How many times was the temple cleansed by Jesus?

[undertow]

The gospel of John seems to say that Jesus cleansed the temple early in his ministry:

John 2:13-16 KJV And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

The synoptic gospels, however, seem to say that Jesus cleansed the temple near the end of his ministry:

Matthew 21:12-13 KJV And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

But they don't seem to agree what day it happened on. On the day that Matthew says Jesus cleansed the temple, Mark only says:

Mark 11:11 KJV And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

So Jesus is said to visit the temple, but there is no mention that Jesus cleansed it. The next day, however, according to Mark:

Mark 11:12-15 KJV And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves

So Mark seems to say that Jesus cleansed the temple the day after Matthew claimed.


Is there an explanation for all this? How many times was the temple cleansed by Jesus? 1, 2, or 3 times? Perhaps the Bible isn't entirely accurate?

 

[jgredline]

Undertow
The temple was cleansed twice. One in the first year of Jesus ministry and the second during his 3rd year at the begining of passover week days before he went to the cross. I will look up the verses for you and put them in contex. I did a cronological study on the Life of Jesus a few years ago, so I will look at my notes.
Thanks Jg

 

[jgredline]

Undertow

The first temple cleaning

John 2:13-17
2:13 Beginning at this point, we have the Lord’s first witness to the city of Jerusalem. This phase of His ministry continues to chapter 3, verse 21. He both began and ended His public ministry by cleansing the temple at Passover time. The Passover was an annual feast commemorating the time when the children of Israel were delivered from slavery in Egypt and were led through the Red Sea to the wilderness, and then to the promised land. The first celebration of the Passover is recorded in Exodus 12. Being a devout Jew, the Lord Jesus went up to Jerusalem for this important day on the Jewish calendar.
2:14 Coming to the temple, He found that it had become a market place. Oxen and sheep and doves were sold there, and the moneychangers were carrying on their business as well. The animals and birds were sold to the worshipers for use as sacrifices. The money changers took the money of those who came from foreign countries and changed it into the money of Jerusalem so that the pilgrims could pay the tax to the temple. It is known that these moneychangers often took unfair advantage of those who traveled from great distances.
2:15 The whip which the Lord made was probably a small lash made of cords. It is not recorded that He actually used it on anyone. Instead, it is probable that it was merely a symbol of authority which He held in His hand. Waving the whip before Him, He drove the merchants out of the temple and overturned the tables of the moneychangers.
2:16 The law permitted the poor to offer a pair of doves, since they could not afford the more expensive animals. To those who sold doves, the Lord issued a command to take these things away. It was not fitting that they should make His Father’s house a house of merchandise. In all ages, God has warned His people against using religious services as a means of getting rich. There was nothing cruel or unjust in any of these actions. Rather, they were simply an indication of His holiness and righteousness.
2:17 When His disciples saw what was happening, they were reminded of Psalm 69:9 where it was predicted that when the Messiah came, He would be utterly consumed with a zeal for the things of God. Now they saw Jesus manifesting an intense determination that the worship of God should be pure, and they realized that this was the One of whom the Psalmist had spoken.
We should remember that the Christian’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Lord Jesus was anxious that the temple in Jerusalem be kept pure, so we must be careful that our bodies be turned over to the Lord for continual cleansing.

Matthew 21-12-13 Matthews view of the first cleansing.
21:12 Undertow . At the outset of His public ministry, Jesus had driven commercialism out of the temple environs (John 2:13–16). But profiteering for an excessive fee had again sprung up in the outer court of the temple. Sacrificial animals and birds were being bought and sold at exorbitant rates. Moneychangers converted other currencies into the half-shekel which Jewish men had to pay as temple tribute (tax)â€â€for an excessive fee. Now, as His ministry drew to a close, Jesus again drove out those who were profiteering from sacred activities.
21:13 Combining quotations from Isaiah and Jeremiah, He condemned desecration, commercialism, and exclusivism. Quoting from Isaiah 56:7, He reminded them that God intended the temple to be a house of prayer. They had made it a hangout of thieves (Jer. 7:11).
This cleansing of the temple was His first official act after entering Jerusalem. By it He unmistakably asserted His lordship over the temple.


The second cleansing
Marks view or Peters View since Mark is really the Gospel of Peter

Mark 11:11 records that, once in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the templeâ€â€not inside the temple but into the courtyard. Presumably it was the house of God, but He was not at home in this temple because the priests and people refused to give Him His rightful place. After looking around briefly, the Savior withdrew to Bethany with the twelve. It was Sunday evening.
21:10, 11 Meanwhile, inside the city there was bewilderment as to His identity. Those who asked were told only that He was Jesus the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. From this it seems that few really understood He was the Messiah. In less than a week, the fickle crowd would be crying, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!â€Â

21:14 The next scene finds our Lord healing the blind and the lame in the temple yard. He attracted the needy wherever He went, and never sent them away without meeting their need.
21:15, 16 But hostile eyes were watching. And when these chief priests and scribes heard children hailing Jesus as the Son of David, they were enraged.
They said, “Do You hear what these are saying?â€Ââ€â€as if they expected Him to forbid the children from addressing Him as the Messiah! If Jesus had not been the Messiah, this would have been an appropriate time to say so once for all. But His answer indicated that the children were right. He quoted Psalm 8:2 from the Septuagint: “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise.†If the supposedly knowledgeable priests and scribes would not praise Him as the Anointed, then the Lord would be worshiped by little children. Children often have spiritual insight beyond their years, and their words of faith and love bring unusual glory to the name of the Lord.

Undertow Here is a brief look at Lukes view. Luke 19: 45-46
Jesus had cleansed the temple at the outset of His public ministry (John 2:14–17). Now as His ministry rapidly drew to a close, He entered the sacred precincts and cast out those who were making a house of prayer into a den of thieves. The danger of introducing commercialism into the things of God is always present. Christendom today is leavened by this evil: Church bazaars and socials, organized financial drives, preaching for profitâ€â€and all in the Name of Christ.


So looking at your post, You did a good job of digging into it. Where the mistake was made is that John and matthew speak of the first cleansing and
Mark and Luke speak of the second cleansing.

I hope this makes sense to you. I would also recommend to you that you get a chronological bible. I have one and its a life saver.
God bless you and yours.
Jg

 

[undertow]

Where the mistake was made is that John and matthew speak of the first cleansing and
Mark and Luke speak of the second cleansing.

Hi jgredline, thank you for your reply.

What reason do you have to think that Matthew is speaking of a "first" cleansing? Matthew and Mark seem to be describing the same events at about the same time.

Matthew 21:1-13 KJV And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Mark 11:1-15 KJV And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves

How could Matthew possibly be describing an early cleansing of the temple?