Day 5, Jesus Clears Out the Temple...

Yesterday,we saw that Christ started his final journey to Jerusalem on Friday from most likely the small town of Ephraim, because it was in Ephraim that Christ holed up in after he raised Lazarus from the dead.

It was at this time the religious authorities made up their minds to put Him to death. Not long after this, the Passover was coming up.

From Ephraim Jesus went to Jericho and stayed there until Sunday morning, because when he came to Jericho the Sabbath was about to start. Sunday morning he starts on his journey to Jerusalem from Jericho and arrives in Bethany on the Mount of Olives late in the day and lodges with his friend Lazarus for the rest of the week, and from here he goes daily into the Temple to teach. Monday he goes into Jerusalem on the colt. [Palm Sunday]

Tuesday 11th of Nisan [Sunday the 09th April 2006].

Arthur Action Reporting. [Day 5]
That Christ guy is surely an early bird, up and off before breakfast, He tried to make up for breakfast by picking fruit off trees along the way to Jerusalem.

Mk11.12-14. The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it. Mt 21 .19. Immediately the fig tree withered away.

The Christ sure has nerve for a little, scrawny guy. I met a guy named Adam Clarke who said that he had cleaned the traders out the temple in his first year of ministry, about a two or three years ago, he then related the event to me;
"Jesus works his first miracle at Cana of Galilee, Jn 2:11; then he spends a few days at Capernaum, which was on his way to Jerusalem, Jn 2:12. With the Passover being near, he goes up to Jerusalem,Jn 2:13, and casts the traders out of the temple, 15,16. During the Passover he does many miracles, Jn 2:23. While he is in Jerusalem he spends time that evening teaching Nicodemus about the Kingdom of God., Jn 3:1-2.

After these things, Jesus and his disciples depart from Jerusalem, spending time with them and baptizing in the Judean countryside. Jn 3:22-24. And all the above incidents take place before John was cast into prison.

But the second cleansing of the temple happens most clearly during the last week of our Lord's life, after the death of John the Baptist and at a time when it would be absurd to say that afterward Jesus dwelt and baptized in Judea."

There are some who believe that Christ only cast out the traders once in his ministry, I personally believe from the evidence above that he did this twice, once at the beginning of his ministry and once at the end of his ministry. I mention this because there are many who believe that Christ only threw out the merchants in the last week of his ministry, and the other reported incident in Jn2.13, is the same as the one in the last week.

Mk.11.15-18. So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, Isa.56.7. "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? Jer.7.11.But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.

Mt21.14-16. Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, Ps.8.2. 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"

Lk19.47-48. And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

Jn12.20-41. Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."

Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him." Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." This He said, signifying by what death He would die. The people answered Him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?" Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, Isa53.1"Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" Therefore they could not believe: Isa6.9."He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they should not see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them." These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

These quotes above came from the ancient Jewish prophet Isaiah and supposed to be a prophecy concerning the Messiah.

Jn.12.42-50. There were some among the rulers who believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."
Mark 11:19 When evening had come, He went out of the city.

The Christ did teach every day in the temple up until and including the 13th of Nisan. Lk19.47

The evening; the time is after three o'clock p.m. It is very probable that this was before sunset. The religious services of the temple closed at the offering of the evening sacrifice, at three o'clock, and Jesus probably soon left the city. This information I got from my friend Barnes.

It is strange in light of what the average person believes that the Christ came to save. If he did, it is not happening, at least not since I have been reporting here this Passover season. The old prophesy that the Christ quoted today seems to be in effect, “Therefore they could not believe: "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they should not see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them."

It will not be long now before there is a major confrontation between the Christ and the local religious leaders, I can just taste it, tomorrow may be the day.