Monday of Holy Week

QUESTION: Why did Jesus choose to cleanse the Temple on Monday of Holy Week?

ANSWER:

The New Testament presents the Temple as a sacred place. The Temple mentioned in the Gospels was begun by Herod in 20 BC. Its magnificent buildings seemed impressive, even to Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 24:1).

Jesus’ attitude regarding the Temple reflected two opposing features.

First, God had sanctified the Temple by dwelling in it, therefore everything in it must be kept holy. The site of the Temple was where God met His people. On Monday of Holy Week, zeal for His Father’s house compelled Jesus to cleanse it (John 2:17).

In contrast, Jesus announced that His rejection and death would result in the Temple’s destruction (Mark 14:58, 15:29). That Monday, the Temple was exposed as a cover for Israel’s spiritual barrenness (Mark 11:12–26).

In the days that followed, Jerusalem’s Temple, once a place of God’s presence, would be superseded by Jesus’ resurrection establishing God’s dwelling with those who accepted Jesus as Messiah (Matthew 18:20; 28:20).