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Matthew 21:1-11

Jesus had crossed the Jordan into the region of Judea, and proceeded to the city of Jericho. A great
multitude traveled with Him, making their way to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover.

As He departed Jericho, Jesus had encountered two blind men - according to Matthew’s record - who cried
out to Jesus as the Son of David, to have mercy on them - and Jesus did. He healed their blindness, and
with eyes opened, they now could see Jesus - and they began to follow Him, proclaiming Him.

The two men were a witness to the city of Jerusalem - Zion, who was blind to her Messiah - a warning for
her to open her eyes and see the approach of her great King.

And it is of that approach - of Jesus, to Jerusalem - that we read next, in Matthew’s account.

[Matthew 21:1-11]

So this is Matthew’s description of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. What is this often called? It might
even be labeled this way in your Bible. The Triumphal Entry.

The term most readily evokes a conqueror, who has been victorious in battle, entering a city he has won
amidst the proclamation of his triumph (Ps 24). I would like you to revisit that image in your mind as we
explore the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem at this time.

Jesus traveled the 19 miles from Jericho southwest along the desolate route toward Jerusalem, accompanied
by His disciples and the multitude. This multitude would mostly have been Galilean Jews, who had been
accompanying Jesus, along with some newly-acquired Jewish followers from the regions of Samaria and
Perea.

From John’s gospel, we learn that Jesus first came to Bethany, a village on the east base of the Mount of
Olives, only a mile or two from Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives is more like a mile-long hill, 700 feet high
with three elevated peaks. It overlooks all of Jerusalem.

The Mount of Olives will be the site of some significant events. On the west side of it is Gethsemane - the
garden where Jesus will agonize in prayer, before His arrest (Mt 26:30). After His death and resurrection,
Jesus will ascend back to heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12). And it will also be the place where
Jesus will set down His foot on the earth, when He returns - at His Second Coming (Zech 14:4).

But at this time, by the eastern base of the Mount of Olives, in Bethany, Jesus went to the home of Martha,
Mary and Lazarus - whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They made a supper for Jesus, and He dined
with them. It was afterward that Mary took that vial of costly oil, broke it, and poured it out on the head
and feet of Jesus - an anointing of His body, in preparation for His death.

John also indicates that a great many of the Jews knew that Jesus was there, and came to see Him, but also
Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Clearly, the news of this astounding miracle had been
broadcast throughout the local region.

In fact, John brings out that the chief priests and the Pharisees in Jerusalem were aware of the raising of
Lazarus, and plotted to put both Lazarus and Jesus to death (Jn 11:45-57, 12:1-11). So Jesus was not
unknown in Judea and Jerusalem - at least by reputation.
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It would appear that Jesus stayed with His friends in Bethany one or two nights, and then the next day made
His approach to Jerusalem.

While John’s gospel makes it clear that Jesus went to Jerusalem many times, Matthew, Mark and Luke wait
until this point in the ministry of Jesus to show Him entering Jerusalem. In this way, they are emphasizing
that this is the first time that Jesus will be entering Jerusalem openly - as Israel’s Messiah.

We see here in Matthew’s account that as Jesus and the multitude drew near to Jerusalem, they came to
Bethphage. This was a village adjacent to Bethany, also at the eastern foot of the Mount of Olives. Jesus
sent two of His disciples into Bethphage, with very specific instructions. I’m going to read those again, in
Matthew’s account, verses 2 and 3.

`21:2-3 Some believe that the instructions of Jesus were based on a pre-arranged plan, on the part of Jesus
and others; that He had supporters in Bethphage who were willing to lend Him the animals, and Jesus told
them He would send His disciples to retrieve the animals. Maybe there was even a password: “The Lord
has need of them”.

This is possible, but I think unlikely. How would Jesus be able to make such arrangements, having just
arrived in the area? How would Jesus be able to know, as He did, exactly where they had tied up the donkey
and her colt? And why would He not have had His disciples go to the owners first to pursue the
arrangements - if arrangements had been made with the owners?

It seems to me that the greater likelihood is this was indeed a pre-arranged plan, but based on the Father’s
foreknowledge of the hearts of men, and revealed to Jesus, through the Spirit. The disciples had to exercise
their faith to obey Jesus, and take the donkey and her colt. If challenged, they had to exercise their faith
again to answer as Jesus indicated.

And in fact, other gospel accounts indicate that the disciples were challenged, by the owners - and when the
disciples answered as Jesus indicated - “the Lord has need of them” - the owners let the donkey and its colt
go (Mk 11:5-6; Lk 19:33-34).

“The Lord” here in the Greek specifically suggests the title used for God (not just a respectful address, like
“sir”). Did the owners recognize Jesus as God? Did they just take it that “God” had need of the donkey and
colt - which belonged to God, by rights of creation?

Whatever the reason, the Father foreknew that the owners would find the response acceptable; that they
would recognize the disciples were acting under the Lord’s authority - God’s authority - and that they were
not in fact donkey-thieves.

All four of the gospel writers mention this obtaining of a donkey, upon which Jesus would ride into
Jerusalem. But John glosses over all the details and just says that Jesus found a young donkey; a colt, a
young male. John doesn’t mention a mother donkey at all. In fact, neither do Mark and Luke.

