Day 4 - 3 days before the Passover
He (Jesus) looked at everything but since it was late he went out to Bethany with the twelve. Mark 11:11
After the Triumphal Entry, Jesus looked around but left Jerusalem and traveled back to Bethany. We may assume he spent more time with Lazarus, Mary, Martha, Simon the leper, and his disciples in Bethany.
The Gospel record tells us specifically that Jesus spent Friday, Sunday, and Monday night in Bethany. Since he spent all of Saturday in Bethany he was probably there Saturday night as well. Traditionally, I had always seen him spending these nights "on the Mount of Olives" camped out under the olive trees. Apparently this was not the case.
On Monday Morning Jesus headed back for Jerusalem from Bethany. On the way he spies a fig tree and goes over to see if it has any fruit on it. When he finds no fruit he curses the fig tree.
Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. Mark 11:12
Mark tells us that the tree actually dies, or is found dead by Peter the next day. (Tuesday)
"In the morning, 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
When he arrives in Jerusalem he proceeds to drive the traders out of the Temple. This is apparently the second time Jesus has performed this "house cleaning." The gospel of John records a cleansing of the Temple at the beginning Jesus' ministry also (John 2:12-24). This earlier action is also on Passover Week. These Temple cleanings seem to serve as bookends to his ministry. Notice again, that this was not done purely for the sake of righteous indignation, but it is also to fulfill scripture.
"Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there." Matt 21:12
"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
The Jews had fulfilled this prophecy by making the Temple a "den of robbers." Jesus fulfills the scripture by reestablishing the Temple as "a house of prayer for all nations." This was not a new concept as the outer courts had always been reserved for God fearing Gentiles. The true temple of course is in heaven, so Jesus is cleansing not only the earthly temple (shadow) but affirming the nature of the heavenly temple.
Mark indicates that this Temple cleansing took place on the day after the triumphal entry on "The next day??p;quot; Mark 11:12. Therefore, we can conclude that for Matthew and Luke, the events of Monday start in Matt 21:12 and Luke 19:45. Matthew & Luke tell of Sunday's triumphal entry and Monday's Temple cleansing but give no indication when we moved forward from Sunday to the next day. Thanks to the clarity of Mark, however, this is easily determined.
Jesus healed the blind and the lame and accepted the praise of children. This also was prophesied.
"From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." Psalm 8:2
??ldren (were) shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they (the Jewish leaders) 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'?" Matthew 21:15
At this time the Temple leaders begin looking all the more earnestly for a way to kill him for they feared him. But Jesus leaves Jerusalem to spend another night in Bethany. By telling us when Jesus goes out of Jerusalem and when he returns, the Gospel writers give enough information for us to determine the particular day each event occurs. Without this information it would be impossible to know one day from another.
"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
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