I will raise it again in three days

John 2:18–22

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.

I. I Will Raise It Again

The Jews asked Jesus for a sign to prove His authority to do what Jesus did in John 2:15-16 (18).

The Jews’ requests for such signs are written often in the books of the Gospel. Such issues were raised due to their unbelief after Jesus did the works of God. As this issue can be raised for any ministry, it is interesting to know how Jesus solved this problem. See v19.

Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’

They misunderstood His answer (20) because they interpreted it literally. The correct interpretation of His answer is found in v21 and v22.

‘this temple’ (20) meant not the building but ‘His body’ (21). After Jesus died on the cross, He was raised back to life in three days. “I will raise it” indicates that Jesus has the authority to raise Himself (John 10:18). More verses (e.g, Ephesians 1:20, Acts 2:24) express that God, the Father, raised Jesus (the Son).

The Messiah’s death and resurrection are foretold in Isaiah 53:1-12 and Psalms 16:9-11.

Psalm 16:10 shows the resurrection for God’s faithful one.

because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,

nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

II. In Three Days

Regarding ‘in three days’ (19), we can refer to Hosea 6:1-3.

‘Come, let us return to the Lord.

He has torn us to pieces

but he will heal us;

he has injured us

but he will bind up our wounds.

2 After two days he will revive us;

on the third day he will restore us,

that we may live in his presence.

3 Let us acknowledge the Lord;

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely as the sun rises,

he will appear;

he will come to us like the winter rains,

like the spring rains that water the earth.’

Jesus trusted God and obeyed God’s will to death – even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). Even though Jesus was torn, injured (Hosea 6:1) and died,  God raised Him in three days (Hosea 6:2). God exalted Him to the highest place (see Philippians 2:9-11). We call this ‘Divine Reversal’.

We can learn the following from Hosea 6:3.

We need to acknowledge the Lord. He will come to rescue or reward as surely as the sun rises!

He will come to us

• like the winter rains after sowing the seed [2]
• like the spring rains (just) before the harvest [2]

See v22b.

Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken (22b).

The Scripture they believed may include Isaiah 53:1-12, Psalm 16:9-11, and Hosea 6:1-3.

References

[1] Lange, John Peter; Schaffer, Philip. A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John

[2] Lange, John Peter; Schaffer, Philip; Schmoller, Otto; McCurdy, J. Frederick. A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John