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Texts -- Matthew 21:1-19 (NET)

Context
The Triumphal Entry
21:1 Now when they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage , at the Mount of Olives , Jesus sent two disciples , 21:2 telling them , “Go to the village ahead of you . Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her . Untie them and bring them to me . 21:3 If anyone says anything to you , you are to say , ‘The Lord needs them ,’ and he will send them at once .” 21:4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet : 21:5 “Tell the people of Zion , ‘Look , your king is coming to you , unassuming and seated on a donkey , and on a colt , the foal of a donkey .’” 21:6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them . 21:7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them , and he sat on them . 21:8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road . Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road . 21:9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting , “Hosanna to the Son of David ! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord ! Hosanna in the highest !” 21:10 As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar , saying , “Who is this ?” 21:11 And the crowds were saying , “This is the prophet Jesus , from Nazareth in Galilee .”
Cleansing the Temple
21:12 Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts , and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves . 21:13 And he said to them , “It is written , ‘My house will be called a house of prayer ,’ but you are turning it into a den of robbers !” 21:14 The blind and lame came to him in the temple courts , and he healed them . 21:15 But when the chief priests and the experts in the law saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts , “Hosanna to the Son of David ,” they became indignant 21:16 and said to him , “Do you hear what they are saying ?” Jesus said to them , “Yes . Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?” 21:17 And leaving them , he went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there .
The Withered Fig Tree
21:18 Now early in the morning , as he returned to the city , he was hungry . 21:19 After noticing a fig tree by the road he went to it , but found nothing on it except leaves . He said to it , “Never again will there be fruit from you !” And the fig tree withered at once .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • TEMPLE, A2

    [isbe] TEMPLE, A2 - II. EZEKIEL'S PROPHETIC SKETCH I. Introductory. 1. Relation to History of Temple: Wellhausen has said that Ezekiel 40 through 48 "are the most important in his book, and have been, not incorrectly, called the ke...

  • Sion

    [ebd] elevated. (1.) Denotes Mount Hermon in Deut. 4:48; called Sirion by the Sidonians, and by the Amorites Shenir (Deut. 3:9). (See HERMON.) (2.) The Greek form of Zion (q.v.) in Matt. 21:5; John 12:15.

  • QUOTATIONS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

    [isbe] QUOTATIONS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT - kwo-ta'-shunz, I. INTRODUCTORY Limitation of the Discussion II. CONSTRUCTIVE PRINCIPLES OF NEW TESTAMENT QUOTATION 1. Unity of the Two Dispensations 2. Biblical Movement Planned from the Beg...

  • Palm tree

    [ebd] (Heb. tamar), the date-palm characteristic of Palestine. It is described as "flourishing" (Ps. 92:12), tall (Cant. 7:7), "upright" (Jer. 10:5). Its branches are a symbol of victory (Rev. 7:9). "Rising with slender stem 40 or...

  • Olves, Mount of

    [ebd] so called from the olive trees with which its sides are clothed, is a mountain ridge on the east of Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:7; Ezek. 11:23; Zech. 14:4), from which it is separated by the valley of Kidron. It is first mentioned...

  • OLIVES, MOUNT OF

    [isbe] OLIVES, MOUNT OF - ol'-ivz, (har ha-zethim (Zec 14:4), ma`aleh ha-zethim, "the ascent of the mount of Olives" (2 Sam 15:30, the King James Version "the ascent of (mount) Olivet"); to oros ton elaion, "the Mount of Olives" (M...

  • Money-changer

    [ebd] (Matt. 21:12; Mark 11:15; John 2:15). Every Israelite from twenty years and upwards had to pay (Ex. 30:13-15) into the sacred treasury half a shekel every year as an offering to Jehovah, and that in the exact Hebrew half-she...

  • Leaf

    [ebd] of a tree. The olive-leaf mentioned Gen. 8:11. The barren fig-tree had nothing but leaves (Matt. 21:19; Mark 11:13). The oak-leaf is mentioned Isa. 1:30; 6:13. There are numerous allusions to leaves, their flourishing, their...

  • KING, CHRIST AS

    [isbe] KING, CHRIST AS - || I. THE REALITY OF CHRIST'S KINGSHIP 1. The Old Testament Foreshadowings In the Psalms and Prophets 2. The Gospel Presentation (1) Christ's Claim to Be King (2) Christ's Acceptance of the Title (3) Christ...

  • Jesus, The Christ

    [nave] JESUS, THE CHRIST. Index of Sub-topics History of; Miscellaneous Facts Concerning; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Ascension of; Atonement by; Attributes of; Compassion of; Confessing; Creator; Death of; Design of His...

