Chapter 256 of 404

Describing Jesus’ Action

Some scholars doubt that Jesus could have overturned tables without incurring intervention from the guards in the Fortress Antonia. This skepticism would ring true had Jesus led a full-scale riot, but given the enormity of the outer court and the loudness of the crowds thronging it, a small-scale act by a single person might have escaped the attention of the Roman guards, at least in time for their intervention.⁹³

Where did Jesus’ prophetic action occur? Sanders argues that most trade took place in shops along a street adjoining the Temple, rather than in the sacred precincts themselves.⁹⁴ But the narrow street beside the Temple does not appear to have been large enough to hold sufficient sacrificial animals (certainly not all the lambs needed for Passover) and still admit any flow of passersby. Most likely the shops outside the Temple precincts served the tourist industry, whereas the outer court included authorized dealers at festival times.⁹⁵ Very few scholars doubt that birds and moneychangers, at least, were in the outer court of the Temple, where they would save pilgrims considerable time in procuring and offering sacrifices.⁹⁶

Of the four Gospels, only John mentions the oxen and sheep, as well as birds, in the Temple (2:14-15).⁹⁷ Sanders doubts that cattle would have been held in the Temple proper, given difficulties such as getting them up the stairs.⁹⁸ Yet even John’s account is not inherently improbable here. One would not need many cattle for sacrifices, but to fulfill biblical requirements one would have needed some,⁹⁹ especially during the festivals. These cattle had to be gotten into the Temple somehow.¹⁰⁰ Moreover, archaeologists have now discovered a direct passage from where large animals were brought to the temple courts.¹⁰¹ John may be more given to theologizing narrative than the Synoptics are, but his information here corresponds with what we know about the Temple.

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