The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

As I read this passage over, it presents a similar scenario we find quite often today: People wonder on what authority God’s children act with such zeal? It is actually a great question and it requires a confident answer. If we do not understand how to answer this question, we risk losing our zeal and our appeal. Jesus answers this in a subtle way, which his disciples pick up on much later in their faith journeys. But when they do … their faith is greatly strengthened! Let’s look at Jesus’ answer: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” We must look at this “riddle” in a few ways. 1) What temple is he referring to? 2) What does he mean by rebuilding the temple? 3) What action does he use to accomplish this and what does this action demonstrate to us?

The passage gives us the first answer, he was not referring to the temple building, but to his body, which was a living temple (residing place) of God. (I believe he was also referring to other temples I will detail in #2). This refers to his crucifixion and three days later, his resurrection and ascension into heaven. Second, what did he mean by rebuilding the temple? For this answer, we must consider what changed from the old way of meeting with God in the Temple (a building) and the new way of meeting with God. Prior to Jesus, Jews had to offer sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins and to have a right relationship with God. Now, Jesus FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THIS for all time. He paid the price for our sins on the cross. And he ushered in a new way for us to dwell with God. This was symbolized by the tearing in two of the very thick curtain separating the rest of the temple from the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was and where God resided. Before, only the high priest could enter once a year, now we can meet with God individually each day in our hearts. Jesus, in his death was the perfect sacrifice, breaking the chains of sin and death (or the hold sin had over all humanity). He then ascended into heaven and he now sits at the right hand of God the Father, as an intercessor for those who believe. 

God sees us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as pure and clean, if we call on his name. He also sent the Holy Spirit to his believers to live inside us, “God residing in us”, which makes us temples of God. So when he said he would rebuild this temple, he meant he would rebuild it in a much better way. It is actually not a physical place anymore — it is a living temple, which is the aggregate of all of the individual temples in all believers’ hearts for all time! Now that is a pretty awesome and amazing rebuild! What an upgrade! Finally, we must look at what this action represented. Jesus’ action, of coming to earth to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin and rescuing us from a life of sin, to be individually and collectively God’s Temple(s), was the ULTIMATE ACT OF SELF-SACRIFICE and the definition of a servant leader. Philippians 2:5-11 talks about this journey and his servant leadership. “He humbled himself”, “he made himself nothing”, “and he was obedient unto death— even on a cross”! This is what was attractive to his disciples. This is WHY THEY BELIEVED. They saw a man whose “walk” was stronger that his “talk”! He led by serving. Have you ever struggled with being taken at face value or being believable? WE must lead and gain credibility through serving.  We can do the same in our lives — we must submit to God through Jesus Christ and TRULY LIVE! Will we follow the Savior and live as a true Servant-leader today? Life and souls hang in the balance. May we be an accurate reflection of Jesus!