3 Day Temple

Jesus says he can raise a destroyed temple in 3 days. The Jews balk at the idea, but the math points to something different than the physical temple the Jews were focused on.

John 2:13-22

FA ¹³The passover of the Jews was nearing so Joshua went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴He found in the temple those who were buying oxen and sheep and doves and the money changers sitting. ¹⁵He made a whip of cord and drove them all out of the temple, even the sheep and the oxen and the money changers, and he threw out their exchange money and upset their trays. ¹⁶To those who sold doves he said, Take these away from here. Do not make the house of my father a house of trading. John 2:13-16¹⁷His disciples remembered that it is written, Zeal for your house has given me courage. Q Psalms 69:9 John 2:17¹⁸The Jews answered saying to him, What sign do you show us that you are doing these things? John 2:18¹⁹Joshua answered saying to them, Tear down this temple and in 3 days I will raise it up. John 2:19²⁰The Jews said to him, It took 46 years to build this temple. Will you raise it up in 3 days? John 2:20²¹But he spoke concerning the temple of his body. ²²When he rose from the dead his disciples remembered that he had said this and they believed the writings and the word which Joshua had said. A Zechariah 6:12 John 2:21-22 (John 2:13-22 BRB)

Count

3+46+3 = 52 = Ephesians

Ephesians

The explanation given in John for what Jesus said is that he was referring to his own body, not the building in Jerusalem. But this too is tricky. While Jesus' physical body was raised to life in the third day after his death by crucifixion, the meaning of time and his body in the Bible allows for a second layer to this story, a resurrection of believers in Jesus (his body) in the third millenium from the crucifixion (days can be 1000 year periods in stories where Jesus or Yahvah are speaking or acting). The math in John points to Ephesians where both the personal fulfillment in Jesus and the still future macro view are captured.

Here's a piece from the opening passage of Ephesians that focuses on the resurrection of Jesus and makes the point that his body is actually a group of people.

¹⁵Therefore, I also, since I heard of your belief in our master Joshua the anointed, and your love toward all the holy, ¹⁶never cease to give thanks for your sakes and to mention you in my prayers, ¹⁷so that the god of our master Joshua the anointed, the father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸and so that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the glorious riches of his inheritance in the holy, ¹⁹and what is the exceeding greatness of his power in us as the result of the things we believe, according to the skill of his mighty power, ²⁰which he worked through the anointed when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the skies, ²¹higher than all 1|5 principalities, 2|5 and rulers, 3|5 and powers, 4|5 and masterships, 5|5 and higher than every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world which is to come, ²²and has put all things under his feet, and made him who is above all things the head of the assembly, ²³which is his body, and confirmation of him who fulfills all things and everything. Ephesians 1:15-23 (Ephesians 1:15-23 BRB)

Skipping a bit, this next passage in Ephesians makes the point that the people who comprise the body of Jesus are themselves being built into a temple.

¹¹Therefore remember that you were peoples from the 1st in the flesh and you were called, Uncircumcision, differing from what is called, Circumcision, and is a work of the hands in the flesh. ¹²At that time 1|4 you were without the anointed 2|4 and you were aliens to the customs of Israel 3|4 and were strangers to the contracts of the promise 4|4 and you were without hope and without god in the world. ¹³But now in Joshua the anointed you who were far off at 1st are brought near by the blood of the anointed. Ephesians 2:11-13¹⁴For he is our peace who has made 2 1 and has broken down the wall of separation between them. ¹⁵He has abolished by his precious body the enmity between them and he has abolished by his commandments the command of the law that from the 2 he may create in his person 1 new man, thus making peace. ¹⁶He reconciled 2 in 1 body with god and with his cross he destroyed the enmity. ¹⁷He came and preached peace to you far away and to those near. ¹⁸Through him we are able to draw near to the father, 2 in 1 spirit. Ephesians 2:14-18¹⁹Thus, from now on you are not strangers nor foreigners, but children from the city of the holy and children in the house of god. ²⁰You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets and he is the head of the corner of the building, Joshua the anointed. ²¹Through him the whole building is fashioned and grows into a holy temple in the master. ²²You are also built by him for a habitation of god through the spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 (Ephesians 2:11-22 BRB)

The culmination of this process is likely a resurrection event on the third day (in the third millenium) from Jesus that finishes the raising of his temple illustrated prophetically by his own personal resurrection on the third day.

Clearly, there are other resurrection passages not in the book of Ephesians, but this series actually establishes the key linkage that a group of people comprise his body, and are themselves being built into a temple (Peter picks up on this as well).

Ryan Eaton 2012-07-18