  • JESUS CHRIST, 4E1

    [isbe] JESUS CHRIST, 4E1 - E. THE PASSION WEEK--BETRAYAL, TRIAL AND CRUCIFIXION Importance of the Last Events: We reach now the closing week and last solemn events of the earthly life of Jesus. The importance attached to this part ...

  • JESUS CHRIST, 4B

    [isbe] JESUS CHRIST, 4B - B. THE EARLY JUDAEAN MINISTRY I. The Testimonies of the Baptist. 1. The Synoptics and John: While the Synoptics pass immediately from the temptation of Jesus to the ministry in Galilee the imprisonment of ...

  • INSPIRATION, 1-7

    [isbe] INSPIRATION, 1-7 - in-spi-ra'-shun: 1. Meaning of Terms 2. Occurrences in the Bible 3. Consideration of Important Passages (1) 2 Timothy 3:16 (2) 2 Peter 1:19-21 (3) John 10:34 f 4. Christ's Declaration That Scripture Must B...

  • FIG, FIG-TREE

    [isbe] FIG, FIG-TREE - fig'-tre (te'enah, plural te'enim, specially "figs"; paggim, "green figs" only in Song 2:13; suke, "fig-tree," sukon, "fig"): 1. Fig-Trees in the Old Testament: The earliest Old Testament reference to the fig...

  • Den

    [ebd] a lair of wild beasts (Ps. 10:9; 104:22; Job 37:8); the hole of a venomous reptile (Isa. 11:8); a recess for secrecy "in dens and caves of the earth" (Heb. 11:38); a resort of thieves (Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17). Daniel was ca...

  • DRESS

    [isbe] DRESS - In the Hebrew and Greek there is a wonderful wealth of terminology having to do with the general subject of dress among the ancient Orientals. This is reflected in the numerous synonyms for "dress" to be found in Eng...

  • Custom

    [ebd] a tax imposed by the Romans. The tax-gatherers were termed publicans (q.v.), who had their stations at the gates of cities, and in the public highways, and at the place set apart for that purpose, called the "receipt of cust...

  • Child

    [ebd] This word has considerable latitude of meaning in Scripture. Thus Joseph is called a child at the time when he was probably about sixteen years of age (Gen. 37:3); and Benjamin is so called when he was above thirty years (44...

  • Beth-phage

    [ebd] house of the unripe fig, a village on the Mount of Olives, on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho (Matt. 21:1; Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29), and very close to Bethany. It was the limit of a Sabbath-day's journey from Jerusalem, i.e...

  • ASS

    [ebd] frequently mentioned throughout Scripture. Of the domesticated species we read of, (1.) The she ass (Heb. 'athon), so named from its slowness (Gen. 12:16; 45:23; Num. 22:23; 1 Sam. 9:3). (2.) The male ass (Heb. hamor), the c...
    [isbe] ASS - as (chamowr or chamor, compare Arabic chamar, apparently connected with Arabic root 'achmar, "red," but referred by some to root hamal, "to carry"; also, but less commonly, both in Hebrew and in Arabic, 'athon, Arabic ...

Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • Anak-Anak Puji Nama Allah [KJ.296]
  • Anak-Anak, Mari Nyanyi [KJ.11]
  • Bernyanyilah, Puteri Sion [KJ.90]
  • Gapuramu Lapangkanlah [KJ.87]
  • Hai Waris Kerajaan [KJ.88]
  • Puji Yesus [KJ.293]
  • Putri Sion, Nyanyilah [KJ.91]
  • Segala Kemuliaan [KJ.161]
  • Yesuslah Raja yang Menang [KJ.248a]
  • Yesuslah Raja yang Menang [KJ.248b]
  • [Mat 21:9] All Glory, Laud And Honor
  • [Mat 21:9] Hosanna To The Living Lord
  • [Mat 21:9] O King Of Glory! David’s Son!
  • [Mat 21:9] Outside The Holy City
  • [Mat 21:9] Son Of David Bowed To Die, The
  • [Mat 21:15] Hosanna We Sing
  • [Mat 21:16] Can A Little Child Like Me
  • [Mat 21:16] Children Sing
  • [Mat 21:16] Come, Children, Raise Your Voices
  • [Mat 21:16] Hark! Hark! The Song
  • [Mat 21:16] Little Children, Rise And Sing
  • [Mat 21:16] Lord, Thy Children Lowly Bending
  • [Mat 21:16] Praise Him, All Ye Little Children
  • [Mat 21:16] Sing To The Lord The Children’s Hymn
  • [Mat 21:16] Wilt Thou Hear The Voice Of Praise?

