumphant resurrection.
Sad to say it would seem that as soon as Christ’s back was turned the cattle market and the money changers moved back in again. Christ drove them out once more in the final week of His earthly life but then had to leave them to their own devices. We might pray today, “Lord take my life, cleanse it, sanctify it, keep it clean. It is yours. Do what you will with it, only use it for your glory. Amen!”