When
therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
John 2:22
John 2 [19.] Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
John 2 [20.] The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?” But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
John 2 [23.] Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. But Jesus didn’t trust himself to them, because he knew everyone, and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.
Meaning:
When the temple leaders demanded a sign (John 2:18), Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” His hearers thought he meant Herod's temple, which had been under construction for forty-six years, but “he spoke of the temple of his body” (John 2:19-21). This verse looks ahead to the time when the disciples finally understood what he meant.
- “When therefore he was raised from the dead”
John writes from the far side of Easter. At the time Jesus spoke, no one, not even his disciples, grasped the meaning of his words. Only after the resurrection did the saying make sense. The resurrection was the sign Jesus had promised, and it became the key that unlocked his teaching.
- “his disciples remembered that he said this”
Memory plays an important role in John's Gospel. The disciples had heard many sayings they did not understand at first. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit “will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you” (John 14:26). On another occasion John notes, “His disciples didn’t understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered” (John 12:16). The angels at the tomb said to the women, “Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee” (Luke 24:6).
- “and they believed the Scripture”
John does not name a particular passage. The point is that the resurrection opened the disciples' eyes to the whole Old Testament witness to Christ. After rising, Jesus “opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). Peter later preached that David foresaw the resurrection when he wrote, “neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). Paul summarised the gospel: “he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4).
- “and the word which Jesus had said”
The disciples placed Jesus' own words alongside the Scriptures as worthy of the same trust. His prediction had come true exactly. This shows the authority of Jesus' word: what he says, he does.
The Significance of John 2:22
- Understanding grows over time
Some things in God's word make sense only later, in the light of further experience. Believers can hold on to what they do not yet understand, trusting that God will make it clear in his time.
- The resurrection as the key
The resurrection of Jesus is the centre of Christian faith. It confirms his words, fulfils the Scriptures and shows that his body was the true temple, the place where God meets humanity.
- Trusting both Scripture and Jesus
The disciples believed both the Scripture and the word of Jesus. Christians today read the Old and New Testaments together, finding Christ at the heart of both.
Cross-References:
John 14:26: “he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.” The Spirit helps the disciples remember.
Luke 24:45: “Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.” The risen Jesus explains the Scriptures.
Psalm 16:10: “neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.” A psalm the apostles applied to the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:4: “he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” Paul's summary of the gospel.
Conclusion: John 2:22 explains that the disciples understood Jesus' saying about the temple of his body only after he rose from the dead. Remembering his words, they believed both the Scripture and what Jesus had said. The resurrection confirmed his word and opened their eyes to the Scriptures.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible