Jesus answered, “Tear down this Temple, and in three days I will build it again.”
An Innocent Man Was Murdered Under False Accusation
Did Jesus say as many claim he said that he would tear down the Temple and rebuild it in three days?
No he did not. Yet this statement was attributed to him by those who went to the High Priest asking the charges be brought against him and is still repeated today.
The gospel of Mark relates their false accusation against him:
Mark 14:57-61a
57 Some stood up, and gave false testimony against him, saying,
58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’”
59 Even so, their testimony did not agree.
60 The high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?”
61 But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing.
Their testimony was completely false.
In the gospel John wrote, it is revealed what Jesus’ actual comments were.
Just after running the money changers out of the Temple, John wrote what Jesus actually said:
John 2:16-21
16 To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here. Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace.”
17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 The Jewish leaders therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20 The Jewish leaders therefore said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?”
21 But he spoke of the temple of his body.
Jesus did not tell them that he would destroy the existng Temple at all.
His words were in effect saying if ‘they’ destroyed that Temple that he had the power to rebuild it in three days. Which he did by his ransom sacrifice.
Even though the physical Temple structure was still standing, they had already destroyed it by their godless deeds and made it unclean. God’s Spirit could no longer dwell there and would soon depart. And they had rejected God’s Messiah who was His chosen High Priest.
God was instituting a ‘new arrangement’ in Christ and that came into being 3 days after Jesus had been crucified. This is what he was speaking of; but they failed to grasp the meaning of his words.
At the very moment life left from Jesus as he hung on the cross the Bible tell us what happened in the Temple:
Matthew 27:51
51 And look, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
The curtain mentioned was the curtain between the Santuary and the Most Holy compartment. This was God’s Spirit leaving the Temple.
Jesus had told them this would happen:
Matthew 23:37,38
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her. How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not.
38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.
Compare Luke 13:35,36
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
These events were the fulfillment of Jesus words. He was indeed innocent of the charges that were brought against him and that day they murdered and innocent man.
They not only took his words literally, but attributed things to him that he did not say. This false testimony was the major factor that led to charges being brought against him fore they were very proud of the Temple structure.
The former Temple arrangement was destroyed at Jesus death and 3 days later the finer new Temple arrangement came into existence.
When Jesus returned to Heaven he was anointed and consecrated as High Priest in Heaven.
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