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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 21:7 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 21:7 narrates the event in which Jesus prepares to enter Jerusalem, an event also known in Christian tradition as the 'Triumphal Entry'.

The verse describes the disciples bringing a donkey and a colt to Jesus, placing their garments on these animals as makeshift saddles, and then Jesus being seated on them.

The literal meaning here is straightforward: the disciples are following Jesus' instructions to acquire these animals, and they are showing him honor by using their clothing as a form of saddle.

The deeper meaning, however, lies in the fulfillment of prophecy and the symbolic nature of Jesus entering the city on a donkey, which in the Jewish tradition is seen as a humble, peaceful approach, contrasting with a warlike king who would have arrived on a horse.

It contributes to the portrayal of Jesus as the Messianic king, who comes in peace rather than war.

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Historical Context

The verse comes from the Gospel of Matthew, written approximately in the late 1st century AD.

The event it describes is tied to the Jewish festival of Passover, during which many Jews would travel to Jerusalem.

In the cultural context, the act of Jesus riding into the city on a donkey would have been seen as an allusion to the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9, which speaks of a king arriving in such a manner.

This moment in the Gospel serves as a clear identification of Jesus with Messianic expectations, yet it subverts the contemporary expectations of a militant Messiah by emphasizing humility and peace.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives draw various insights from Matthew 21:7. For traditional Christians, the verse is seen as a clear fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and an affirmation of Jesus' identity as the Messiah.

In contrast, critical scholars might view it as part of the Gospel authors' efforts to tie Jesus' life to Jewish prophecies to make a case for his Messianic status.

The peaceful nature of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem has also been theorized as a symbolic act of nonviolent resistance against the Roman occupation, embodying theological themes of peace, humility, and the kingdom of God as opposed to earthly kingdoms.

Practical Applications

In daily life, Matthew 21:7 can be seen as advocating for humility and peacefulness in the face of conflict or adulation.

It suggests that true leadership and sovereignty do not require grandiose displays of power or authority but are instead found in servitude and simplicity.

The verse invites believers to embrace humility and peace as guiding principles and to reevaluate the ways they seek recognition and status.

Cross-References

Zechariah 9:9 (KJV): "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."
John 12:14-15 (KJV): "And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt."
Isaiah 62:11 (KJV): "Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him."

Language Study

In the original Greek, the verse contains particular phrases worth noting:

"Brought" (ἤγαγον, ēgagon) - This term is a simple past form indicating action completed.
"Ass" and "colt" (ὄνον, onon and πῶλον, pōlon) - These words distinguish between the two animals, an adult donkey (ass) and its offspring (colt).

In the ancient world, riding on a donkey was symbolic of peace.

"Put on" (ἐπέθηκαν, epethēkan) - This term emphasizes the action of placing or laying something on top of the animals, which in this context is clothing, signifying respect and honor.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, the manner in which a person entered a city could hold significant meaning.

Assyrian and Babylonian kings might enter cities in grand military parades to showcase their power.

In Jewish culture, however, the prophets foretold a Messianic figure who would come in a humble guise, as seen in Zechariah 9:9.

Comparatively, in Greek mythology, gods might enter spaces in disguises or with minimal pomp to interact with humans.

The entry of Jesus on a donkey thus inverts the kingly triumphal entry and asserts a new kind of kingdom different from both pagan and political expectations.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the verse does not present any direct conflicts or intersections with modern scientific understanding. The acts described involve human and animal behavior, both of which fit within the natural world as understood by contemporary science.

However, the act of interpreting animal behavior and symbolism may invite studies from cultural anthropology and ethology (the science of animal behavior).

Commentaries

Various experts and Bible commentators have provided insights on Matthew 21:7:

Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the fulfillment of prophecy and highlights the humility of Christ in choosing a mode of entry that differs from worldly princes or conquerors.
The MacArthur Study Bible notes that Jesus' use of both the donkey and the colt is not to suggest he rode both at once, but rather that the presence of both animals fulfilled the specific details of the prophecy from Zechariah.
The New International Commentary suggests that the act serves as a dramatic symbol, announcing Jesus' Messianic claim and his definition of kingship, which involves meekness and service rather than domination and ostentation.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:7 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 21:7 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?