#6 John 2:12-25

Leader:  Have your Student write down the Passage and the Questions then, give them a week to prepare.

Passage:  John 2:12-25  

Questions: 

• 1) What does Jesus show about himself at the temple?
• 2) What do verses 23-25 mean?
• 3) What questions do you have?

Then, this week the Student will:  

• Read the Passage every day!
• Handwrite the Passage
• Answer the questions 

When you do meet again, you will go over this… 

John 2:12-25

12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 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.

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Notes for Leader:  

Open your time together with prayer. Be sure to ask the Holy Spirit to lead the conversation and teach what needs to be learned and heard during your discussion. He will give you the words that you need! 

May you grow closer together and closer to Jesus.

Briefly review what you learned last week.  Now, let’s see what else we can discover about who Jesus is…

Here is what we noticed.

1) What does Jesus show about himself at the temple?

v.13 Jesus obeys the law

Deuteronomy 16:1-6

v.16 My Father’s House

v.19 tells future

v.21 He has a mission

2) What does verses 23-25 mean?

In John 1:12 it says “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—”

And in John 2:23 it says, “Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.” But in verse 24 it says, “But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.”

So there is a difference between the faiths that people are showing. Jesus withholds himself from those who are not his children.  The faith we see in Chapter 2 is not the same that was talked about in Chapter 1.  

The answer can also be found in the next passage, which you will look at next week.

The people believed that he was from God, that God was with him and they believed that he could do amazing signs, but their faith fell short of saving faith. They saw the signs, but not what they stood for, the Incarnate God on Earth here to save us from our sins.  They did not recognize that he is God and we are sinful before him.  

He did not entrust himself to them – Jesus gives himself fully to the children of God, he also knows our thoughts and our deepest longings, he knows if our faith is true, whether we are willing to admit it or not!

Jesus came with a distinct purpose and he does not give the crowd responsibility for Him or what he came to do.

For he knew all people – he knows our true motives.

Disciples (those who have faith in who he is), not crowds (those who are excited for the signs he can do), are his focus.

3) What questions do you have?

Don’t be nervous about this one… the Holy Spirit will help you answer.   If you are discipling a young child (and most others!), remember that they are not expecting a doctoral dissertation when you answer, so keep it simple and true.  And, it is ok to say, “I am not sure, let’s look into that together.”  And then add that question to your study for next week. 

Enjoy the conversation!  

Now, look ahead to next week’s study and give your student the next passage and questions to prepare this coming week.