G. K. Beale on Jesus as New Temple in John's Gospel

G. K. Beale writes:

John 2:19-21 reports this exchange between Jesus and Jewish leaders: "Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' The Jews then said, 'It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?' But he was speaking of the temple of His body" (NASB). It is important to recognize that the Jews think that he is speaking of the physical temple that he has just cleansed, since the subject of the directly preceding verses is his unusual activity in the temple (2:14-17). The Jews are asking Jesus to adduce a sign to demonstrate his authority in cleansing the temple (2:18). But Jesus is referring to himself as the temple. He will be the end-time temple-builder by raising it up in the form of his body, in line with OT prophecies that predict that the Messiah will build the latter-day temple (again, see 2 Sam. 7:12-14; Zech. 6:12-13).

"Temple" in Dictionary of the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 2023, p. 835.