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

Types in the Bible; A Responsibility; Triumphal Entry; Matthew 21:9

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The messianic psalms are perhaps the most commonly known type. They predict the coming of a messiah. Franz Delitzsch broke these psalms down into five kinds. The first is the purely prophetic, which predicts that a future Dav...
  • 8:1 This psalm begins and ends with the same expression of wonder as David reflected on the splendor and magnificence of the Lord. He addressed God as LORD (Yahweh, the covenant keeping God of Israel) our Lord (Adonai, the so...
  • 118:22-24 The psalmist seems to have been comparing himself to the stone that the builders (his adversaries) had rejected in view of the preceding context (cf. v. 18). The imagery is common. Whenever builders construct a ston...
  • This transitional pericope introduces the problem that the previous sections of the book posed, which I have tried to explain just above. It also begins the explanation of the solution by placing in stark contrast two opposin...
  • The composition and structure of Jeremiah, discussed below, have led many scholars to conclude that an editor or editors (redactors) probably put the book in its final form. Many conservatives, however, believe that Jeremiah ...
  • This message demonstrates a structure that is quite typical of many others in the Book of Jeremiah (cf. 11:1-17; 17:19-27; 34:8-22). First there is an explanation of Yahweh's will (word, law; vv. 1-7), then a description of I...
  • 8:13 The Lord also declared that He would snatch the Judahites from their land. He had gone forth among His people to gather a harvest of righteousness, but all He found on His vines and fig trees was withered leaves, no grap...
  • "This text is one of the most messianically significant passages of all the Bible, in both the Jewish and Christian traditions. Judaism sees in it a basis for a royal messianic expectation, whereas the NT and Christianity see...
  • Matthew often grouped his material into sections so that three, five, six, or seven events, miracles, sayings, or parables appear together.27Jewish writers typically did this to help their readers remember what they had writt...
  • I. The introduction of the King 1:1-4:11A. The King's genealogy 1:1-17B. The King's birth 1:18-25C. The King's childhood 2:1-231. The prophecy about Bethlehem 2:1-122. The prophecies about Egypt 2:13-183. The prophecies about...
  • Matthew began his Gospel with a record of Jesus' genealogy because the Christians claimed that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. To qualify as such He had to be a Jew from the royal line of David (Isa. 9:6-...
  • The first sentence in this pericope (section) serves as a title for the section, as the sentence in verse 1 did for 1:1-17. Matthew recorded the supernatural birth of Jesus to demonstrate further His qualification as Israel's...
  • Matthew continued to stress God's predictions about and His protection of His Messiah to help his readers recognize Jesus as the promised King.2:13 For the second time in two chapters we read that an angel from the Lord appea...
  • It was common when Jesus lived for forerunners to precede important individuals to prepare the way for their arrival. For example, when a king would visit a town in his realm his emissaries would go before him to announce his...
  • Jesus' genealogy and virgin birth prove His legal human qualification as Israel's King. His baptism was the occasion of His divine approval. His temptation demonstrated His moral fitness to reign. The natural question a thoug...
  • Comparison of John's Gospel and Matthew's shows that Jesus ministered for about a year before John the Baptist's arrest. John had criticized Herod Antipas for having an adulterous relationship with his brother Philip's wife (...
  • This pericope describes the character of the kingdom's subjects and their rewards in the kingdom.236"Looked at as a whole . . . the Beatitudes become a moral sketch of the type of person who is ready to possess, or rule over,...
  • 9:27-28 This is the first time in Matthew's Gospel that someone called Jesus the "Son of David"(cf. 1:1; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30, 31; 21:9, 15). This was a messianic title, and the blind men's use of it undoubtedly expressed thei...
  • The immediate connection between this section and what precedes is twofold. The first is the theme of rising opposition (11:2-13:53), and the second is the heavy yoke of Pharisaic tradition that made the Israelites weary and ...
  • 16:13 The district of Caesarea Philippi lay 25 miles north of Galilee. Its inhabitants were mainly Gentiles. Herod Philip II, the tetrarch of the region, had enlarged a smaller town on the site at the foot of Mt. Hermon.619He...
  • Jesus proceeded to clarify the way of discipleship. In view of Jesus' death His disciples, as well as He, would have to die to self. However, they could rejoice in the assurance that the kingdom would come eventually. Glory w...
  • This section of the Gospel continues Jesus' instruction of His disciples in preparation for their future (19:3-20:34). Then Jesus presented Himself formally to Israel as her King with His triumphal entry (21:1-17). This resul...
  • There is a theological connection between this section and the former one. The death of Jesus provided the basis for God's gracious dealings with believers in His Son. This connection is clear to Matthew's readers because Mat...
