One incident in the life of Yeshua (‘Jesus’) that is related in all four Gospels is called ‘The Cleansing (or Purging) of the Temple’. Accounts are found in Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19 and John 2. However, some of the circumstances surrounding the incident are found in other chapters. From the Synoptic Gospels it would seem to have been a unique event, but from John’s Gospel some scholars believe it may have happened more than once, because another Passover time is related from John 12 through 17. In light of this uncertainty, references from both John 2 and the later chapters are included below for our consideration.

I find The Cleansing of the Temple to be a very interesting event, as it shows one side of Yeshua’s ministry that is less fondly regarded than the healings of individual bodies and minds, or the feeding and preaching to crowds, or the discipleship ministry to His twelve apostles-in-training. In fact, it may be even less favourably regarded than Yeshua’s calling out of the Pharisees on their various sins. Here is what the Gospels tell us about the context of the event.

• The annual Passover was approaching – Matt. 26:2; Mark 14:1; Luke 22:1; John 2:13, 12:1,12.
• Yeshua had just spent some family time with His natural family – John 2:12.
• He had just warned ‘the Twelve’ (His inner-circle disciples) of His impending crucifixion – Matt. 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-33.
• He had just visited Miriam, Martha and Lazarus in Bethany, and been anointed with expensive oil of spikenard, prophetically (as He revealed) for His burial – John  12:1-8.
• He and His disciples were going together up to Jerusalem for Passover, but at a certain point He was going ahead of the others – Mark 10:32, Luke 19:28.
• He had also just sent two disciples to secure a chosen colt, for His entry into Jerusalem in the manner prophesied at Zechariah 9:9 – Matt. 21:1-7, Mark 11:1-7, Luke 19:29-35.
• The ‘Triumphal Entry’ had just taken place, with Yeshua approaching Jerusalem on the donkey, crowds along the road spreading their clothes and freshly cut branches on the ground before Him, forerunners in front and a train of people behind Him shouting “Hoshia-na! (Lord, save!) Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai! (Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!) The King of Israel!” – John 12:12-13. Slightly different versions are at Matt. 21:8-9 (calling Him ‘Ben David’ – son of David), Mark 11:8-10 (blessing ‘the coming kingdom of our father David’), and Luke 19:36-38 (hailing ‘the King who comes in the Name of Adonai’). Some of this was prophesied by King David at Psalm 118:25-26.
• When the Pharisees objected to the crowds’ ascribing Him these Messianic titles, Yeshua had boldly said, “I tell you that if these (people) keep silent, the stones will shout out!” – Luke 19:40.
• On seeing Jerusalem, He had paused to weep over the city and the future its inhabitants had sealed for themselves – Luke 19:41-44.
• Following the Triumphal Entry, the whole city was stirred up, alerted to the arrival of “Yeshua from Natzeret in the Galilee”, who had raised Lazarus from the dead – Matt. 21:10, John 12:17-18.
• Yeshua had first gone and looked through the Temple (late in the evening) before retiring to Bethany for the night with his disciples – Mark 11:11.
• The next morning, enroute back to Jerusalem and hungry, He had approached a fig tree but found no fruit on it, and cursed it aloud in the hearing of His disciples.

What can we make of all this, and of what followed? See Part 2 for what it all says to me.