March 3, 2024 Daily Dose of Discernment

“Destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days.” (Jn 2:19)

In the Jewish mind and heart, the temple was heaven on earth. It was the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth, a testament to God’s choice and calling of Israel as instruments through whom the world would be reconciled to Him. But they became arrogant as to assume they were the exclusive recipient of His favor.

Instead of the temple being a house of prayer for all nations, it had become a place of discrimination against non-Jews. By cleansing it, Jesus was signaling the end of its preferential system and restoring its original design. He was fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy of the eunuch and the foreigner being welcome there and their offering being accepted. He willingly endured the destruction of the temple of His body to achieve this. By rising again in three days, He became the new temple and made Jew and Gentile one. Our calling today is to preserve that unity and live it out, starting right at the local church.