  • Even on the way to give His life a ransom for many Jesus continued to serve, as this pericope shows. Rather than delivering Himself from the fate He foresaw, He mercifully and compassionately delivered others from their affli...
  • Jesus came to Jerusalem to present Himself formally to the leaders of Israel as the nation's Messiah. He did this when He entered Jerusalem as Isaiah and Zechariah predicted Messiah would appear."Jesus entered Jerusalem for t...
  • 21:1-2 Jesus and his disciples travelled the 17 miles from Jericho to Bethany along the Roman road. They climbed about 3,000 feet in elevation between those towns. Bethphage ("house of figs") lay slightly farther west than Be...
  • 21:8 The people where acknowledging Jesus as a King by spreading their garments on the road before Him (cf. 2 Kings 9:13). Likewise throwing small branches before Him symbolized the same thing (cf. 1 Macc. 13:51; 2 Macc. 10:7...
  • Matthew stressed Jesus' cleansing of the temple as the work of David's Son (vv. 9, 15). This activity had great messianic significance.77221:12 The Mosaic Law required that the Jews pay a half-shekel temple tax, which they pa...
  • This section of Matthew's Gospel presents Israel's formal rejection of her Messiah. Jesus had made a formal presentation of Himself to the nation's populace and leadership in the messianic capital (21:1-17). Now Matthew recor...
  • The Triumphal Entry happened on Monday. The cursing of the fig tree took place on Tuesday, and the disciples' mention of its withering followed on Wednesday (cf. Mark 11:1-14).78021:18-19 Jesus passed the lone fig tree somewh...
  • Jesus proceeded immediately to tell another parable. Luke wrote that Jesus addressed it to the crowds in the temple courtyard (Luke 20:9). The chief priests and elders continued to listen (vv. 45-46).21:33-34 Jesus alluded to...
  • 22:34 The Pharisees learned that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees. In other words, they learned that the Sadducees would no longer oppose Him publicly. Consequently the Pharisees decided to renew their attack against Him.22:3...
  • 22:41-42 Having received several questions from His critics, Jesus now turned the tables and asked the Pharisees one. He wanted them to explain what the Scriptures taught about Messiah. This would face them and the crowd with...
  • This lamentation should help us realize that the judgment Jesus just announced in such strong language was not something that delighted Him. It broke His heart. This is also clear from His personalizing the people in Jerusale...
  • Having given a general description of conditions preceding His return and the end of the present age, Jesus next described one particular event that would be the greatest sign of all.24:15 "Therefore"or "So"(Gr. oun) ties thi...
  • Jesus concluded the Olivet Discourse with further revelation about the judgment that will take place at the end of the present age when He returns. He had referred to it often in the discourse, but now He made it a special su...
  • Pilate was a cruel ruler who made little attempt to understand the Jews whom he hated.1047He had treated them unfairly and brutally on many occasions, but recently Caesar had rebuked him severely.1048This probably accounts fo...
  • Abbott-Smith, G. A. A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1937.Albright, W. F. and Mann, C. S. Matthew. The Anchor Bible series. Garden City: Doubleday, 1971.Alford, Henry. The Greek Testa...
  • This is only the second incident that all four evangelists recorded, the other being the feeding of the 5,000 (cf. 6:30-44). This fact reflects its importance. Mark's account of this event gives much detail indicating its eye...
  • Mark gave more precise time intervals than Matthew did. Matthew related the cursing of the fig tree (Matt. 21:12-17) and Jesus' lesson to the disciples the following day (Matt. 21:18-22) back to back.11:12-13 The next day was...
  • Luke did not record Jesus' actual entrance into the city of Jerusalem. He stressed Jesus' approach to Jerusalem and His lamentation over it (vv. 41-44). This presentation has the effect of eliminating the triumphant spirit of...
  • This summary is unique to Luke's Gospel. The writer included it to round off this phase of Jesus' ministry. During the passion week Jesus spent His days teaching in the temple area, probably Tuesday through Thursday. He must ...
  • The Synoptics record Jesus' cleansing of the temple after His triumphal entry (Matt. 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-16; Luke 19:45-46). Only John noted this cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. The differences b...
  • This chapter continues the theme of Jesus as the Light of the World (8:12; 9:5). When the Light shone, some received spiritual sight, as this blind man received physical and spiritual sight. However the Light blinded others (...
  • The scene shifts back to life within the church (cf. 4:32-5:11). Luke wrote this pericope to explain some administrative changes that the growth of the church made necessary. He also wanted to introduce the Hellenistic Jews w...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Matthew 9-28
  • 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...
  • All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass.'--Matt. 21:4-5.OUR Lord's entrance into Je...
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