Matthew 21:46
in Matthew 21Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when they sought to lay hold on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet.
KJV
But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
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This verse in Matthew 21
Commentary
16 notes on this verse(Verse 45, 46.) And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. And they sought to arrest him, but they feared the crowds because they regarded him as a prophet. Though they had hard hearts and were dull in their disbelief and impiety towards the Son of God, they could not deny the clear accusations, and they understood that all of the Lord's judgments were directed against them. Therefore, they indeed wanted to kill him, but they feared the crowds because they regarded him as a prophet.
This site's exposition
they perceived that he spake of them
on Matthew 21:45-46
The chief priests and Pharisees perceived that he spake of them, understanding the parable perfectly the moment its sentence had left their own mouths, and their response confirms exactly what the parable accused them of. They sought to lay hands on him, choosing violence over repentance the same way the husbandmen in the story chose murder over rendering the fruit, and are stopped only because they feared the multitude, who took him for a prophet. The same fear of the people that kept them from answering honestly about John's baptism now keeps them from arresting Jesus in the open, a restraint that will not last the week.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
One thing they know which is true concerning Him; they esteemed Him a Prophet, though not understanding His greatness in respect of His being the Son of God. But the rulers feared the multitude who thought thus of Him, and were ready to fight for Him; for they could not attain to the understanding which the multitude had, seeing they thought nothing worthy concerning Him. Further, know that there are two different kinds of desires to lay hands on Jesus. The desire of the rulers and Pharisees was one kind; another that of the Bride, I held him, and would not let him go; (Song of Sol. 3:4. ch. 7:8.) intending to try Him still further, as she saith, I will get me up into the palm tree, I will lay hold of its height. All who think not rightly concerning His divinity, seek to lay hands on Jesus in order to put Him to death. Other words indeed excepting the word of Christ it is possible to seize and to hold, but the word of truth none can seize, that is, understand; none can hold it, that is, convict; nor separate it from the conviction of those that believe; nor do it to death, that is, destroy it.
Hard as were the hearts of the Jews in unbelief, they yet perceived that the Lord's sentence was directed against themselves.
And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. And they sought to arrest him, but they feared the crowds because they regarded him as a prophet. Though they had hard hearts and were dull in their disbelief and impiety towards the Son of God, they could not deny the clear accusations, and they understood that all of the Lord's judgments were directed against them. Therefore, they indeed wanted to kill him, but they feared the crowds because they regarded him as a prophet.
(in fin. Hom. xxxix.) Here is the difference between good and bad men. The good man when taken in a sin has sorrow because he has sinned, the bad man is grieved not because he has sinned, but because he is found out in his sin; and he not only does not repent, but is indignant with him that reproved him. Thus they being taken in their sins were stirred up to still greater wickedness; And they sought to lay hands on him, but feared the multitude, because they took him for a Prophet. Every wicked man also, as far as his will is concerned, lays hands on God, and puts Him to death. For whoso tramples upon God's commandments, or murmurs against God, or raises a sullen look to heaven, would not he, if he had the power, lay hands on God, and kill Him, that he might sin without restraint?
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 68 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
What then ought they to have done on hearing these things? ought they not to have adored, to have marvelled at the tender care, that shown before, that afterwards? But if by none of these things they were made better, by the fear of punishment at any rate ought they not to have been rendered more temperate? But they did not become so, but what do they after these things? "When they had heard it," it is said, "they perceived that He spake of them. And when they sought to lay hands on Him, they were afraid because of the multitudes, for they took Him for a prophet." For they felt afterwards that they themselves were intimated. Sometimes indeed, when being seized, He withdraws through the midst of them, and is not seen; and sometimes while appearing to them He lays a check upon their laboring eagerness; at which indeed men marveled, and said, "Is not this Jesus? Lo, He speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto Him." But in this instance, forasmuch as they were held in restraint by the fear of the multitude, He is satisfied with this, and doth not work miracles, as before, withdrawing through the midst, and not appearing. For it was not His desire to do all things in a superhuman way, in order that the Dispensation might be believed. But they, neither by the multitude, nor by what had been said, were brought to a sound mind; they regarded not the prophet's testimony, nor their own sentence, nor the disposition of the people; so entirely had the love of power and the lust of vainglory blinded them, together with the pursuit of things temporal.
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
See once again that the multitude, which is simple and guileless, follows the truth, while the teachers of the law work evil. But even today there are Jews who seek to lay hands on Christ, but they neither grasp nor understand Him. For they shall …
This, that they are afraid to lay hands on Jesus because of the multitudes, is daily acted in the Church, when any who is a brother only in name, is ashamed or afraid to assail the unity of faith and peace which he does not love, because of the good men with whom he lives.
