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Saturday, October 13, 2012

Mark 11:11-12, Premeditated Temple Attack Or Not?

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 ... Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple ...

//Mark tells how when Jesus came to Jerusalem, he entered the temple, looked around, and went away for the night. Then he came back and staged his symbolic "attack" on the temple. The same story in Matthew drops the premeditation, and leads one to believe Jesus was incensed when he saw the temple and immediately cast out the money changers et. al.

Mark's order of events:

[1] Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey
[2] He looks around at the temple
[3] He leaves for the town of Bethany
[4] In the morning, he curses the fig tree
[5] He attacks the temple

Matthew's order of events (See Matthew chapter 11):

[1] Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey
[2] He attacks the temple
[3] He leaves for the town of Bethany
[4] In the morning, he curses the fig tree
[5] He comes back to Jerusalem

Why did Matthew rewrite the order? Is indignant anger better than premeditated attack? What do you think really happened?

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