The interpretation of verses 13-22 of John 2?

Answer 1

AnswerThis passage begins with the "cleansing of the Temple". In the synoptic gospels, it occurred just before the arrest and trial of Jesus, and in fact was largely the reason for that arrest. In John, Jesus overturned the tables and drove the moneychangers from the Temple right at the beginning of his three-year minnistry.

The author of John's Gospel is well known for his indulgence in plays on words. All the gospels were written after the destruction of the Temple, and so, beginning with Mark, incorporate a prophecy that the Temple would be destroyed. However, to John, the real temple is the body, so he has Jesus refer to his own future crucifixion and resurrection. He says that if you destroy this temple (which the Jews understand to be the Temple in which Jesus overturned the tables, but which he really meant to be his own body) then in three days he would raise the temple up again. john says that later, after the resurrection, the disciples remembered Jesus' words and believed.

Answer 2

Jesus said "destroy this temple, and in 3 days I will raise it up". The Jews that heard this misinterpreted Jesus and said "it took 46 years to build the temple and you will destroy it in 3 days". Jesus was talking about the temple of His body; a prophecy of His death and resurrection.