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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 21:4 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 21:4 is a reference to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy through the actions of Jesus Christ.

This verse specifically acts as a narrative segue that connects the event of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey with the prophecies found in the Hebrew scriptures.

The verse suggests that these actions were not haphazard, but were orchestrated to accomplish what had been foretold by the prophets, thus underscoring Jesus' messianic identity.

While the verse itself does not contain the prophecy, it sets the stage for the following verse (Matthew 21:5) which quotes the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9.

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Historical Context

Matthew 21:4 is situated within the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event that takes place near the end of his earthly ministry.

This occurs during the Jewish festival of Passover, a time when Jerusalem would have been crowded with pilgrims.

In the Jewish tradition, prophets often played significant roles in calling people back to covenant faithfulness, and prophetic fulfillment was an important criterion for identifying the Messiah.

By tying Jesus' actions to a prophecy's fulfillment, Matthew positions Jesus squarely within the Jewish messianic expectations of the time.

Theological Insights

Different theological streams may interpret this verse, and its reference to prophecy fulfillment, in various ways.

Traditional Christian theology sees this as validation of Jesus’ messiahship, marking him as the long-awaited savior foretold in the Scriptures.

Post-biblical Jewish interpretation may understand this prophetic fulfillment differently, generally not accepting Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies.

Some critical scholars might argue that the New Testament writers, and Matthew in particular, shaped their narratives to correspond with Old Testament prophecies, demonstrating a theological rather than historical purpose.

Practical Applications

This verse can serve as a reminder to believers of the importance of Scripture and its fulfillment, suggesting that God's promises are trustworthy and will come to fruition in due time.

It can also be seen as an invitation to consider the deeper implications of Jesus' actions and teachings in one's own life, recognizing the continuation of God's redemptive work through history.

Additionally, it can encourage individuals to seek and understand the prophecies and promises within their religious traditions and to live in anticipation of their fulfillment.

Cross-References

Zechariah 9:9: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."
Matthew 1:22-23: "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,"
Luke 24:44: "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."

Language Study

The key term in Matthew 21:4 is "fulfilled" (Greek: πληρωθῇ, plērōthēi), from the verb πληρόω (plēroō), which means to complete or make full.

This term is used throughout the New Testament to signify the accomplishment or realization of something prophesied in the Hebrew scriptures.

Understanding this term is critical to grasping the Matthew's intention of demonstrating Jesus as the culmination of the Hebrew prophetic tradition.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, including the Mesopotamian and Greco-Roman, prophecies and omens held significant sway over societal actions and perspectives.

The idea of a divine plan unfolding in history is not unique to Judaism and Christianity.

In other traditions, kings and important figures were often the subjects of prophetic foretellings.

Comparing the use of prophecy in Matthew to other ancient accounts can reveal parallels and divergences in how societies viewed destiny and the divine.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives generally do not intersect directly with the literary and theological elements of prophecy fulfillment in the Bible.

However, historical and archeological sciences can offer insights into the cultural and historical realities of the time, which may further inform our understanding of the events and beliefs depicted in the biblical narrative.

Commentaries

Biblical commentaries offer varied perspectives on Matthew 21:4.

Some emphasize the historical credibility of the narrative, suggesting that Jesus intentionally acted in line with the prophecy to demonstrate his identity.

Others focus on the theological implications, considering the evangelist's use of this fulfillment to affirm Jesus as the expected Messiah and to strengthen the faith of his readers.

Some modern commentaries approach the text critically, exploring how early Christian communities might have understood and shaped these fulfillment narratives in light of their own experiences and expectations.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:4 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 21:4 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?