EXAMPLES OF JESUS’ ENCOUNTERS WITH TEMPLE LEADERS
To establish a proper framework for understanding the temple incidents, it is critical to understand that temple leaders (Pharisees, scribes, Chief Priests, Sanhedrin) did not fear Jesus without cause.

But their disputes were not just about scripture interpretation and application. Everything Jesus said to them and everything he did outside the temple posed serious threats to their status, power and income.

The following verses are a sample of encounters Jesus and John the Baptist had with Pharisees that create the context for what Jesus did in the temple and the threat he posed to temple leaders:

Matthew 3:2-12: John calls them vipers (cunning, malignant, wicked men), calls them to repentance, and warns them that trust in their religion will not save them from the wrath to come.

Matthew 12:22-39: Jesus calls the Pharisees evil vipers who will be judged by their careless words.

Matthew 12:38-39: Jesus, addressing the Pharisees, says in effect that they are an adulterous generation because they ask for a sign.

STUDY TIP: See Signs, Wonders and Miracles.

Matthew 15:1-6: He accuses them of transgressing the commandments of God for the sake of  their traditions.

STUDY TIP: See this link for God’s attitudes about religious traditions.

Matthew 16:1-11: Jesus calls the Pharisees and the Sadducees  an “evil and adulterous” generation.

Matthew 23: Jesus delivers his famous “woe to you” messages to teachers of the law and Pharisees calling them hypocrites, sons of hell, blind guides and fools who will not escape being condemned to hell.

Mark 7:1-9: Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites that honor God with their lips even though their hearts are from him.

Mark 14:58, Mark 15:29 and John 2:19: Jesus warns that he will destroy  the temple.

Luke 14:1-8: He challenged them on their interpretation of Sabbath rules.

STUDY TIP: See Fourth Commandment

Luke 11:37-53: He warned the Pharisees of six woes that they would experience because of their religious practices.

John 11:41-51: Chief priests and Pharisees conclude that because of Jesus’ miracles people will believe in Him and the Romans will remove them from their positions of high spiritual authority.

STUDY TIP: See this link for along list of scriptures where Jesus rebukes religious leaders.

From Jesus’ encounters with religious leaders we can easily conclude that Jesus had a very low opinion of the religious leaders of the day. And we can easily understand why the religious leaders plotted to kill him: 

• • • • He was disrupting the people.
      • He was threatening their positions and income.
      • He boldly criticized them.
      • He disrupted the exchange of money for religious services in their temple.
      • He violently attacked them on their home turf – the temple.
      • He said he would tear down their temples.

It is important to recognize that Jesus first attacked their business activities on the temple grounds before He began challenging them verbally. And finally, before He was arrested, He attacked their business again as if to punctuate everything He had ever said and done with a final provocation that would result in their decision to kill him.

Another curious observation about these incidents is that in none of the four gospel reports of the encounters with the money-changers does anyone challenge Jesus during his attack. What does that fact suggest about the awareness of guilt on the part of the temple leaders and the people? The way we see it is that everyone, including the temple leaders, knew that Jesus had good cause to do what He did.