What I wish to show from this part of the Word of God is the holy zeal and fervour which Christ, the Head of the church, has for purity of worship in His church, and how we should seek to emulate Him. Christ Jesus is spoken of in the Scriptures as “leaving us an example”, 1 Peter 2: 21, and there is no higher example to follow.
The words, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up,” are part of Psalm 69. The disciples, who were familiar with the Psalms, remembered these words, as we see in verse 17. This shows us the benefit of being familiar with the Word of God. These words, coming back to their minds, confirmed to them that Jesus was the Messiah. Familiarising ourselves with the Word of God will prove beneficial to us also. For example, in the varied experiences and trials of the children of God, familiar portions of scripture coming to their remembrance by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, confirms to them again and again the reality of God, His goodness, His power and His glorious provision in Christ Jesus, so suited to them on their wilderness journey.
When the disciples remembered the words of our text, the Saviour was at the beginning of His ministry, and sadly He was confronted with corruptions in the church. It was the time of the Passover, and He was in the temple in Jerusalem. He refers to the temple as His “Father’s house”; and there He found not only money-changers but also merchants selling oxen, sheep and doves. This scene angered the Saviour, and making a whip of small cords, he drove all these merchants and money-changers out of the temple, and the oxen and sheep, overturning the money-changers’ tables and pouring out their money.
One may wonder how one person could scatter so many merchants and money-changers? The answer is that He was the Son of God; and those who fled from Him, seeing Him take action as one that had authority, must have realised that this was no ordinary person. Also we may enquire, Was it such a great evil that merchants and money-changers should make this provision for the people who needed these animals for offering as sacrifices? The very long distance some Jews had to travel for the Passover made it inconvenient or impossible to take animals from their homes. What the Saviour was objecting to, of course, was the fact that these men made the place of God’s worship a place of merchandise. There were many other places which could have been used for the selling of animals for sacrifices; the House of God most certainly was not the place. Consequently, the Saviour cast out these covetous merchants and money-changers, saying, “Take these things hence: make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.”
It is evident from this incident that the house of God was reserved for worship only. By permitting this merchandising in the house of God the priests were putting a veneer of respectability on what was unscriptural. In our own day there are church leaders who take into the public worship of God what is contrary to His will, and in this way give an appearance of respectability and rightness to what is forbidden by God. The Saviour’s response to these evils today is the same as it was at the Passover in Jerusalem: “Take these things hence.”
By this statement, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up,” we are solemnly reminded of the Saviour’s zeal for purity of worship. His response to false worship in His Church is righteous anger; and eventually He will punish such as defile His worship. Also He will expel them from His house and establish His pure worship in this world. We believe that this was what He did when He brought about the great Protestant Reformation throughout Europe. It is deplorable that many Protestants today are in the process of departing from biblical worship and returning to the idolatry of Romanism.
We will now consider two points in connection with our text, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” First: The house referred to. Secondly: The zeal Christ Jesus had for His Father’s house, and how we should seek to emulate this zeal.
First: the house referred to.
It is the temple, as we see in verse 14; and the Saviour refers to it as His “Father’s house”, as verse 16 shows. The temple was the special place established by God during Old Testament times for His own worship. In fact, as I mentioned at the start, at the time of Jesus casting out the merchants and money-changers, the passover was taking place. This ordinance was part of the worship then appointed by God. The passover was exceedingly important because it was a figure of the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus, who was to be slain as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of His people. The other ordinances of the temple worship were also very important because they also foreshadowed Christ in His person and work as the Mediator. So when Christ said, “My Father’s house,” He meant the temple and its courtyard and all the worship which was connected with that holy place.
The point I wish to emphasize, however, is that all these ordinances of worship were appointed by God. The priesthood, the sacrifices, and the ritual to be observed were all given by God. By these, God was to be worshipped in the way He required. The doctrines to be believed were those which He gave. The religious practices to be observed were those which He prescribed. The ordinances to be maintained were those which He appointed. For example, as we see in Numbers, chapter 9, verses 2 and 3, God spoke to Moses saying: “Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.” The children of Israel were not allowed to add to or take from these ordinances. To do so was a serious error, and invariably brought the displeasure of God upon them. Alas, in the scene before us in the context of our text, the Jews had done this very thing. They added to the worship of God by making the house of God a “house of merchandise”, and consequently they brought the displeasure of the Son of God upon them.
Of course this Old Testament form of worship has now ceased. Christ Jesus, who was prefigured and typified in that worship, has come and made atonement for sin at Calvary, and has finished the work which the Father gave Him to do. So it is obvious that because He has fulfilled these types that there is no reason for continuing these ordinances. Paul, in writing to the Hebrew believers, deals with this point, when he says about the temple and its ordinances: “Which was a figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, . . . which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation”, Hebrews 9: 9,10. This “time of reformation” was the time of the appearing and redemptive work of Christ Jesus, who “offered Himself without spot to God,” Hebrews 9: 14, for the sins of His people.
