After Jesus expelled the merchants from the temple, the Jewish leaders wanted him to do a miracle to show by what authority he did that. He told them metaphorically that he would become alive again three days after he died.

John 2:13-25

13 Later, when it was almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, Jesus and we his disciples went up to Jerusalem. 14 There, in the Temple courtyard, he saw some men who were selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons for sacrifices. He also saw men who were sitting at tables, making a big profit as they gave people Temple tax coins in exchange for their Roman coins. 15 Then Jesus made a whip from some cords and used it to chase out the sheep and cattle from the Temple courtyard. By overturning their tables he scattered the coins of the men who were exchanging them. 16 He said to those who were selling doves, “Take these doves away from here! Stop defiling my Father’s Temple by making it a market!” 17 Then we disciples remembered that these words had been written {that someone/David had written these words} in the Scriptures prophesying what the Messiah would say: “Others [PRS] will strongly oppose me because I greatly desire that people respect your Sacred Tent.”

18 So one of the Jewish leaders [SYN] replied to him, “What miracle will you perform to show us that you have authority from God to do these things?” 19 Jesus replied to them, “If/When you destroy this temple, I will build it again within three days.” 20 So the Jewish leaders [SYN] said, “We have been building this Temple for 46 years and it is not finished yet! So ◄there is no way you will build it within three days!/how will you build it within three days?► [RHQ]” 21 But when Jesus said that about the temple, he was really talking about his own body. 22 Later, after Jesus had died and had become alive again, we his disciples remembered the words he had said. As a result, we believed what had been prophesied in the Scriptures about the Messiah becoming alive again, and we believed that what Jesus said was true.

23 While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many people came to believe that he was the Messiah because they saw the miracles he was performing. 24 But he did not let them tell him what he should do as the Messiah, because he knew within himself what they were all thinking. 25 He did not need anyone to tell him what others were thinking, because he already knew what they were thinking and wanting.