Matthewchapter 21

The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain

A.Riding into Jerusalem on a Borrowed Coltvv. 1-11

1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3 If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8 A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” 10 When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

B.Tables Overturned; Children Crying Hosannavv. 12-17

12 Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. 13 And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” 14 The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. 15 But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” 16 “Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?” 17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.

C.The Fig Tree That Withered Awayvv. 18-22

18 In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw this, they marveled and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” 21 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

D.By What Authority Do You Do These Things?vv. 23-27

23 When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?” 24 “I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

E.Two Sons and the Wicked Vinedressersvv. 28-46

28 But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 ‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. 30 Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. 33 Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. 34 When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. 35 But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45 When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them. 46 Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Triumphal entry on the colt (fulfilling Zech 9:9).

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

Triumphal entry on the colt (fulfilling Zech 9:9). Temple cleansed: 'my house shall be called the house of prayer.' The barren fig tree cursed. Chief priests question his authority; parable of the two sons, of the householder and the wicked husbandmen. 'The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Gospel · Matthew — Matthew overview

A. 1–11 Riding into Jerusalem on a Borrowed Colt
B. 12–17 Tables Overturned; Children Crying Hosanna
C. 18–22 The Fig Tree That Withered Away
D. 23–27 By What Authority Do You Do These Things?
E. 28–46 Two Sons and the Wicked Vinedressers

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Mark 1110 verses
- Mark 11:1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two of His disciples
- Mark 11:2and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
- Mark 11:4So they went and found the colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. They untied it,
- Mark 11:11Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
- Mark 11:14Then He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again.” And His disciples heard this statement.
- Mark 11:15When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.
- Read Mark 11: 4 more there →
Matthew 216 verses
- Matthew 21:9The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
- Matthew 21:11The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
- Matthew 21:25What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
- Matthew 21:26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
- Matthew 21:41“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.”
- Matthew 21:43Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
- Read Matthew 21 →
Luke 195 verses
- Luke 19:30saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
- Luke 19:32So those who were sent went out and found it just as Jesus had told them.
- Luke 19:39But some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!”
- Luke 19:45Then Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling there.
- Luke 19:46He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be a house of prayer.’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
- Read Luke 19 →
Luke 205 verses
- Luke 20:9Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time.
- Luke 20:10At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.
- Luke 20:14But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
- Luke 20:15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
- Luke 20:19When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.
- Read Luke 20 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Luke 73 verses
- Luke 7:16A sense of awe swept over all of them, and they glorified God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said. “God has visited His people!”
- Luke 7:29All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John.
- Luke 7:37When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.
- Read Luke 7 →
Mark 123 verses
- Mark 12:1Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
- Mark 12:7But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
- Mark 12:9What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.
- Read Mark 12 →
John 32 verses
- John 3:16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- John 3:35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.
- Read John 3 →
John 122 verses
- John 12:13They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”
- John 12:15“Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.”
- Read John 12 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.