John 2 21

John 2:21 kjv

But he spake of the temple of his body.

John 2:21 nkjv

But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

John 2:21 niv

But the temple he had spoken of was his body.

John 2:21 esv

But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

John 2:21 nlt

But when Jesus said "this temple," he meant his own body.

John 2 verses

John 2 21 Meaning

John 2:21 clarifies Jesus' enigmatic statement about destroying and rebuilding "this temple." The evangelist John reveals that Jesus was not referring to the stone structure of the Jerusalem temple, but to His own physical body, indicating His impending crucifixion and His triumphant resurrection on the third day. This verse is key to understanding Jesus' divine authority and His ultimate fulfillment and replacement of the Old Covenant temple system.

John 2 21 Context

John 2:21 follows directly from Jesus' first public act in Jerusalem, the cleansing of the Temple (Jn 2:13-17). Upon entering the Temple complex during Passover, Jesus drives out money changers and animal sellers, asserting His zealous authority over God's house. The Jewish authorities then challenge Him, demanding a sign of His authority for these actions (Jn 2:18). Jesus' response, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (Jn 2:19), is deeply perplexing to them; they literally understand it as a threat to the massive Herodian Temple, which had been under construction for 46 years (Jn 2:20). John, as the inspired author, clarifies this profound misunderstanding for his readers in verse 21, revealing the spiritual and theological depth of Jesus' words: He was speaking of the "temple of His body," prophetically pointing to His crucifixion and glorious resurrection. Historically, the Jerusalem Temple was the spiritual and cultural heart of Jewish life, seen as the very dwelling place of God and central to the covenant. Jesus' statement, as clarified by John, indicates a radical shift in where God's presence would truly dwell and how atonement would be achieved, moving from a physical structure to His own divine-human person.

John 2 21 Word analysis

• But: The Greek word alla (ἀλλὰ) is an adversative conjunction, signifying a strong contrast or opposition. Here, it introduces the divine explanation that contradicts the common human misunderstanding presented in the previous verses (Jn 2:20). It signals a crucial interpretative clarification from the author.
• He: Refers unequivocally to Jesus (Greek: autos, αὐτὸς). The focus is entirely on Jesus' perspective and ultimate intent, revealing the divine nature behind His cryptic statement.
• was speaking: The Greek elegen (ἔλεγεν) is the imperfect tense of lego (λέγω, "to say, speak"). The imperfect tense indicates a continuous or ongoing past action. It implies that what Jesus "was speaking" about was His deeper, underlying meaning that persisted through His statement and that the evangelist now clarifies. It’s John’s inspired interpretative comment on Jesus’ words.
• of the temple: The Greek word is naou (ναοῦ), the genitive form of naos (ναός). This specifically refers to the inner sanctuary, the holy place where God's presence was believed to dwell (the Holy of Holies, the building itself), as opposed to hieron (ἱερόν), which refers to the entire temple complex and its courts. This distinction is crucial, as Jesus implies He is replacing the most sacred, inner core of Jewish worship and God's dwelling.
• of His body: The Greek phrase tou somatos autou (τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ).
  • body: soma (σῶμα) signifies a complete living physical organism. It refers to Jesus' actual, incarnate human body. This reveals the shocking truth: God's presence and true worship are no longer primarily centered in a stone building but in the living person of Jesus Christ.
  • His: autou (αὐτοῦ) further emphasizes that it is specifically Jesus' own physical body.
• temple of His body: This phrase functions as a profound metaphorical and theological redefinition. It directly links the physical body of Jesus to the spiritual concept of the Temple. The Temple was the meeting place between God and humanity; Jesus' physical incarnation and subsequent death and resurrection become the new, true meeting place. It signifies that Christ's body is the ultimate sanctuary, the ultimate site of divine-human encounter, fulfilling and superseding the Old Covenant system. This concept implies His resurrection is the "rebuilding" of this "temple," and that He truly holds the divine power over life and death.

John 2 21 Bonus section

The phrase "temple of His body" sets up a significant theme in John's Gospel and New Testament theology. It asserts Christ's unique identity as the locus of God's ultimate self-revelation. Furthermore, this truth has profound implications for the Church: if Christ's body is the Temple, then believers, who are "in Christ" and form His spiritual body, also become the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit and collectively form the new, spiritual Temple (1 Cor 3:16, Eph 2:20-22). This shift moved worship from a geographical location to a relationship with Christ, accessible by faith in His atoning work. It challenges an over-reliance on man-made religious institutions and elevates the living presence of God through His Spirit in believers. The Jewish leaders' initial misunderstanding also serves as a polemic, highlighting their spiritual blindness to Jesus' true identity despite physical proximity to Him.

John 2 21 Commentary

John 2:21 is pivotal for unlocking Jesus' identity and mission, transitioning the focus from an external structure to an internal, spiritual reality embodied in Him. Jesus' enigmatic declaration about destroying and rebuilding the temple bewildered His contemporaries, who were confined to a literal understanding. The evangelist John, with the benefit of hindsight and divine inspiration (Jn 2:22), clarifies that Jesus prophesied His own death (the "destruction" of His body) and His glorious resurrection ("raising it up in three days").

This verse fundamentally redefines the concept of God's dwelling place. The magnificent Jerusalem Temple, for centuries the center of Jewish worship and a symbol of God's presence among His people, is shown to be merely a type or shadow of the ultimate reality: Jesus Christ Himself. In His body, the fullness of God dwells (Col 2:9). He is the new, living Temple, replacing all that the physical Temple represented – the presence of God, the place of sacrifice, and the access point for humanity to God. His death on the cross serves as the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice, tearing the veil between God and man (Matt 27:51). His resurrection demonstrates His victory over death and validates His claim as the divine Son, the living reality to which the Old Testament Temple pointed. This truth wasn't grasped until after His resurrection, when His disciples "remembered His words and believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken" (Jn 2:22).