Is there a conflict between Mark and Matthew regarding Jerusalem & the Fig tree story?

Question

There appears to be a number of inconsistences regarding Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem and the fig tree story between Mark & Matthew, can they be reconciled?

Sequence of events:

Matthew 21:1-22

Jesus went to Jerusalem (21:7-9)

drove out the money changers (12-13)

he spent the night at Bethany (verse 17)

The next morning, seeing the fig tree by the road he cursed the fruitless fig tree that withered immediately, disciples were amazed how quickly it withered(18-20)

Mark 11:1-22

Jesus made his Entry into Jerusalem(7-10)

Looked around and he returned to Bethany, as it was late (verse 11)

The next morning, seeing in the distance, Jesus cursed a fruitless fig tree (12-14)

he drove out the money changers from the Temple on the second day (15-17)

he spent another night in Bethany (verse 19)

the next morning it was discovered the fig tree had withered (20-21)

There are ‘Additional’ Q to the duplicate and hope for a more comprehensive response, as previous A, arguably lacking.

Did Jesus curse the fig tree before or after driving out the money changers?

Did the fig tree wither immediately or the next day?

Was the tree at a distance or by the road (or is this a cover up as Jesus had supernatural knowledge)?

How many nights did he spend I Bethany 1 or 2?

Does Matthew portray a truly triumphant entry while Mark portrays a less glorious entry?

Or is this a fictional enhancement of a miracle from the parable in Luke 13?

Luke 13:6 - 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

Answer 1

It is hard to deny and Mark and Matthew describe a different sequence of events. In Matthew, the driving out of the money changers happens on the same day that Jesus entered Jerusalem, while in Mark it happens on the next day. In addition Matthew portrays a truly triumphant entry while Mark portrays a less glorious entry with Jesus looking around for a while and the going back to Bethany because of the lateness of hour.

Mark 11:11

He entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Matthew 21

10 And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” 12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those engaged in selling and buying there... 14 The blind and the lame[m] approached him in the temple area, and he cured them. 15 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wondrous things he was doing, and the children crying out in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant 16 [o]and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; and have you never read the text, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nurslings you have brought forth praise’?” 17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany, and there he spent the night.

Regarding the fig tree, in both accounts, Jesus curses the fig tree after spending the night in Bethany, but in Mark this happens prior to his overturning the money changers tables, while in Matthew it happens after the money changers episode.

Some commentators try to explain that there is no real difference in the accounts. I prefer to accept that there are differences, both of which express authentic recollections of witnesses. Mark's sources remember two days, with most of the action taking place on the second day. Matthew's source (or Matthew himself) recall everything taking place on one day except for the fig tree episode, and these sources also give considerably more detail than we find in Mark. So yes to difference, but not necessarily to "conflict."

Answer 2

I thought on this a while ago, and I am of the opinion that Matthew gives a truncated version of the timeline. In other words, he condensed the events of two uneventful days into one for the sake of brevity, but didn't want to leave out the relevant miracle of the fig tree being withered. You'll note that Mark includes the day when Jesus just went in and looked around before returning to Bethany. Matthew excludes this uneventful visit.

This isn't an elegant answer, but is likely the source of the disparity between the two accounts.

Answer 3

“And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.” (Mat 21:1-3, KJV)

“And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.” (Mrk 11:1-3, KJV)

It is clear that Matt.21:1-3 and Mar.11:1-3 agree thus far.

“And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.” (Mrk 11:4-11, KJV)

“All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.” (Mat 21:4-11, KJV)

Again, we can agree that Mar.11:4-11 and Matt.21:4-11 agree thus far; only that one has more detail in one area than the other. However, the sequence of event agree up to this point.

If we look closely at Matt. 21:12-17, Matthew did not tell us exactly when his narative took place. However, in verse 17, we are told that Jesus left Jerusalm to lodge at Bethany. Matthew did not tell us when the temple was cleansed. One thing is sure, after the cleansing of the temple, Jesus left Jerusalem and went back to Bethany where he was lodging.

If we look at Mark's account, he told us when the cleansing took place.

It says in verse 15, "And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry" while verse syas "And they come to Jerusalem:...".

They were coming "from Bethany" on the way and "they come to Jerusalem". This follows a natural course of event. The cleansing of the temple took place after the cursing of the fig tree. The word 'And' in verse 15 seem to naturally follow the cursing of the fig tree.

Matthews says in this verse:

“Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.” (Mat 21:18, KJV)

Mark says in this verse:

“And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:” (Mrk 11:12, KJV).

Now, since Matthew did not tell us exaclty when the cleansing took place, It seems to me that Matthew places Matt.21:12-17 in parenthesis. He seemed not to be bothered about sequence of event at this time.

Therefore, Matthew's narative in verse 21:18 is similar to Mark's narative of Mar. 11:15.

After the cursing of the fig tree, they went into Jerusalem. This is natural sequence. What could they go to do in Jerusalem? The natural high probability is that they went to clean the temple. If they cleaned the temple according to Matthews' sequence of event, why would they go to Jerusalem after cursing the fig tree?

Obviously, there was a premeditated reason why they left Bethany in the morning towards Jerusalem? It was to clean the temple.

Hence, Matthews account of Matt.21:12-17 is in parenthesis. No contradiction in this regard.