PrevMatthew 21:15Next

Matthew 21

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.

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.

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,

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.

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

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,

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?

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

What does Matthew 21:15 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 21:15 comes from the Gospel of Matthew and depicts a reaction from the religious leaders of the time, specifically the chief priests and the scribes, to the events occurring in the temple.

Jesus had just made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (commonly celebrated as Palm Sunday), and he was in the temple healing the blind and the lame.

The miracles Jesus performed were considered 'wonderful things,' and they elicited praise from onlookers, including children, who shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David!" This phrase acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, a title which was expected to be held by a descendant of King David.

However, the chief priests and scribes were "sore displeased," which indicates not just mild irritation but a profound discomfort or anger at the actions of Jesus and the acclamations he was receiving.

This tension highlights the differing perceptions of Jesus' identity and mission between the common people, who accepted him as the Messiah, and the religious elite, who felt threatened by Jesus' popularity as well as the potential political and religious implications of his messianic claim.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Matthew 21:15 occurred during the time of the Jewish Passover, a major festival that celebrated the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. During this period, Jews from all over would come to Jerusalem to participate in religious festivities.

It was a charged atmosphere, with a heightened expectation for a messianic figure who would deliver Israel from Roman rule.

The temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life and was overseen by the chief priests and scribes, who held significant influence and authority.

By performing miraculous healings and receiving praise within the temple's sacred confines, Jesus was challenging the authority and religious interpretations of these leaders.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints interpret this verse in varied ways:

Traditional Christian theology sees this as a fulfillment of messianic prophecy, where Jesus is recognized by the people, especially innocent children, as the promised Messiah.
Reformed theologians may highlight the sovereignty of God in the unfolding events, where even the indignation of the priests and scribes serves a divine purpose in the passion narrative.
Liberation theology might see Jesus' actions in the temple as a prophetic critique of religious institutions that had become disconnected from the needs of the people, thus standing in solidarity with the marginalized who Jesus healed.
Feminist theologians may discuss the importance of including children in the narrative as voices of truth and authenticity in a society that often overlooked them.

Practical Applications

This verse illustrates several applications for daily life:

The importance of recognizing and affirming the works of goodness in our midst, regardless of whether they challenge existing structures.
Encouraging the 'Hosannas' of today by supporting those who speak truth to power, especially when it comes from unexpected sources like children or marginalized groups.
Reflecting on how institutions or ideologies might blind us from seeing the value in change or the presence of the divine.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:9 - "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."
Psalm 118:26 - "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord."
Matthew 21:16 - "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?"

Language Study

Key words and their meanings in the original language (Greek):

"Hosanna" (ὡσαννά): A transliteration of a Hebrew expression meaning "save, please" or "save now," which became a term of praise.
"Wonderful things" (θαυμάσια): Derived from "thaumazo," meaning to marvel or wonder, often associated with miraculous or divine acts.
"Sore displeased" (ἠγανάκτησαν): From "aganakteo," which means to be greatly distressed, indignant, or angry.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The phrase "Hosanna to the Son of David" draws on Jewish messianic expectations.

Culturally, this might be compared to other ancient civilizations' expectations of divine or semi-divine figures coming to establish justice or restore order.

Religious comparisons could include the role of prophetic figures in other faiths who challenge institutional authority and the reactions they provoke.

Scientific Perspectives

While the verse does not explicitly relate to scientific perspectives, scientific inquiry can offer insights into understanding the historical and cultural context of the period.

For example, archaeology provides evidence of the temple layout, which enriches our understanding of the events that took place there.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians offer perspectives on this verse:

William Barclay notes that the children's cries in the temple were both a fulfillment of prophecy and an expression of the natural joy of children in the presence of Jesus.
John Calvin interprets the displeasure of the chief priests and scribes as envy and an inability to recognize the power of God manifest in Jesus.
R.T.

France highlights the contrast between the openness of the children and the blindness of the religious leaders to Jesus' messianic identity.

Craig S.

Keener discusses the political implications of the title "Son of David" and the tensions it may have raised given the Roman occupation at that time.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:15 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 21:15 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?