Jesus Cleanses the Temple of Corruption

The second instance of Jesus cleansing the temple of corruption is in all three synoptic Gospels (Matthew 21:12-16, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-48). The first instance is only in John 2:12-25 right after the wedding at Cana when Jesus' ministry began. The first thing Jesus did after his ministry began was cleanse the temple, and the first thing he did after making his triumphal entry into Jerusalem was cleanse the temple. These two cleansings serve as bookends on Jesus' three-year ministry and reveal his heart for "pure and undefiled religion" (James 1:27).