Lesson 6 - Christ Cleanses the Temple

Introduction: In our last lesson we learned that Jesus has power to forgive and cleanse us. In this lesson we will learn about one aspect of our lives that Jesus wants to cleanse.

1. Why did God ask the Israelites to build Him a sanctuary? Ex. 25:8

(Exodus 25:8 NKJV) ""And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them."

[Note: God's real throne is in the sanctuary in heaven, but He manifested His presence in the earthly sanctuary (and temple) so that His people might realize His nearness. The Further-study verses are Ps. 11:4; Heb. 8:1 2; 2 Chron. 6:18 12; 7:1.]

2. What was one of the first things Jesus did after beginning His earthly ministry? John 2:14-17

(John 2:14-17 NKJV) "And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. {15} When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. {16} And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!" {17} Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.""

[Ans. He cleansed the temple. Mark 11:15-17; Matt. 21:12, 13]

3. At the end of Jesus' ministry He again cleansed the temple. But because the religious leaders and people refused to keep the temple spiritually clean, God deserted it and it was soon destroyed. Although that temple no longer exists, does God still have a sacred dwelling place on earth? 1 Cor. 6:19, 20 [John 14:23]

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV) "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? {20} For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

4. In the New Testament, the Christian church and the Christian himself are called temples, because God desired to dwell within both. What will God do if we defile His temple? 1 Cor. 3:16, 17 [John 2:19, 21]

(1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV) "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? {17} If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."

5. What is one way that Daniel believed his body temple could be defiled? Dan. 1:8, 12 [1 Cor. 9:25, 27]

(Daniel 1:8 NKJV) "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself."

(Daniel 1:12 NKJV) ""Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink."

6. What was the original diet God created for human beings? Gen. 1:29 [Gen. 9:3, 4; 7:2]

(Genesis 1:29 NKJV) "And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food."

7. Man's original diet for the first 1656 years was of fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables; and the average lifespan was 912 years! When vegetation was destroyed by the flood, God gave permission for the people to eat animal flesh. He had made provision for this by bringing extra of the "clean" animals into the ark. Why did God prohibit the Israelites from eating "unclean" animals? Deut. 14:2. What are some of these "unclean" creatures? Verses 3-20 [1 Peter 2:9; Lev. 11:147]

(Deuteronomy 14:3-20 NKJV) ""You shall not eat any detestable thing. {4} "These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, {5} "the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the mountain goat, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. {6} "And you may eat every animal with cloven hooves, having the hoof split into two parts, and that chews the cud, among the animals. {7} "Nevertheless, of those that chew the cud or have cloven hooves, you shall not eat, such as these: the camel, the hare, and the rock hyrax; for they chew the cud but do not have cloven hooves; they are unclean for you. {8} "Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses. {9} "These you may eat of all that are in the waters: you may eat all that have fins and scales. {10} "And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you. {11} "All clean birds you may eat. {12} "But these you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, {13} "the red kite, the falcon, and the kite after their kinds; {14} "every raven after its kind; {15} "the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the seagull, and the hawk after their kinds; {16} "the little owl, the screech owl, the white owl, {17} "the jackdaw, the carrion vulture, the fisher owl, {18} "the stork, the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe and the bat. {19} "Also every creeping thing that flies is unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. {20} "You may eat all clean birds."

8. Some people, by misapplying Scripture, have suggested that these health laws from our Creator were only for the Jews (though Gentile bodies are really no different!). Paul's counsels on health were to the Gentiles (e. g., 1 Cor. 6:10, 19, 20; 10:31). How, and when, will God judge those who rebel against Him by defying His health laws? Isa. 66:15-17 [Rev. 21:27].

(Isaiah 66:15-17 NKJV) "For behold, the LORD will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. {16} For by fire and by His sword The LORD will judge all flesh; And the slain of the LORD shall be many. {17} "Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine's flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together," says the LORD."

9. Besides eating "unclean" meat, what is another way we can defile the body? Prov. 23:29-33

(Proverbs 23:29-33 NKJV) "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? {30} Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. {31} Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; {32} At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. {33} Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things."

[Note: In Bible times, wine meant grape juice--either fermented or fresh. Here it says, "Do not look on the wine when" it turns "red" and "swirls . . . smoothly." In other words, do not drink grape juice (or any other juice) after it has fermented. 1 Cor. 6:9-11]

10. Although cigarettes were not yet "invented" in Bible times, does not tobacco defile the body?

[Note: Deut. 29:18 warns against a "poisonous herb"--KJV margin.]

11. How does Paul summarize the way we are to treat our body-temples? 1 Cor. 10:31 [1 Thess. 5:23]

(1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV) "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

12. What has God promised people who obey Him? Ex. 15:26

(Exodus 15:26 KJV) "And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee."

[Note: Though at times we may have infirmities which God does not choose to heal (see 2 Cor. 12:7-9), yet by following God's counsels we will have better health, and nothing will happen to us but what is for our best good; and ultimately we will be perfectly healed when Jesus restores His kingdom! 3 John 2]

Commitment: Today Jesus is asking us to respect our bodytemples so that we may have clearer minds and better health, and may be able to render Him more faithful service. Will you ask Him to give you power over everything that tends to defile the body?

