Matthew
21:1-17
Lesson 41
21:1-17
Lesson 41
Matthew 21:1-17
Adoration in Jerusalem 1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 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. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 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. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 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. 10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. 12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? 17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there. |
Margin notes:
"Drew Nigh unto Jerusalem." (21:1) - "Drew near to Jerusalem." "The village over against you." (21:2) - "The village opposite you." "Straightway ye shall find an ass." (21:2) - "Immediately, you'll find a donkey." In Old Testament times, dignitaries often rode donkeys and mules (Judges 10:4; 1 Kings 1:33). "If any man say ought unto you." (21:3) - "If any man says anything to you." "Straightway he will send them." (21:3) - "Immediately, he will let you take them." "All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet." (21:4) - It was prophesized by the prophet Zechariah 500 years earlier. See the second Margin Note on verse 21:5 below. "Tell ye the daughter of Sion." (21:5) - "Tell Jerusalem." As originally instructed in Isaiah 62:11 seven hundred years earlier. "Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." (21:5) - Jesus arrived riding a colt, just as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9. Fulfilling the prophecy is more evidence that Jesus is the long-awaited Savior. "Spread their garments in the way." (21:8) - "Spread their clothes in the road." Laying clothes at another's feet showed reverence (2 Kings 9:13). "Strawed them in the way." (21:8) - "Spread them in the road." "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (21:9) - Here, the crowd is chanting Psalm 118:26, an Old Testament verse prophesying the coming Messiah. Jesus also quoted this verse in Luke 13:35, and the crowd shouted it in praise of the Messiah in John 12:13. "When he was come into Jerusalem." (21:10) - Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey that had never been ridden (Mark 11:2; Luke 19:30). What do horses and donkeys do the first time someone sits on them? Do they say, "Great, I'll take you wherever you want to go," or throw the rider off? This animal allowed Jesus to ride them. They knew who He was. "Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple." (21:12) - Jesus' ministry on earth is ending, and this is the second time He cleared the Temple. The first instance occurred three years earlier, at the beginning of His ministry (John 2:13-17). "Moneychangers." (21:12) - The Temple and the merchants who sold their goods on Temple grounds, only accepted Tyrian coins. The moneychangers exchanged the Greek, Roman, and other foreign currencies of visitors for the local Jewish or Temple currency. A fee of 10-12 percent was usually charged. With so many visitors in Jerusalem for Passover, business was brisk. "Doves." (21:12) - Jews bought doves to use as sacrificial animals. "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer." (21:13) - Written in Isaiah 56:7. "Crying in the temple." (21:15) - "Shouting in the Temple." "They were sore displeased." (21:15) - "They were very displeased." "Have ye never read." (21:16) - Jesus is referring to Psalm 8:2. "Thou hast perfected praise?" (21:16) - "You brought perfect praise." |