Fathers

John 2

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The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it. When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!” This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days. The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. He made a whip of cords, and threw all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables. To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.” The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 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. 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 entrust 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.

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What the Fathers say

John 2:21

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

Wherefore then did He not resolve the difficulty and say, "I speak not of that Temple, but of My flesh"? Why does the Evangelist, writing the Gospel at a later period, interpret the saying, and Jesus keep silence at the time? Why did He so keep silence? Because they would not have received His word; for if not even the disciples were able to understand the saying, much less were the multitudes. …

Homily on the Gospel of John 23 ↗

Cyril of Alexandria

Acceptable to the wise man is the word of wisdom, and the knowledge of discipline abideth more easily with men of understanding, and as in wax not too hard, the impression of seals is well made, so in the more tender hearts of men the Divine Word is readily infixed: wherefore the hard of heart is also called wicked. The disciples then, being of a good disposition, become wise, and ruminate the words of divine Scripture, nourishing themselves to more accurate knowledge, and thence coming firmly to belief. …

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 2 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Apollinaris attempts to find here a defense for his heresy. Wishing to confirm that the Lord's flesh was without a soul, he says: "The flesh is called a temple, and a temple is soulless; therefore, it too is soulless." Thunder-struck and dizzy fool! You would perhaps make the Lord's flesh into wood and stones as well, since the temple is made of them?! When you hear the Lord's words: "My soul is now troubled" (John 12:27) and "I have power to lay down My soul" (John 10:18), how do you understand them? …

Commentary on John ↗

Western Saints

Bede

With perfect justice he banished the wicked from the temple, since the temple represented the temple of his body, in which there was no stain of any kind of sin.

Homilies on the Gospels 2.1 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then, the true interpretation of this sign as understood by the apostles is given. First, the way they understood it is given. Secondly, the time when they understood it (v 22). He says therefore: The Jews said this out of ignorance. But Christ did not understand it in their way; in fact, he meant the temple of his body, and this is what he says: He was speaking, however, of the temple of his body. We have already explained why the body of Christ could be called a temple. …

Commentary on John ↗

Bonaventure

But he was speaking of the temple of his body. For if our bodies "are the temple of the Holy Spirit," 1 Corinthians 6: how much more the body of Christ, "in whom the Divinity dwells bodily," as is said in Colossians 2. And this spiritual understanding neither the Jews nor the carnal disciples possessed, but only after the resurrection. It is asked: why does the Lord call Himself a temple and compare Himself to a temple? …

Commentary on John, Chapter 2 ↗