On Monday of the Passion Week

On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem riding on a donkey and was greeted by the people as a heroic savior, someone who will free the Jews from Roman authority. Upon entering the city he visited the Temple and then Jesus wept for Jerusalem, knowing that the unbelief of the people will eventually lead to the destruction of the city and the Temple. Bible scholars believed that these were the major events that took place on Monday or the second day of the Passion Week.

Event #1

The Withered Fig Tree
Matthew 21:18-19 (The Message)


Early the next morning Jesus was returning to the city. He was hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree alongside the road, he approached it anticipating a breakfast of figs. When he got to the tree, there was nothing but fig leaves. He said, "No more figs from this tree—ever!" The fig tree withered on the spot, a dry stick. The disciples saw it happen. They rubbed their eyes, saying, "Did we really see this? A leafy tree one minute, a dry stick the next?"

The Cursed Fig Tree
Mark 11:12-14 (The Message)


As they left Bethany the next day, he was hungry. Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn't yet the season for figs.) He addressed the tree: "No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!" And his disciples overheard him.

Taken from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible
The barren fig-tree cursed.

This cursing of the barren fig-tree represents the state of hypocrites in general, and so teaches us that Christ looks for the power of religion in those who profess it, and the savour of it from those that have the show of it. His just expectations from flourishing professors are often disappointed; he comes to many, seeking fruit, and finds leaves only. A false profession commonly withers in this world, and it is the effect of Christ's curse. The fig-tree that had no fruit, soon


lost its leaves. This represents the state of the nation and people of the Jews in particular. Our Lord Jesus found among them nothing but leaves. And after they rejected Christ, blindness and hardness grew upon them, till they were undone, and their place and nation rooted up. The Lord was righteous in it. Let us greatly fear the doom denounced on the barren fig-tree. (Mt 21:23-27)


Event #2

He Kicked Over the Tables
Matthew 21:12-17 (The Message)


Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set up shop, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove merchants. He quoted this text:


My house was designated a house of prayer; You have made it a hangout for thieves.


Now there was room for the blind and crippled to get in. They came to Jesus and he healed them.


When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things he was doing, and heard all the children running and shouting through the Temple, "Hosanna to David's Son!" they were up in arms and took him to task. "Do you hear what these children are saying?"


Jesus said, "Yes, I hear them. And haven't you read in God's Word, 'From the mouths of children and babies I'll furnish a place of praise'?"


Fed up, Jesus turned on his heel and left the city for Bethany, where he spent the night.


Cleansing of the Temple
Mark 11:15-19 (The Message)


They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn't let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text:


My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations; You've turned it into a hangout for thieves.


The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching.
At evening, Jesus and his disciples left the city.


Cleansing of the Temple
Luke 19:45-48 (The Message)


Going into the Temple he began to throw out everyone who had set up shop, selling everything and anything. He said, "It's written in Scripture,


My house is a house of prayer; You have turned it into a religious bazaar."


From then on he taught each day in the Temple. The high priests, religion scholars, and the leaders of the people were trying their best to find a way to get rid of him. But with the people hanging on every word he spoke, they couldn't come up with anything.

Taken from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible
He drives out those who profaned the temple.

Christ found some of the courts of the temple turned into a market for cattle and things used in the sacrifices, and partly occupied by the money-changers. Our Lord drove them from the place, as he had done at his entering upon his ministry, Joh 2:13 to 17. His works testified of him more than the hosannas; and his healing in the temple was the fulfilling the promise, that the glory of the latter house should be greater than the glory of the former. If Christ came now into many parts of his visible church, how many secret evils he would discover and cleanse! And how many things daily practised under the cloak of religion, would he show to be more suitable to a den of thieves than to a house of prayer! (Mt 21:18-22)