And there follows the malice: "and seeking to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him as a prophet." And this is clear.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But when they sought to lay hands on him,....
But in this public appearance, 1. The preparation was sudden and offhand. For his glory in the other world, and ours with him, preparation was made before the foundation of the world, for that was the glory his heart was upon; his glory in this world he was dead to, and therefore, though he had it in prospect, did not forecast for it, but took what came next.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But when they sought to lay hands on him--which Luke (Lu 20:19) says they did "the same hour," hardly able to restrain their rage. they feared the multitude--rather, "the multitudes." because they took him for a prophet--just as they feared to say John's baptism was of men, because the masses took him for a prophet (Mt 21:26).
The parable contained in these verses was spoken with special reference to the Jews. They are the husbandmen here described: their sins are set before us here as in a picture. Of this there can be no doubt: it is written that “he spake of them.” But we must not flatter ourselves that this parable contains nothing for the Gentiles. There are lessons laid down for us, as well as for the Jew. Let us see what they are. We see in the first place what distinguishing privileges God is pleased to bestow on some nations.
The parable contained in these verses was spoken with special reference to the Jews. They are the husbandmen here described: their sins are set before us here as in a picture. Of this there can be no doubt: it is written that “he spake of them.” But we must not flatter ourselves that this parable contains nothing for the Gentiles. There are lessons laid down for us, as well as for the Jew. Let us see what they are. We see in the first place what distinguishing privileges God is pleased to bestow on some nations. He chose Israel to be a people special to himself. He separated them from the other nations of the earth, and bestowed on them countless blessings; he gave them revelations of himself, while all the rest of the earth was in darkness; he gave them the law, and the covenants, and the oracles of God, while all the world beside was let alone. In short, God dealt with the Jews as a man deals with a piece of land which he fences out and cultivates, while all the country around is left untilled and waste. The vineyard of the Lord was the house of Israel ( Isaiah 5:7 ). And have we no privileges? Beyond doubt we have many. We have the Bible, and liberty for everyone to read it; we have the Gospel, and permission to everyone to hear it; we have spiritual mercies in abundance of which five hundred millions of our fellow-men know nothing at all. How thankful we ought to be! The poorest man in England may say every morning, “There are five hundred millions of immortal souls worse off than I am. Who am I, that I should differ? Bless the Lord, O my soul.” We see in the next place what a bad use nations sometimes make of their privileges. When the Lord separated the Jews from other people, he had a right to expect that they would serve him, and obey his laws. When a man has taken pains with a vineyard, he has a right to expect fruit.
They sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude - Restraining and preventing grace is an excellent blessing, particularly where it leads to repentance and salvation; but he who abstains from certain evils, only through fear of scandal or punishment, has already committed them in his heart, and is guilty before God. The intrepidity of our Lord is worthy of admiration and imitation; in the very face of his most inveterate enemies, he bears a noble testimony to the truth, reproves their iniquities, denounces the Divine judgments, and, in the very teeth of destruction, braves danger and death!
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ζητοῦντες | zetountes | seeking | G2212 → | 117 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| κρατῆσαι | kratesai | to lay hold of | G2902 → | 47 times |
| ἐφοβήθησαν | ephobethesan | they feared | G5399 → | 95 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὄχλους, | ochlous | crowds, | G3793 → | 175 times |
| ἐπεὶ | epei | because | G1893 → | 26 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| προφήτην | propheten | a prophet | G4396 → | 144 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἶχον.¶ | eichon | they were holding. | G2192 → | 707 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ζητοῦντεςseeking
zetountesG2212 →117 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
κρατῆσαιto lay hold of
kratesaiG2902 →47 times
ἐφοβήθησανthey feared
ephobethesanG5399 →95 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ὄχλους,crowds,
ochlousG3793 →175 times
ἐπεὶbecause
epeiG1893 →26 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
προφήτηνa prophet
prophetenG4396 →144 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
εἶχον.¶they were holding.
eichonG2192 →707 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 21:11The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
it leads to
- John 6:14
When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
- John 7:40
On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”
- Luke 7:16
A 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!”
- John 9:17
So once again they asked the man who had been blind, “What do you say about Him, since it was your eyes He opened?” “He is a prophet,” the man replied.
- Deuteronomy 18:15–19
The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.
- John 6:14
Through
Acts 2:22Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
it leads to
- John 3:2
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were…
- Matthew 12:28
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
- Acts 4:10
then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from…
- John 3:2
Where this verse is studied
About Matthew
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 68; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Pseudo-Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Rabanus Maurus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.