John 2:13-25
13 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 pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then 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 about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
Reflection
In Israel’s history, God graciously dwelled in the midst of his people at the temple. However, the temple was never intended to be God’s permanent home. It was essential but ultimately temporary. The abuses we see in this passage exposed just how broken and sinful God’s worshipers had become. Something better was promised, and it has arrived with Jesus, the true and final temple (John 2:19–21). He is the place where God’s presence dwells — the One through whom we have access to God the Father through the Spirit (cf. Eph. 2:18; Heb. 10:19–22).
Titus 1:1-9
1: Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began 3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith:Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Reflection
The leadership position of elder exists in the church for the sake of the gospel. Paul instructs Titus to “appoint elders in every town” (Titus 1:5) who are upright men. The final mark of an elder is that he cherishes “the trustworthy word as taught”— that is, the gospel. Elders are able to offer the church reliable teaching (“sound doctrine”; v. 9) that unpacks the gospel and its implications. Elders are, first and foremost, gospel men.
Psalm 5:7
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
Enter into the very presence of God through the true temple, Jesus Christ. By faith in him we can draw near to God with a cleansed conscience because our sins have been forgiven (Heb. 10:19–22).