Although the temple purification is an important incident in all four gospels, the gospel of John is different from the other Synoptic Gospels regarding both the timing and theology of the passage. The historical background, purpose, and importance of the temple cleansing accounts in the Bible are discussed in this article through exegesis. In this research, the stories from Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-22 are analyzed using historical, grammatical, syntactical, lexical, and contextual interpretation. Important Greek words concerning the temple, the actions of Jesus, and the business practices that took over the temple compound are discussed. It explores the history of the Jerusalem temple, the function of the merchants and money changers, the significance of the whip of cords and also the Old Testament scriptures that were quoted by Jesus, especially Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.

If there were indeed two cleansings that occurred during the life of Christ, which the Gospels have recorded at different times, or just one account written from varying perspectives due to theology, has been a much-debated issue which this study aims to solve. The paper maintains through the study of the literary and theological techniques used in the Gospels that the writers deliberately shaped their texts in order to deliver different theological lessons while affirming Jesus as the Messianic figure and fulfillment of the dreams of Israel. As a final act of prophetic judgment, the cleansing heralds the conflict that will eventually lead to the crucifixion of Jesus in the Synoptics. However, it occurs at the beginning of the mission of Jesus in John’s Gospel so that we may understand that He is indeed the real temple and we may anticipate His death and resurrection because of this.

Ultimately, the cleansing of the temple highlights the zeal for divine worship, His hatred of commercialization and corruption in religion, and the capacity of Jesus Christ to give a new understanding of God’s presence among His people. Not only a historical event but also a theological statement about Jesus Christ, who He is, what true worship means, and how the resurrected Lord began a new covenant through Himself. Some of the terms that belong to the domain of biblical theology include Jesus Christ, the Temple of Jerusalem, the Synoptic Gospels, and exegesis.

Keywords: Temple Cleansing; Gospel of John; Synoptic Gospels; Exegesis; Jerusalem Temple; Jesus Christ; Biblical Theology.