Destroy This Temple - The "Flesh and Blood" of the Lord

On his first visit to Jerusalem, after he had commenced his ministry, the Lord Jesus, in a state of righteous anger, purged the temple of the merchants. This prompted the Jews to ask him for a sign to prove that he had the authority to do such an audacious thing. The sign He gave was the destruction of his body and his resurrection. (Vs. 22). This was a prophetic statement. The Jews were not content to have him “despised and rejected of men…” they were unmoved by his miracles and their wickedness would not end until they had taken his life by destroying his body.

The Description of the Lord’s Body:
Another phrase that the Lord used when speaking of the living body was “flesh and blood” (1 Corinthians 15:50, Matthew 16:17, Galatians 1:16; Ephesians 6:12, Hebrews 2:14). Paul gives us the words of institution for the Lord’s Table by this twofold reverence to the body (1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:24-25).

The Destruction of the Lord’s Body
This body of “flesh and blood” must be destroyed if sinners are to be saved. His death would by the violent destruction of his body – by blood shedding. This is why the “blood” of Christ is mention so often in the New Testament in reference to his death. The blood must be separated from the flesh of Christ for the destruction of the body.

The Destiny of the Lord’s Body
Jesus then speaks of the destiny of his body; He would raise it up. It is because of his resurrection and his destiny that we can “celebrate” the destruction of his body; because his body was restored to life and he lives today in the power of an endless life…for us.