Although the Old Testament form of worship has ceased, this does not mean that God has left us without regulations as to how He is to be worshipped. We see from the example of the Apostles and the teachings of Scripture that the New Testament form of worship, having no Old Testament rites, is a simple form. It consists of reading the Scriptures, preaching, prayer and the singing of God’s praise as expressed in the Psalms of David. There are also the two sacraments to be observed: the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. The high-light of this worship is the setting forth of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, now exalted a Prince and Saviour at the right hand of God the Father.
Further, when the Saviour referred to the temple and its form of worship as “my Father’s house”, He included, by implication, the New Testament church and its form of worship. As the former was instituted by God so is the latter. The New Testament condemns “will worship”, that is, worshipping God “according to the imaginations and devices of men”, as our Confession says. In His worship we are to observe all things which He commands, Matthew 28: 20. His house, therefore, continues with us in New Testament times. It is only the doctrine, worship and practice stipulated by God which is to be received and observed. These are the God-appointed means whereby Christ, His beloved Son, is held forth as our only hope of salvation from the eternal ruin due to us for our sins.
With regard to His worship, God is jealous with a holy jealousy. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments,” Exodus 20: 3-6.
By these few remarks I hope I have made it plain what the house of God is, and that God has appointed and prescribed how He is to be worshipped. He will have none compete with Him, nor will He have His worship added to or taken from. For this house, with its God-given worship, the Saviour had a great zeal. “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”
Secondly: The zeal Christ Jesus had for His Father’s house and how we should seek to emulate this zeal.
Zeal for God is a warmth of love for the things of God, and a righteous anger against anything which demeans the name of God. Zeal is great earnestness; a gracious fervour and eagerness to promote and maintain the cause which belongs to God. When we have zeal for something which interests us, we do everything possible to promote that interest, and will, at times, even forget friends, food and rest, in our devotion to that interest. How much more should we be zealous for the things of God. The Saviour’s zeal consumed Him. He was, as it were, on fire with fervour for the cause of truth; and He is our example.
In the Scriptures we have several examples of godly people who had a warm zeal and holy enthusiasm for the things of God, but none can compare to Christ in His having pure, holy zeal for the business of His Father. What zeal Moses had, for example, in doing all things according to the instructions given to him on Mount Sinai. What zeal David had when he said, “My zeal hath consumed me,” Psalm 119: 139. Yes, godly men and women in the Scriptures are to be our example, but only so far as they follow Christ. In those instances where they veered away from the commands of God we cannot follow their example. Some people do indeed use the faults and sins of the godly as an excuse to go on in certain sins. The godly cannot do this. They desire and strive to follow Christ, who has left them an example, that they should follow His steps. In Hebrews, chapter 12, the godly are referred to as a cloud of witnesses insofar as they lived an obedient life of faith upon God. But we are called to look even beyond them; even to Christ, who is far above all others. “Looking unto Jesus . . . for consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” He is a perfect example indeed; a flawless, sinless example in His zeal for the things of His Father’s house.
The godly, we believe, must seek always to emulate Him. His example is one which we come far short of, yet we must ever aim up to it. His example is one which we obviously cannot attain to, yet we are required to strive in this direction. Any little attaining to this example, is by the grace of God; and if there is a continuing in any small degree in this way it will be by the continued grace of God.
David the Psalmist speaks of his own zeal consuming him, “My zeal hath consumed me.” This tells us of the hot fervour of soul he had for the Word of God. When this was the case with David, the man of God, how much more is it so with the Son of God. “The zeal of thine house has eaten me up.” What pure, holy zeal stirred Him in His holy soul to be constantly engaged on the behalf of His Father in the propagation and defence of His Word and worship. In fact He wearied Himself in the work. He is our example.
David also tells why his own zeal consumed him: “because mine enemies have forgotten thy word.” How much more the Saviour’s zeal consumed Him when He witnessed the evil work of the enemies of God in the temple. He was deeply moved in His holy soul with a burning fervour for the maintaining of the purity of the word and worship as given by His Father. When likewise we are confronted with the evil work of the enemies of Christ in the Christian church, it ought to stir us to a zealousness for the maintaining of the doctrine, worship and practice prescribed by God in His Word. Christ is our example and we are required to follow Him.
Moreover, it is evident that the zeal Christ had for His Father’s house necessarily included zeal for the Word of God. One part of worship in Old Testament times was the reading of the Scriptures. The Saviour during His ministry constantly referred to the Word of God, and read it in public. It was through this Word that the doctrine, worship and practice prescribed by God were conveyed to the children of Israel; and so we today are directed in the same way. As the Saviour ever showed a deep regard and a burning zeal for the Scriptures, so must we.
