Day 4 – The Temple is Cleansed

3 days before the Passover

Sunday Night in Bethany

 

…Since it was late he went out to Bethany with the twelve.  Mark 11:11

 

Jesus spent another night a Lazarus’ house, not in open on the Mount of Olives.

 

Monday Morning - back to Jerusalem

Events of the Day

 

Fig Tree Cursed

Traders Driven Out of the Temple

Temple Leaders begin looking for a way to kill him for they feared him.

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Monday Night - Back to Bethany

“And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night” Matt 21:17

 

“When evening came they went out of the city.” Mark 11:19

 

Chronology:

Jesus curses the fig tree. 

 

“May no one ever eat fruit from you again” Mark 11:12 

 

“And his disciples heard him say it” Mark 11:14.  

 

Mark indicates that the fig tree actually withers the next day.

 

“In the morning (Tuesday), as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.  Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” Mark 14:20

 

Prophetic Fulfillments

 

Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again."

This is fulfilled the next day (This prophesy has overtones for national Israel)

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Jesus Cleanses the Temple

“Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there.” Matt 21:12

The gospel of John records a cleansing of the Temple at the beginning Jesus’ ministry also on Passover (John 2:12-24) Jesus did this TWICE serving as symbolic "bookends" to his ministry.

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“The next day…” (Mark 11:12) - 

 

“Then he entered the temple…” Luke 19:45

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 Text Notes: Matthew & Luke combine Sunday’s triumphal entry with Monday’s Temple cleansing. There is no indication from the text that we have moved forward in time from Sunday to Monday.  However, Mark 11:12 indicates that no temple cleansing took place on Sunday.  Therefore, we can establish that the events of Monday start in Matt 21:12 and Luke 19:45.   Mark very clearly places cleansing the temple “The next day…” after the Triumphal Entry in Mark 11:12. 

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"It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'”  Matthew

 

"Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  Mark

 

…children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.  "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "‘from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"

 

Text Comparison: (Matt 21:12-17, Mark 11:12-20, Luke 19:45-46)

 

Mark 11:12 -The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.

 

Matthew 21 - Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all that were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those selling doves.  "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'”

 

Mark - On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'" 

 

Matthew - The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.  

 

Matthew - But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.  "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "‘from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"

 

Mark - The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. 

 

Matthew - And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

 

Mark - When evening came, they went out of the city.