The House

In reading the Bible this morning, I read the Scripture found in the book of John 2:14-17.

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.  To those who sold doves He said “Get these out of here!  Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”  His disciples remembered that it is written “Zeal for your house shall consume me.”

I have always read this verse with the understanding that Jesus was concerned about the physical temple and what was happening in it.  On the surface, this is correct.  But I find a deeper meaning now when reading “zeal for your house shall consume me.”

As I continue reading, verse 19 of the same chapter it says, “Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days.”

Here Jesus refers to His body — the temple.

Just like Jesus reference to His body as the temple, so in this Scripture we find the same connotation.

What goes on in buildings called temples and churches was/is important to Jesus, but it’s the people who make things happen in these places.  They can be holy or sacrilegious.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own.  1 Corinthians 6:19

Zeal, as defined by dictionary.com, is fervent or enthusiastic devotion.

How comforting to know that the Creator of the universe has such zeal for me.

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