Markus 11:15

Cleansing the Temple

11:15 Then ¹  they came to Jerusalem. ²  Jesus ³  entered the temple area ⁴  and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. ⁵  He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,

Markus 11:27

The Authority of Jesus

11:27 They came again to Jerusalem. ⁶  While Jesus ⁷  was walking in the temple courts, ⁸  the chief priests, the experts in the law, ⁹  and the elders came up to him

Markus 13:1

The Destruction of the Temple

13:1 Now ¹⁰  as Jesus ¹¹  was going out of the temple courts, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these tremendous stones and buildings!” ¹² 

Markus 15:38

15:38 And the temple curtain ¹³  was torn in two, from top to bottom.

[11:15]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[11:15]  ² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:15]  ³ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:15]  ⁴ tn Grk “the temple.”

[11:15]  sn The merchants (those who were selling) would have been located in the Court of the Gentiles.

[11:15]  ⁵ tn Grk “the temple.”

[11:15]  sn Matthew (21:12-27), Mark (here, 11:15-19), and Luke (19:45-46) record this incident of the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John (2:13-16) records a cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. See the note on the word temple courts in John 2:14 for a discussion of the relationship of these accounts to one another.

[11:27]  ⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:27]  ⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:27]  ⁸ tn Grk “the temple.”

[11:27]  ⁹ tn Or “the chief priests, the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[13:1]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[13:1]  ¹¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:1]  ¹² sn The Jerusalem temple was widely admired around the world. See Josephus, Ant. 15.11 [15.380-425]; J. W. 5.5 [5.184-227] and Tacitus, History 5.8, who called it “immensely opulent.” Josephus compared it to a beautiful snowcapped mountain.

[15:38]  ¹³ tn The referent of this term, καταπέτασμα (katapetasma), is not entirely clear. It could refer to the curtain separating the holy of holies from the holy place (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.5 [5.219]), or it could refer to one at the entrance of the temple court (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.4 [5.212]). Many argue that the inner curtain is meant because another term, κάλυμμα (kalumma), is also used for the outer curtain. Others see a reference to the outer curtain as more likely because of the public nature of this sign. Either way, the symbolism means that access to God has been opened up. It also pictures a judgment that includes the sacrifices.