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John 2:19
Some have interpreted this verse to mean that Jesus Christ raised himself from the dead, which is based in Gnosticism—particularly Docetism, the belief that Jesus was a human, but Christ was a separate, spiritual being. This false belief manifests itself in the notion of Jesus being "fully man and fully God." This interpretation overlooks the plain meaning of "temple" in the Greek. The word "temple" also appears in verse 14, but it derives from a different Greek word, hieron, meaning a "shrine" or "holy building." In verses 19-21, John uses the word naos, signifying the "dwelling place" of deity.
In the New Testament, naos is used metaphorically of the bodies of believers (I Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19). Whereas the Jews of John 2:19 were thinking in terms of a building, the Temple, Jesus was referring to His body, the church.
During Jesus' trial, the Jews brought up what He said in John 2:19 as an accusation against him. However, Mark 14:58 adds two significant phrases that clarify what Jesus said beyond a shadow of doubt: "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.'"
To understand what He meant, we must consider what occurred as a result of His death and resurrection. The instant God the Father raised Jesus from the dead, the church—the "body" in which God dwells—became an accomplished fact. Jesus Christ is its first member and Head. This is also one of the senses of Matthew 16:18: "On this rock [Jesus Himself] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades [the grave] shall not prevail against it."
The true meaning, then, of John 2:19 is that Jesus makes a parable-like statement about His nature then and in the future. His physical body at that time represented the extent of His church; He was the only believer, its only member. But once the Father resurrected Him and He became Mediator and High Priest, He indeed raised up a body of believers, the Temple of God, of which we are part.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Fully Man and Fully God?Related Topics: Church, The | Docetism | Fully Man and Fully God | Gnosticism | Hieron | Jesus Christ's Death | Jesus Christ's Resurrection | Naos | TempleOther Forerunner Commentary entries containing John 2:19:
Matthew 12:38-40
Matthew 12:38-40
Luke 2:11-14
John 3:1-12
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What Does John 2:19 Mean?
Some have interpreted John 2:19 to mean that Jesus Christ raised himself from the dead, rooted in Gnosticism and Docetism, which views Jesus as fully man and fully God. This overlooks the Greek word naos in verses 19-21, signifying the dwelling place of deity, used metaphorically for believers' bodies. Jesus referred to his body as the church, not the physical temple (hieron). Mark 14:58 clarifies: "I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands." Upon the Father raising Jesus, the church became reality, with him as its first member and Head, fulfilling Matthew 16:18. John 2:19 parabolically describes his body then as the sole church member, raised as the temple of believers.