Notes: There are some texts which, when taken out of context, could be "twisted to our own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16). Jesus said that "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth" (Matt. 15:11). But Jesus was not talking about food. He was not contradicting Scripture. The Pharisees He was addressing were not questioning food at all, but their human tradition of ritual washing before eating (verses 2, 20). Peter certainly did not understand Jesus to be changing the health laws, for years later he was given a vision of "all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' But Peter said, 'Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean'" (Acts 10:12-14). Perhaps there were lizards, cats, tigers, vultures, snakes, dogs-we probably would have asked to be excused too! But the vision was symbolic. Peter knew that. After the vision he "wondered within himself what the vision meant" (verse 17). And then he was "shown" that he "should not call any man common or unclean" (verse 28). The Jews called the Gentiles unclean dogs, but the time had come to take the gospel to these Gentiles. Read the whole account in Acts 10:9 to 11:18. Romans 14:2 says that "He who is weak eats only vegetables." Meat was offered to idols, and those who were weak in the faith still superstitiously avoided food offered to idols. See 1 Cor. 8:4-11.

Further Study Verses

Question 1 - Further Study

(Psalms 11:4 NKJV) "The LORD is in His holy temple, The Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men."

(Hebrews 8:1-2 NKJV) "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, {2} a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man."

(2 Chronicles 6:12 NKJV) "Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands"

(2 Chronicles 6:18 NKJV) ""But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!"

(2 Chronicles 7:1 NKJV) "When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple." -->Back to Study

Question 2 - Further Study

(Mark 11:15-17 NKJV) "So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. {16} And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. {17} Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'""

(Matthew 21:12-13 NKJV) "Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. {13} And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"" -->Back to Study

Question 3 - Further Study

(John 14:23 NKJV) "Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." -->Back to Study

Question 4 - Further Study

(John 2:19 NKJV) "Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.""

(John 2:21 NKJV) "But He was speaking of the temple of His body." -->Back to Study

Question 5 - Further Study

(1 Corinthians 9:25 NKJV) "And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown."

(1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV) "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." -->Back to Study

Question 6 - Further Study

(Genesis 7:2 NKJV) ""You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female;"

(Genesis 9:3-4 NKJV) ""Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. {4} "But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood." -->Back to Study

Question 7 - Further Study

(Leviticus 11 NKJV) "Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, {2} "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth: {3} 'Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud; that you may eat. {4} 'Nevertheless these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; {5} 'the rock hyrax, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; {6} 'the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; {7} 'and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. {8} 'Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you. {9} 'These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers; that you may eat. {10} 'But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you. {11} 'They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination. {12} 'Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales; that shall be an abomination to you. {13} 'And these you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, {14} 'the kite, and the falcon after its kind; {15} 'every raven after its kind, {16} 'the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the sea gull, and the hawk after its kind; {17} 'the little owl, the fisher owl, and the screech owl; {18} 'the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture; {19} 'the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. {20} 'All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you. {21} 'Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. {22} 'These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. {23} 'But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you. {24} 'By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until evening; {25} 'whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening: {26} 'The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean. {27} 'And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening. {28} 'Whoever carries any such carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. It is unclean to you. {29} 'These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind; {30} 'the gecko, the monitor lizard, the sand reptile, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. {31} 'These are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening. {32} 'Anything on which any of them falls, when they are dead shall be unclean, whether it is any item of wood or clothing or skin or sack, whatever item it is, in which any work is done, it must be put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening; then it shall be clean. {33} 'Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls you shall break; and whatever is in it shall be unclean: {34} 'in such a vessel, any edible food upon which water falls becomes unclean, and any drink that may be drunk from it becomes unclean. {35} 'And everything on which a part of any such carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it is an oven or cooking stove, it shall be broken down; for they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. {36} 'Nevertheless a spring or a cistern, in which there is plenty of water, shall be clean, but whatever touches any such carcass becomes unclean. {37} 'And if a part of any such carcass falls on any planting seed which is to be sown, it remains clean. {38} 'But if water is put on the seed, and if a part of any such carcass falls on it, it becomes unclean to you. {39} 'And if any animal which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until evening. {40} 'He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. {41} 'And every creeping thing that creeps on the earth shall be an abomination. It shall not be eaten. {42} 'Whatever crawls on its belly, whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet among all creeping things that creep on the earth; these you shall not eat, for they are an abomination. {43} 'You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps; nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them. {44} 'For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. {45} 'For I am the LORD who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. {46} 'This is the law of the animals and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, {47} 'to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.'""

(1 Peter 2:9 NKJV) "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" -->Back to Study

Question 8 - Further Study

(1 Corinthians 6:10 NKJV) "nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."

(1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV) "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

(Revelation 21:27 NKJV) "But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life." -->Back to Study

Question 9 - Further Study

(1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NKJV) "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, {10} nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. {11} And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." -->Back to Study

Question 11 - Further Study

(1 Thessalonians 5:23 KJV) "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." -->Back to Study

Question 12 - Further Study

(2 Corinthians 12:7-9 KJV) "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. {8} For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. {9} And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

(3 John 1:2 KJV) "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." -->Back to Study

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Last Updated: 06/18/03