Matthew 21ASV
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Matthew21

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,

2saying unto them, Go into the village that is over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

3And if any one say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

4Now this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,

5Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, Meek, and riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass.

6And the disciples went, and did even as Jesus appointed them,

7and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their garments; and he sat thereon.

8And the most part of the multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the way.

9And the multitudes that went before him, 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.

10And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, Who is this?

11And the multitudes said, This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.

12And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves;

13and he saith unto them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer: but ye make it a den of robbers.

14And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

15But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were moved with indignation,

16and said unto him, Hearest thou what these are saying? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea: did ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

17And he left them, and went forth out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there.

18Now in the morning as he returned to the city, he hungered.

19And seeing a fig tree by the way side, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only; and he saith unto it, Let there be no fruit from thee henceforward for ever. And immediately the fig tree withered away.

20And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How did the fig tree immediately wither away?

21And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done.

22And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

23And 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?

24And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one question, which if ye tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not believe him?

26But if we shall say, From men; we fear the multitude; for all hold John as a prophet.

27And they answered Jesus, and said, We know not. He also said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

28But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in the vineyard.

29And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went.

30And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, 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.

32For 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 saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him.

33Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder, who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.

34And when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, to receive his fruits.

35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them in like manner.

37But afterward he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

38But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance.

39And they took him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him.

40When therefore the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; This was from the Lord, And it is marvellous in our eyes?

43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

44And he that falleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.

45And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

46And when they sought to lay hold on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Matthew 21.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Christ enters Jerusalem. (1–11). He drives out those who profaned the temple. (12–17). The barren fig-tree cursed. (18–22). Jesus' discourse in the temple. (23–27). The parable of the two sons. (28–32). The parable of the wicked husbandmen. (33–46).

vv1-11

This coming of Christ was described by the prophet Zechariah, Zec 9:9. When Christ would appear in his glory, it is in his meekness, not in his majesty, in mercy to work salvation. As meekness and outward poverty were fully seen in Zion's King, and marked his triumphal entrance to Jerusalem, how wrong covetousness, ambition, and the pride of life must be in Zion's citizens! They brought the ass, but Jesus did not use it without the owner's consent. The trappings were such as came to hand. We must not think the clothes on our backs too dear to part with for the service of Christ. The chief priests and the elders afterwards joined with the multitude that abused him upon the cross; but none of them joined the multitude that did him honour. Those that take Christ for their King, must lay their all under his feet. Hosanna signifies, Save now, we beseech thee! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord! But of how little value is the applause of the people! The changing multitude join the cry of the day, whether it be Hosanna, or Crucify him. Multitudes often seem to approve the gospel, but few become consistent disciples. When Jesus was come into Jerusalem all the city was moved; some perhaps were moved with joy, who waited for the Consolation of Israel; others, of the Pharisees, were moved with envy. So various are the motions in the minds of men upon the approach of Christ's kingdom.

vv12-17

Christ found some of the courts of the temple turned into a market for cattle and things used in the sacrifices, and partly occupied by the money-changers. Our Lord drove them from the place, as he had done at his entering upon his ministry, Joh 2:13–17. His works testified of him more than the hosannas; and his healing in the temple was the fulfilling the promise, that the glory of the latter house should be greater than the glory of the former. If Christ came now into many parts of his visible church, how many secret evils he would discover and cleanse! And how many things daily practised under the cloak of religion, would he show to be more suitable to a den of thieves than to a house of prayer!

vv18-22

This cursing of the barren fig-tree represents the state of hypocrites in general, and so teaches us that Christ looks for the power of religion in those who profess it, and the savour of it from those that have the show of it. His just expectations from flourishing professors are often disappointed; he comes to many, seeking fruit, and finds leaves only. A false profession commonly withers in this world, and it is the effect of Christ's curse. The fig-tree that had no fruit, soon lost its leaves. This represents the state of the nation and people of the Jews in particular. Our Lord Jesus found among them nothing but leaves. And after they rejected Christ, blindness and hardness grew upon them, till they were undone, and their place and nation rooted up. The Lord was righteous in it. Let us greatly fear the doom denounced on the barren fig-tree.

Cross References

Matthew 21
v4Zechariah 9:9fulfillment

Directly cited and fulfilled in Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a colt.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v42Psalms 118:22quotation

Directly quoted by Jesus to show how the builders' rejection of the cornerstone was prophesied.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v9Psalms 118:24-26quotation

The source of the crowds' Messianic acclamation: 'Hosanna... Blessed is he that cometh...'

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v13Isaiah 56:7quotation

Quoted by Jesus to condemn the temple's corruption: 'My house shall be called a house of prayer.'

Supported by Matthew Henry

v13Jeremiah 7:11quotation

Quoted by Jesus to rebuke the moneychangers for turning the temple into a 'den of thieves.'

Supported by Matthew Henry

v16Psalms 8:2quotation

Quoted by Jesus to vindicate the praise of children crying out in the temple.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v33Isaiah 5:1-4allusion

The foundational Old Testament background for Jesus' parable of the vineyard and the wicked husbandmen.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v12John 2:13-17thematic

Thematic parallel in John's Gospel recording the purging of the temple moneychangers.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v19Mark 11:13thematic

Parallel account of the cursing of the fig tree, illustrating false profession and sudden judgment.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v19Luke 13:6-9thematic

Thematic parallel showing God's judgment on a fruitless nation, represented by a barren fig tree.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v42Acts 4:11allusion

Apostolic application of Psalm 118:22, identifying Jesus as the rejected stone who became the cornerstone.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v44Isaiah 8:14allusion

Prophetic warnings about stumbling over the rock, parallel to Jesus' warning about falling on the stone.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v23Mark 11:27thematic

Synoptic parallel where the chief priests and elders confront Jesus demanding His authority.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v31Luke 7:29thematic

Confirms the publicans justified God and accepted John's baptism, unlike the self-righteous leaders.

Supported by John Calvin, JFB

v35Matthew 23:37thematic

Jesus' lamentation over Jerusalem for killing and stoning the prophets sent to her.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v21Matthew 17:20thematic

Jesus repeats the lesson of faith that can move mountains to the sea.

Supported by Matthew Henry