Why Jesus Cleansed the Temple Twice (A Long-Standing Mystery Solved)...

Michie · Aug 12, 2023

A long-standing problem of New Testament studies has been why Jesus is recorded as having cleansed the temple of the moneychangers twice. John records it happening at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and the Synoptic Gospels all record it happening at the end. Which is it? Or is it both? If so, why? What sense does that make? In the next few minutes, I will make sense of it for you.

First, let’s read the texts. The synoptic Gospels record the account:

And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers” (Luke 19:45–46).
And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers” (Matt. 21:12–13).
And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. . . . And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers” (Mark 11:12, 15–17).

John also records a temple cleansing:

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Why Jesus cleansed the temple twice (a long-standing mystery solved) — Lamb's Reign

Many don’t realize Jesus actually cleansed the temple TWICE. Fewer have an answer why. Jesus was fulfilling the duty of the high priest from Leviticus 14, to cleanse a house of corrupting “mold.” The first visit was to inspect and remove the corruption itself. If upon the second inspection the corru

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JimR-OCDS · Aug 12, 2023

In his book, "Jesus of Nazareth," by Pope Benedict XVI, he references the
verse in Mark 11:17 and provides the historical background for what took
place.

"Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written:
‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples’?(Some translations use "for all Nations.")
"But you have made it a den of thieves.”

The section of the temple in which Jesus drove out the money changers,
was a section reserved for non-Jews and women. When the Jews made this
into a money change area instead of a place of prayer for non-Jews and
women, Jesus became angry and drove them out of the area, and used
the words recorded in Mark.

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Why Jesus Cleansed the Temple Twice (A Long-Standing Mystery Solved)...

Michie

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Why Jesus cleansed the temple twice (a long-standing mystery solved) — Lamb's Reign

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JimR-OCDS

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