Verse by Verse

18 Then answered the Jews and said unto Him, What sign shewest Thou unto us, seeing that Thou doest these things?

19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou rear it up in three days?

21 But He spake of the temple of His body.

22 When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

The Jews challenged Jesus to do a miracle to prove He had the authority to clear the Temple. He offered the sign of His own resurrection.

Jews require a sign — For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:22). But they still didn’t believe in spite of all the miracles Jesus did.

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from Thee. But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:38-40).

Christ’s words were twisted and used as an accusation against Him before Caiaphas — And [they] said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days (Matthew 26:61).

Jesus told the disciples that He would send the Spirit who would remind them of what He had taught. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).

Scripture (verse 22) —The body of Old Testament Scripture prophesying the resurrection.

13 And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

15 And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not My Father’s house an house of merchandise.

17 And His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

Jew’s Passover — John may have used this terminology because Israel was spiritually dead. Passover was no longer a “feast of Jehovah,” just a Jewish ceremony. In addition, when John wrote this, the temple had been destroyed.

This wasn’t the same temple clearing mentioned in Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15 and Luke 19:45. That one was on Jesus’ last trip to Jerusalem.

Arthur W. Pink, in his Exposition on the Gospel of John, thinks there was only one cleansing of the temple which occurred at the end of Jesus’ ministry but that John recorded it here to show Israel’s spiritual deadness. I don’t think I agree with him.

The courtyard of the temple was full of animals sold for sacrifices, commercializing the holy functions and violating Deuteronomy 12:6 which instructed that the Jews were supposed to supply their own sacrifices — And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks.

In addition, the outer court was reserved for Gentiles for prayer.

There will be another cleansing in the future — Matthew 24:15; Revelation 6:16; Revelation 13

Money changers changed currency from the common coins into temple money that did not have images of animals or men.

Temple (in verses 14-15) — hieron, the whole temple

Temple (in verse 19) — naos, the inner sanctuary. The same word is used in 1 Corinthians 6:19 — What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

My Father’s house — He was declaring His Divine Sonship.

The quote in verse 17 is from Psalm 69:9 — For the zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon me.

For Passover, all leaven had to be removed from the homes of all Jews. Jesus was removing the leaven from the temple. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world (1 Corinthians 5:8-10). Leaven includes the covetous and extortioners, just what Jesus was dealing with in the temple.

The entire crowd fled before one Man, an indication of His holiness.

Interesting point — The cattle and sheep were driven out, but their owners would be able to recover them. The coins were dumped, but they could be picked up. The doves, which could not be recaptured, were not let go. Christ told their owners to remove them. He was angry, but He showed restraint.

1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2 And both Jesus was called, and His disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto Him, They have no wine.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And He saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him.

12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, and His mother, and His brethren, and His disciples: and they continued there not many days.

Nathanael was from Cana (John 21:2). Perhaps Jesus and the other disciples were visiting his home.

Third day — After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight (Hosea 6:2). This is a prophecy of the second coming, but could also have a partial fulfillment in Christ’s first coming.

Jesus’ presence at the wedding showed His approval of marriage.

Wedding feasts could last as long as a week.

Some commentaries state that the running out of wine and the empty water pots symbolize the emptiness of Judaism at this time.

Woman (not Mother) — It was God speaking, not Mary’s son.

What have I to do with thee? — This was a gentle rebuke. Jesus was no longer subject to His parents. He was distancing Himself.

My time has not yet come — He was on His Father’s timetable.

Mary accepted the rebuke — “Whatever He saith … “

Wine (as properly used) is a symbol of joy and gladness. This was a miracle of grace. It showed Jesus’ power of creation.

There’s no mention that Jesus did anything observable. The servants filled the pots and drew the water. The work was God’s but the means were human.

The water pots collectively held perhaps 180 gallons. They were normally used for the ceremonial cleansings of the Jews. They were filled to the brim. Nothing was added. 100% water was changed to 100% wine.

His glory (verse 11) — And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Perhaps only Mary, the servants and the disciples knew what had happened. It furthered the disciples’ belief.

Capernaum — on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. It became Jesus’ base of operations, but even so the citizens didn’t believe. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell (Luke 10:11).

Jesus’ brothers — Mark 6:3

“Mine hour is not yet come” (2:4) became the most solemn watchword of His life, marking the stages by which He drew nigh to His death. Seven references are made in this Gospel to that awful “hour.” The first is in our present passage in John 2:4. The second is found in 7:30 — “Then they sought to take Him: but no man laid hands on Him, because His hour was not yet come.” The third time is found in 8:20 — “And no man laid hands on Him; for His hour was not yet come.” The fourth is in 12:23 — “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.” The fifth is in 12:27 — “Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour; but for this cause came I unto this hour.” The sixth is in 16:32 — “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” The seventh is in 17:1 — “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.” This “hour” was the hour of His humiliation. It was the “hour” of His suffering. But why should Christ refer to this “hour” when Mary was seeking to dictate to Him? Ah, surely the answer is not far to seek. That awful “hour” to which He looked forward, was the time when He would be subject to man’s will, for then He would be delivered up into the hands of sinners. But until then, He was not to be ordered by man; instead, He was about His Father’s business, seeking only to do His will. — Pink, page 83-84.

