Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 2:17

"His disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for thy house shall eat me up." — John 2:17 (ASV)

Jesus’ vehemence revealed his inward passion for the Father and his jealous guardianship of the Father’s interests. The Scripture brought to the disciples’ minds is Ps 69:9, from which other passages have been applied to Christ (e.g., Psalms 69:1–4 in Jn 15:25; Psalms 69:21 in Jn 19:29).