When Jesus entered the Gentile area of the temple, He did not find what He should have found.  He was supposed to find a strong Jewish witness to the visiting Gentiles of God’s love for them, but instead found Jewish financial exploitation.  He became righteously enraged at what He saw and heard. 

Jesus reacted by making a whip of cords and moved everyone and everything out of the area who was not supposed to be there.  He was deeply affected by the selfishness and hypocrisy of those using the Passover celebration for personal profit at Gentile expense.

He interpreted His actions by saying, “Take these things away!  Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

Jesus’ heart burned for God’s restored glory in Israel.  His actions revealed His heart.  Jesus was not cruel in what He did, but was righteously judging unholy irreverence.  The disciples saw the righteous indignation and were reminded of David’s statement, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

The disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ actions was one of respect.  They saw in Him one who was willing to “fight” for righteousness and Jehovah’s honor.  The offending Jews who were profiting from this financial exploitation also responded to Jesus.  Instead of accepting rebuke for what was obviously wrong, they arrogantly questioned Jesus’ right to oppose them.  The truth is, anyone had the moral right to do what Jesus did, not just a prophet.  The Jews were power-conscious and they saw what Jesus did as an affront to their authority in Israel.  This is what they had on their mind when they asked Jesus, “What sign do you show to us, since you do these things?”

The Jewish leaders’ question reveals much about them.  They held their positions of power and would not allow mere moral indignation to stop their exploitative acts.  The common man was helpless to do anything about this situation. Unless someone with “a sign” opposed them, the challenge was not accepted.  This effectively eliminated major opposition.  The Jews should have been ashamed but to their discredit they were only annoyed.

They opposed all challenges to their power and Jesus knew that eventually they would resort to murder in order to protect their power base and authority.  So Jesus looked ahead for the only sign He would give them: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

He connected His main purpose for the Incarnation and their murderous lust for power by pointing ahead to the time when both would cross paths -- His crucifixion.

The Jews in verse 20 did not understand what He meant, nor did they ask for an explanation.  They really did not care!  The disciples, however, after Jesus’ resurrection remembered what He said “at the beginning” of His ministry and their faith was strengthened.  Jesus knew what was ahead of Him but still went forward into the jaws of Jewish power.  This resulted in His death; but that was the very reason he came to earth in the first place.

John chapter 3 revolves around verbal interchange between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee and teacher of the Jews.  It begins with Nicodemus’ approach to Jesus with religious questions.  His approach to Jesus was a response to the ministry of Jesus.  The actions of Jesus provoked honest inquiry.  According to verse 2, Nicodemus was only one of other Jewish teachers who were intrigued by Jesus.  Nicodemus was sent as their representative.  “We all know that God has sent you to teach us.  Your miraculous signs are proof enough that God is with you” 

Nicodemus recognized Jesus as a teacher sent by God, so Jesus begins to teach.  We need to recognize that Jesus was not only teaching Nicodemus, but He was also teaching the other interested Jewish teachers as well.  What Nicodemus heard he told to the others.  We should not see this as just a private teaching for Nicodemus.  Jesus wanted Nicodemus and the others who still had open hearts to hear that God ways were different from theirs.  God requires, and always has required, a spiritual relationship with His people.  This relationship is not natural.  Natural man, if left to himself, cannot relate to God.  He must receive grace from God first.

A recurring theme throughout Jesus’ ministry is His claim to be more than just a human teacher and the unbelieving Jews’ view that He was an illegitimate Samaritan child (John 8:41 and 48).  He claimed to be someone entirely new to this world.  He claimed to be equal with God, that God was His literal Father, that He existed before His birth into the world, and that He was Giver of eternal life and forgiver of sins.  Jesus repeatly said to them, “If you do not believe Me, believe the works I do that I come from God.”

John 8 tells us that the Jews knew of the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth.  They knew that Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father.  If Joseph was not his father then who was?  Either another man impregnated Mary or something special had happened.  Jesus tells Nicodemus face-to-face that God is His Father, that He comes from heaven, and that He would die so that eternal life could be given as God’s gift to all who believe. 

Nicodemus took this message back to the Jewish teachers and leaders.  Jesus continued to build on the themes he taught Nicodemus throughout His ministry.  He continued to press the issue of His true identity and mission.  John 3 records the gospel in a nutshell.  All later teachings merely fill out and expand our understanding about what Jesus is saying here.  Jesus continued to perform miracles to validate His message and mission.  For three years Jesus taught.  And for three years the Jewish teachers and leaders evaluated Him.  As John 19:39 records, Nicodemus eventually becomes a believer.  He came to Jesus with honest inquiry.  He watched and listened to Jesus speak and act.  And he believed.  Nicodemus may not have completely understood Jesus’ full identity, but he knew that Jesus was indeed sent from God and that His message was true.  Unfortunately, others saw the same acts and heard the same message but rejected Him.  They did not want what He was offering.