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Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put Him to death ... At last two came forward and said, "This Man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.'" (Matthew 26:59, 60b-61)
Have you ever wondered about the false testimony they dug up against Jesus? I mean, it's a really weird accusation. I suppose you could argue it was blasphemy, to threaten God's temple. But in fact, we know exactly what Jesus did say—and He never said a word about doing the destroying Himself. No, He was speaking to His enemies, and what He said to them was this: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19b). And John tells us Jesus was speaking about His own body.
What Jesus was saying was clear: "You do the destroying, and I will do the rebuilding. You destroy My body, where God Himself lives incarnate among human beings, and I will rise from the dead three days later."
Jesus is not a destroyer. Rather, He comes into the world to put an end to those who destroy, and to raise from the dead what has been destroyed. That's what He was doing when He surrendered His own body to death—and when He rose from the dead Easter morning. Jesus knows how we have been hurt, and what has been destroyed in our lives—and because He loves us, He is raising us up again with Him.
WE PRAY: Lord, see where I have been destroyed, and raise me, too! Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* How is Jesus' body a temple?
* Jesus' resurrection destroyed the power of death. So in what ways could you say that He is a destroyer, after all?
* If you're willing to share, mention an area of your life Jesus has brought new life to.
Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
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