If this stream of scripture truth is polluted how can we know the mind of God? How can we possibly know the doctrine, worship and practice God requires of us? We cannot! What zeal then we should have for this pure word, and what righteous indignation against all that tends to pollute these pure streams.
In the English language, the Authorised Version is a faithful translation of the Word of God as it was originally given by God. Faithful translations there will always be, because God preserves His Word for His Church in all ages. The modern translations in the English language are not faithful translations of the Word of God, and are therefore to be avoided.
Moreover, a faithful translation, from the original languages of the Word of God, is not something less than the Word of God, or something not quite so dependable as that originally spoken by God. A faithful translation continues to be the Word of God; the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. Faithful translations do not take away from the inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility of Scripture; these are inherent qualities which will always belong to it. What zeal we should have for this infallible and precious Book.
Moreover, what zeal we should have for the Word of God when God has bestowed upon His Church the honour of being the custodians of His Word. Certainly, Bible Societies have a binding obligation to propagate faithful translations of the Word of God, but it is His church especially and peculiarly which God has appointed to be the guardian of His Word. Paul, writing to the Roman believers, reminds them that to the Jewish nation and church in Old Testament times were “committed the oracles of God,” Romans 3: 2. Also in Psalm 78, verses 5-7, we read that God “established a testimony in Jacob,” (that is in the Old Testament church) “and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments . . .” Having this same responsibility, what fervency of soul we are required to have for the preservation of the Word of God among us, unpolluted by the impure streams of unfaithful versions of the Scriptures.
Also the Saviour’s zeal was at no time a misguided zeal, that is, a zeal for what was dishonouring to the Father and not to His glory. That was impossible. It was for his Father’s house that His zeal truly was. Likewise, our zeal must be truly for God’s house, His word and His worship. It is so easy for us to err and to have a zeal for the doctrines and commandments of men, a zeal for religious things pertaining to merely man-made traditions. We are easily motivated by this kind of zeal. This will not do. Our zeal must be for the doctrines, worship and practice prescribed by the Word of God. Paul writing to the Galatian believers complains about those among them who were zealously affected, but it was not in a good cause. “They zealously affect you, but not well,” Galatians 4: 17. He also speaks of his own zeal prior to conversion, “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church,” Philippians 3: 6. Sadly, it was misdirected zeal in a most evil cause. There was also Jehu, who said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord,” II Kings 10: 16. While he was indeed in pursuit of the Lord’s work, his zeal was, it seems, more for his own glory than for God’s glory. Let us, dear friends, be true imitators of Christ’s example. His zeal was not misguided zeal. It was truly for those matters which pertained to His Father’s house and glory.
Also, the zeal of the Saviour was, as we said, a holy, pure zeal. Alas, our zeal is so tainted by sin, and more often stained than tainted. But we must seek more and more to put away these sins which so defile this good zeal, and ask for grace to serve God with holy fervency.
I may add that, true thankfulness to God for our gospel privileges will manifest itself in zeal for the maintenance and continuance of these blessed privileges among us.
Let us remember that zeal is of the grace of God. Paul writes to Titus that Christ Jesus “gave Himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works,” Titus 2: 14. It is evident that true, God-glorifying zeal for His Cause is of the grace of God.
Sadly, if left to ourselves, our zeal soon cools and grows cold. Backsliders will manifest a coldness and indifference towards the cause of truth. Poor Peter expressed such warm zeal for His Saviour at one point, to the extent that if necessary he would die for Him. Not long after this he shamefully denied His Lord and Master. Where was his professed zeal? If left to ourselves, our zeal will soon cool off. The church at Ephesus had left her “first love”, Revelation 2: 4, and descended to a degree of coldness in her affection for Christ and His Cause. Other churches mentioned in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, had indeed lost their zeal when they tolerated idolatry in the Church of God. What need then for the grace of God to be continually in exercise in our souls, so that we may not only take note of Christ’s zeal, but seek grace from the Most High to walk in His footsteps.
Zeal is a duty. It is offensive to God not to be zealous for His house. He complained to the children of Israel, when they neglected the house of the Lord and were careful to maintain their own homes, “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?” Haggai 1: 4. Paul writing to the Galatian believers says, “… it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing,” Galatians 4: 18.
When we fall away from being zealously affected in the cause of truth, we are called to repent and to return to that earnest interest in, and pursuit of, the things of God. “Be zealous therefore and repent,” Rev 3: 19.
By zeal we are fired in our minds and hearts to be up and doing for the cause of Christ, but if we have no zeal, we are sluggish and indifferent to the evils which ever threaten the cause of Christ.
May we then look to Christ as our example, mourn over coldness, and seek more and more of the grace of God to walk in the footsteps of Christ.