Did Jesus Tell an Untruth?

Yes, He did! I know it, you know it! And the people that heard him tell it certainly knew it!

Now before your call the theology cops on me, let me explain. In John 2:19, Jesus was in the temple and was very upset with the commercialism that was taking place there. He took matters into His own hands, made up a whip and chased the moneychangers and their flocks and herds out of the hallowed structure. “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market,” He yelled after them as they high-tailed it down the streets. Some of those closest to Him realized that the fire in his eyes and the zeal in His whip had some predicate in the ancient scriptures where it said of the coming prophet, "Zeal for your house will consume me." But those who had allowed this indecent commerce to take place in the temple demanded to know on what authority He stood to take such action. They demanded that He give them a sign. "What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"

This is where He uttered the sound-bite that would hit the Jerusalem news that evening. "Destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days," He predicts. Those who heard Him say it rushed to judgement on what He had said. Well, they finally had Him. There was absolutely no way this could happen! Yea, turn some water into wine -- no problem! Heal the sick, raise the dead? Ok, a bit more difficult, but maybe. But rebuild this structure that had taken 46 long years to build? No way! The headlines would read, "Jesus Confirmed to be a Liar!"

That analysis would take root in the hearts of the people. Years later, they would trot this statement out at Jesus' trial as proof that he was a deceiver of men. But you say, "He was talking about raising His body up in three days after His crucifixion! He did do that!" And indeed he did! But the people that heard these words did not know the whole story. They only heard the part that they wanted to hear and never got any deeper than that.

And that is the point I am trying to make in working on this narrative. How many unbelievers are unbelievers because they are cleverly hiding behind some Bible story that, in their mind, is obviously untrue, thereby rendering the entirety of the Bible to be untrue? That was the subterfuge for unbelief that a co-worker of mine was adopting when, in a discussion about creation, he said that he really couldn't believe in a book that says that God created the world in six days. How could that be true when the sun, moon, and stars were not even created until the fourth day. Obviously, having days before the sun was around would have been impossible. So, toss the whole book out.

But when I asked him my little routine about periods of time (See Unappreciated Originations Blog) and showed how Genesis 1 really showed how God created the week, he looked at me quite stunned and said that no one had ever taught him that! I had just destroyed something that had been standing between him and his believing the truth of the Gospel. Genesis 1 might not be a scientific explanation of how the world was created, but it certainly is a wonderful explanation of how the week, which enjoys universal acceptance around the world, was created. The Scribes and Pharisees, who firmly rejected Jesus because of his three day prediction, had to reevaluate their understanding of Jesus after He rose from the grave after three days. In a similar fashion, this young man suddenly had to reevaluate his rejection of the overall truth of the Bible just because he saw Genesis 1 as unscientific and untrue.