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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 21:45 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 21:45 speaks of a moment of realization by the chief priests and Pharisees after Jesus had told them parables.

These parables, which are stories with moral or spiritual lessons, were perceived by these religious leaders as being directed at them.

On the surface, it may appear as just a reaction to Jesus' teachings, but the deeper meaning suggests that the parables were exposing the hypocrisy and corrupt practices of the religious authorities of that time.

The chief priests and Pharisees were the religious elite in Jewish society, and they were expected to guide the people according to the laws of Moses and the traditions of Israel.

However, Jesus' parables often revealed that these leaders were failing in their duties, focusing instead on their own power and authority.

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Historical Context

The verse is set within the context of Jesus' ministry in first-century Palestine under Roman occupation.

The chief priests and Pharisees were part of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, and were highly influential in matters of Jewish law and temple worship.

During this period, there was significant tension between the oppressive Roman rule and the Jewish population, adding to the complexities of religious and political leadership.

Jesus' ministry often clashed with the established religious order, as he preached about the Kingdom of God and criticized the religious leaders for their practices.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse touches on themes of judgment, self-awareness, and prophecy.

Some Christian theologians may view this as a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies regarding the coming Messiah and his challenges to the establishment.

Others may interpret it as a call to introspection for all believers, emphasizing the need to be aware of one's own potential for hypocrisy and wrongdoing.

The realization by the chief priests and Pharisees can be seen as a moment of convicting clarity, where the truth of Jesus' words penetrated their defenses.

Practical Applications

This verse serves as a reminder for individuals to remain humble and open to self-examination.

It cautions against the danger of becoming so entrenched in one's beliefs or position that one fails to see one's own faults.

In practical terms, it encourages believers to reflect on how their actions align with their spiritual values and to be willing to change when they fall short.

It also points to the importance of leaders maintaining integrity and serving their communities faithfully.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:43: "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
Matthew 23:13: "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."
Luke 20:19: "And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek text of this verse include:

"Parables" (παραβολάς, parabolas): a figurative discourse or saying, often with a hidden message.
"Perceived" (ἔγνωσαν, egnōsan): recognized, understood, or became aware of.
"Spake" (ἔλεγεν, elegen): past tense of "to say" or "to speak."

Analyzing these words provides insight into the clarity with which Jesus' message was communicated and understood by the religious leaders, highlighting their awareness of the critique directed at them.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient religious traditions, leaders were often subjects of critique by prophets and reformers.

For example, in Greek mythology, figures like Tiresias would speak truth to power, critiquing the rulers of the day.

In the same vein, the role of prophets in the Old Testament was to call out the unfaithfulness and injustices of Israel's leaders.

This verse is consistent with a pattern in religious narratives where authority is questioned and the moral integrity of leaders is challenged.

Scientific Perspectives

There is no direct scientific intersection with this specific verse; however, modern psychological studies on self-perception and recognition of personal flaws correlate with the reaction of the chief priests and Pharisees.

Cognitive dissonance theory might explain their uncomfortable realization when confronted with the truth of Jesus' parables.

Commentaries

Modern biblical scholars and theologians offer various interpretations of this verse.

Some focus on the literary structure of the parables as a teaching tool used by Jesus, while others emphasize the social and religious critique implicit in them.

Commentaries may discuss the historical tensions between Jesus and the Jewish authorities and how these tensions are reflected in the Gospel narratives.

Importantly, they often highlight this verse as a moment where Jesus' message directly confronts and exposes the hypocrisy within the religious leadership of his time.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:45 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 21:45 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?