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Matthew Chapter 21

New Testament Gospel 46 Verses

What is Matthew 21 about?

The Gospel for a Jewish audience — Jesus as Messiah-King, fulfillment of OT prophecy, and teacher of the Sermon on the Mount. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
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 he 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 has 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 marvelous 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.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, etc.] The Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, “when he drew nigh, or was near”; but not alone, his disciples were with him, and a multitude of people also; as is evident from the following account. They might well be said to be near to Jerusalem, since it is added, and were come to Bethphage; which the Jews say f1072 was within the walls of the city of Jerusalem, and was in all respects as the city itself, and was the outermost part of it f1073; and that all within the outward circumference of the city of Jerusalem was called Bethphage f1074: it seems to me to be…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS QUESTIONED AND THE REPLY--THE PARABLES OF THE TWO SONS, AND OF THE WICKED HUSBANDMAN. ( = Mark 11:27-12:12; Luke 20:1-19). (Mat. 21:23-46) By what authority doest thou these things!--referring particularly to the expulsion of the buyers and sellers from the temple, and who gave thee this authority?”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem - They were going up now from Jericho. Matthew 20:29. The distance was about 19 miles. The most of the way was a desert, or filled with caves, and rocks, and woods - a suitable place for robbers. See Luke 10:30. The Mount of Olives, or “Olivet,” is on the east of Jerusalem. Between this and Jerusalem there runs a small stream called the brook Kidron, or Cedron. It is dry in the hot seasons of the year, but swells to a considerable size in time of heavy rains. See the notes at John 18:1. The Mount of Olives was so called from its producing in abundance the olive. It was from…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“Mar 11:1; Luk 19:29; Joh 12:12. Matthew 21:5”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“21:1–28:20 Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem initiates Matthew’s account of how the Messiah’s suffering and resurrection establish salvation. 21:1 Bethphage (a Hebrew name meaning house of figs) was probably located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives between Bethany and Jerusalem proper.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“when: Mar 11:1; Luk 19:28 Bethphage: Bethphage was a village on the declivity of Mount Olivet, and somewhat nearer to Jerusalem than Bethany. the mount: Mat 24:3, Mat 26:30; Zac 14:4; Luk 19:37, Luk 21:37; Joh 8:1; Act 1:12 Matthew 21:2”
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