«6----το.
οἴκου σου κατέφαγέ} µε.
= Pe ir “ct , a , τρ “ ~ a εἶπον atta, “*Ti σημεῖον δεικνύεις ἡμῖν, ὅτι ταῦτα ποιεῖς ; 19. ᾽Απεκρίθη ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “ Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον,
1 καταφαγεται in all uncials.
who looked deeper must ultimately have seen that the Messiah alone had a right to feel Himself in this sense the Chosen of Jehovah. As yet, however, there were no such observers. The followers by whom He was already surrounded did not require to deduce His Messiahship from this: they knew He was the Messiah.” Make not my Father’s house οἶκον ἐμπορίου. In Mk. xi. 17 the words are given as running, ‘Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves”; which seems to be a combination of Is, lvi. 7, ‘‘ Mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people,” and Jer. vii. 11, ‘‘ Is this house which is called by my name become a den of robbers in your eyes?” In the οἶκος ἐμπορίου there may be a reminis- cence of Zech. xiv. 21.
At ver. 18 the cleft begins to open between faith and unbelief. In the act in which the disciples had seen the fulfil- ment of a Messianic Psalm, the Jews see only an unauthorised interference and assumption of authority. Characteris- tically they ask for a sign.—ot ᾿Ιουδαῖοι, as frequent in John, means ‘‘ the Jewish authorities”; and ἀπεκρίθησαν is used as elsewhere of a reply to what has been suggested or affirmed not by word but by ἀεεά.-- τί σημεῖον δεικνύεις ἡμῖν, ὅτι ταῦτα ποιεῖς; ὅτι is used similarly in ix. 17 = εἰς ἐκεῖνο ὅτι. The blindness of the Jews is enough to put external evidence for ever out of repute. They never will see the sign in the thing itself. The fact that Jesus by one blow accom- plished a much needed reform of an abuse over which devout men must often have sighed and which perhaps in- genuous Leyites had striven to keep within limits, the fact that this unknown youth had done what none of the consti- tuted authorities had been able to do, was surely itself the greatest σημεῖον. Might they not rather have said: Here is one who treats things radically, who does not leave grievances to mend themselves but effectively puts His hand to the work ? But this blindness is characteristic. They never see that Jesus Himself is the great sign, but are always craving for some extraneous testimony. This Gospel
EYATTEAION 709 18. ᾿Απεκρίθησαν οὖν ot Ιουδαῖοι καὶ
>> t vi. 30. Mt.
xii. 38 and
xvi. 1. I
Cor. i. a2.
throughout is an exhibition of the com- parative value of external and internal evidence. To their request Jesus could not answer, ‘“‘Iam the Messiah”. He wished that to be the people’s discovery from their knowledge of Him. He therefore answers (ver. 19), Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῷ αὐτόν. The saying was meant to be enigmatical. Jesus spoke in parables when He wished to be understood by the spiritual and to baffle the hostile. Those who cross-question Him and treat Him as a subject to be investigated find no satisfaction. John tells us (ver. 21) that here He spoke of the ‘‘temple of His body”’, Bengel suggests that He may have indicated this, ‘‘adhibito nutu ges- tuve”’; others suggest that He may have given such an zmphasis to τοῦτον as to suggest what He intended; but this is ex- cluded by ver. 22, which informs us that it was only after the resurrection that the disciples themselves understood what was meant. Those who heard considered it an idle challenge which He knew could not be put to the proof. He knew they would not destroy their unfinished Temple. His words then had one mean- ing for Himself; another for those who heard. For Himself they meant: ‘‘ Destroy this body of mine in which dwells the Father and I will raise it in three days”. He said this, knowing they would not now understand Him, but that this would be the great sign of His authority. Paul refers the resurrec- tion of Christ to the Father or to the Spirit ; John here, as in x. 17, 18, refers it directly to Christ Himself.