45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

48 Nathanael saith unto Him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

49 Nathanael answered and saith unto Him, Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel.

50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

51 And He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Philip, at this point, may not have heard of Christ’s virgin birth. He just knew that He was the promised Messiah/King.

Nathanael = gift of God

Moses in the Law — The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken; according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him (Deuteronomy 18:15-18).

Nazareth — insignificant village. The people were called “Am-horatzin” (ignorant country people) But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And He marvelled because of their unbelief. And He went round about the villages, teaching (Mark 6:4-6).

son of Joseph — as commonly thought. And Jesus Himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli (Luke 3:23).

When Nathanael raised objections, Philip didn’t argue. He just said, “come and see.” When Nathanael, without guile, was confronted by Christ, he immediately believed.

Jesus knew Nathanael and knew about him, demonstrating His omniscience and omnipresence.

fig tree — one of the symbols of the Israelites. Sitting under the fig tree is a common Jewish metaphor for studying Scripture.

Jesus accepted the titles Son of God and King of Israel at the very start of His ministry. Yet have I set My king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee (Psalm 2:6-7).

angels descending — Jesus is the ladder from heaven to earth. To be fulfilled at His second coming. It’s a reference to Jacob’s ladder in Genesis 28.

no guile — genuine, sincere, without deceit or falsehood. Literally, without a trap

Son of Man — Christ’s identity as a human and His Messianic title from Daniel 7:14 — I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him.

In the book of John, only seven people realized Christ’s Deity.

1. John the Baptist (1:34)

2. Nathanael (1:49)

3. Peter (6:69)

4. Jesus Himself (10:36)

5. Martha (11:27)

6. Thomas (20:28)

7. John (20:31)

43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Philip = lover of horses

The commentaries all stress that Philip is an example of those who are saved because God calls them directly without the involvement of another person. Today, it would be someone saved by reading the Bible. I’m not sure how significant this is, but it is a common application.

Whatever the circumstances, everyone who trusts Christ can only do so because He gives the grace that enables us to do so.

40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, He said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

Simon = hearing

Jona = dove

shall be called — future time. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious (1 Peter 2:4).

Messiah/Christ = anointed one

stone — Peter would be a stone in the building of which Christ is the foundation

35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples.

36 And looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto Him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where He dwelt, and abode with Him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

John the Baptist’s ministry was to point people to Christ.

two disciples — Andrew and, probably John, the author of the book.

Andrew and John were disciples of John the Baptist who promised to show them the Messiah. They followed him until he did just that.

Rabbi — John interprets the title for his Greek readers

Where dwellest Thou? — they sought fellowship.

Come — Christ’s first recorded words in John. All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out (John 6:37).

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me (John 14:6).

tenth hour = four p.m.

This is the final recorded time John the Baptist saw Christ. His ministry was decreasing as Christ’s began.

John 1:35-42 tells of the disciples’ conversion. Mark 1:16-20, occurring later, is their call to service (which was to Israel and isn’t the focus of John’s gospel).

Four methods of conversion — 1) Andrew and John heard a preacher; 2) Peter was told by his brother; 3) Philip was sought out directly by Christ; 4) Nathanael heard from a friend.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him.

33 And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

This took place right after Jesus’ baptism by John.

dove — a type of the Holy Spirit throughout Scripture

He that sent me — God

John knew of Christ, but did not know Him until he saw the Spirit and knew Him to be the Son of God.

Spirit descending — And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:1-2).

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound (Isaiah 61:1).

baptizeth with the Spirit — Christ’s entire life-giving ministry.

abode — came and stayed

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

30 This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for He was before me.

31 And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

John knew of the prophecies of Jesus as Lamb. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not his mouth (Isaiah 53:7).

taketh away = take up, bear

taketh away sin (singular) — Christ’s cross-work, but also the ultimate removal of sin and its consequences in the new Heaven and new Earth. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely (Revelation 21:6).

This is He — John reminds his listeners of what he said the day before.

In the other gospels, John the Baptist announced Jesus as a lion — but that’s His second (kingdom) coming. This time, He came as a lamb.

I did not know Him — Probably John hadn’t seen Jesus before this, but even if he had, he didn’t know Him as Messiah until he saw the Spirit like a dove.

John came and baptized to make Israel aware of Christ’s coming, to prepare them.

Lamb:

• sinless — But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19)

• willing (led) — He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened He not His mouth (Acts 8:32).

• sacrifice — For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 9:26).

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not.

27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Quote from Isaiah 40:3— The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. This is a prophecy of Christ’s first and second coming. The Lord is a highway for God.

John heralds Christ, but he is only a voice. Again, his humility shows.

in the wilderness (the spiritual barrenness of Israel) — outside the dead temple and religious system

The Pharisees were big on rituals. They wanted to know what authority John had to baptize. Baptism expressed repentance. The Jordan River (lit. “descending) is a type of death. To be baptized meant an admittance that death was deserved.

Neither John’s kingdom message or his baptism has anything to do with the church.

Prior to this, baptism had been for Gentiles, a purification rite for converting to Judaism. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you (Ezekiel 36:24-25). But John was baptizing Jews!

John administered repentance; Jesus provided a new heart and spirit.

When John spoke of Christ, there is no indication the Pharisees responded.

shoe lachet — untying a sandal, the lowest of tasks

Bethabara — House of Passage — probably the same place where Joshua crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land. Now John was preparing passage into a new kingdom.