There is a verse in Psalm 69:9 that says, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” When Jesus went to Jerusalem as the Passover was approaching, what he saw provoked great zeal for the House of God.

As the time of the Jewish Passover was coming upon them, Jesus went to Jerusalem to the Temple. But when he arrived, he found that there were people in the temple that were selling cattle, doves and sheep.  Seeing this, Jesus became upset and made a whip and drove the men out of the temple area and overturned their tables.  He said, “How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”

The Jews were angry that he would destroy the market they had set up. They demanded that he show them some sort of miracle to prove that he had the authority over the priests to do what he had done.  Jesus looked at them and said, “Destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in 3 days.”

The Jews thought this was preposterous as it was an impossible feat. However, Jesus wasn’t speaking about the physical temple they were standing in, but he was talking about himself.  He was speaking of when he would be crucified and resurrected in three days. That was why he had the authority to demand holiness in the Temple; because, he was God in Flesh.

After his crucifixion and resurrection, the disciples reflected back on his words in the temple that day and believed in the Scripture and the words Jesus had spoken.