Day 2: On Monday, Jesus Clears the Temple
The following morning, Jesus returned with his disciples to Jerusalem.
Along the way, he cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit.
When Jesus arrived at the Temple, he found the courts full of corrupt
money changers. He began overturning their tables and clearing the
Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of
prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves" (Luke 19:46).
On Monday evening Jesus stayed in Bethany again, probably in the home
of his friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
Monday's events are recorded in Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19,
Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17.
The tumultuous events of Tuesday and the Olivet Discourse are recorded
in Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and
John 12:20–38.
Day 3: On Tuesday, Jesus Goes to the Mount of Olives
On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. They
passed the withered fig tree on their way, and Jesus spoke to his
companions about the importance of faith. Later that afternoon, Jesus left
the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which sits due
east of the Temple and overlooks Jerusalem. Here Jesus gave the Olivet
Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and
the end of the age. He speaks, as usual, in parables, using symbolic
language about the end times events, including His Second Coming and
the final judgment.
Scripture indicates that this Tuesday was also the day Judas Iscariot
negotiated with the Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court of ancient Israel, to
betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16).