Only Matthew mentions the mother donkey and her colt; that Jesus instructed both to be brought; and that
they both were brought - which he no doubt witnessed for himself, being there.

Now, we remember that Matthew tends to be the one who is scant on details; and yet, this is a detail he felt
was important to include, in his account. That should draw our attention to it, too; so let’s think about that,
for a moment.
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Why do you think that the other gospel writers mention only the donkey’s colt? Because that is the crucial
one; that is the one Jesus rode, as they indicate in their accounts. Both Mark and Luke point out that no one
had ever sat, on this colt; not until Jesus rode on it (Mk 11:2; Lk 19:30).

The mother of the colt was likely brought along for the practical reason that she would help the colt to cope
with the new experience - and steady it with the frightening noise of the crowd.

We might then conclude that this reason doesn’t really make the detail of the mother worth mentioning.
And maybe that’s why the other gospel writers leave out the mention of the mother.

But Matthew still sees something in the mother that’s important, and so he does includes her mention. It
has to do with Matthew’s perspective, in his gospel - for Matthew shows Jesus as Israel’s Messiah; the heir
to David’s throne; Israel’s King.

From this perspective, Matthew shows that what Jesus was doing was a fulfillment of a prophecy of
Zechariah, which we find in verse 5. Let’s read that again.

21:5 It is common in the Hebrew to use parallel clauses, for emphasis. That’s what we find at the end of
this prophecy: “sitting on a donkey; a colt, the foal of a donkey”. In the Hebrew, it basically says the same
thing twice, to strengthen the point.

Matthew would have known this - and that it is referring to a single donkey, the colt - but Matthew applies
the prophecy to include the mother, using the feminine form of the word donkey in the first clause (sitting
on a donkey). In this way, Matthew included the mother and the colt, that were brought to Jesus.

And to draw out this point further, Matthew speaks of the clothes being laid on both of them; and Jesus
being set on them. On what? The mother and her colt? Or on the clothes?

Matthew’s wording almost makes it sound as if Jesus rode both the mother and her colt into Jerusalem,
which was certainly not the case; but Matthew was deliberately attempting to generate this image in the
minds of his primary, Jewish readers. He is tapping at their minds, to remind them of another prophecy
about a donkey and her colt.

Matthew quoted this prophecy loosely, based on both the Hebrew and the Septuagint; and he quoted it only
in part. I want to look at that with you as originally given to Zechariah. Turn to Zechariah chapter 9.

Zechariah wrote to remnant of the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. They had
rebuilt the walls of the city despite opposition, but then they fell into complacency and abandoned the
rebuilding of the temple. The LORD commissioned the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to stir up the people,
and encourage them to finish His house. Four years later, the work was completed.

Chapter 9 begins a set of prophecies given to Zechariah concerning the coming of Messiah to His people -
and the promise of blessings in receiving Him, but dire judgment for His rejection. Verse 9 contains the
prophecy that Matthew quotes in our passage.

[Zechariah 9:9] Zechariah’s prophecy exhorts the daughter of Zion - Jerusalem - to rejoice and shout, for
her King has come; in righteousness, He offers her salvation.
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But Matthew simply says, “Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King is coming to you”. Remember that
at the time of Matthew’s writing, Jerusalem had not rejoiced, but had rejected her King, along with all
Israel; the prophecy by then just served to tell them of what they had missed - for Jesus would have been
the salvation of Israel, if they had received Him.

Matthew retains the rest of the verse, in order to show that the manner Jesus entered into Jerusalem was a
clear fulfillment of this prophecy of Zechariah concerning their King - which the Jews also understood to
be their Messiah (Ps 2:2, 6; Jn 1:14).

And as we see in the original prophecy, within the parallelism of the original Hebrew verse is the mention
of the two donkeys - mother and colt - although only the colt is ridden. Matthew viewed this as being
fulfilled by the mother and the colt brought to Jesus - which Matthew thought to pass on for his more
insightful readers, who will also see the significance.

Jewish readers would easily make a connection, which may elude us, as more contemporary readers, who
have less familiarity with the OT. Jewish readers would immediately think of another case in Scripture,
where a donkey and her colt are cited. Do you know where we find it? We find it in a prophecy that Jacob-
Israel gave to his sons.

Turn to Genesis chapter 49. Just before his death, Jacob was given prophecies for each of his twelve sons -
prophecies that pertained especially to the tribes that would come of them, that would make up the nation
of Israel.

Jacob’s son Judah is known as the royal tribe. One of Judah’s descendants would be the first king of the
united kingdom of Israel - who was that? David. And of course David’s most illustrious son, who will one
day sit on the throne of the whole earth, will be Jesus. So the prophecy to Judah mostly concerns that Son -
Israel’s Messiah and King.

We find this prophecy in verses 8-12. It begins with a praise for Judah - a play off the meaning of His
name. Verses 8-9 use the imagery of a lion to show the ascendancy of the tribe of Judah, first in conquering
their enemies in Canaan, and then in the rise of David to the throne, with the LORD giving him rest from his
enemies all around. We are focusing on verses 10-11, which is the part that pertains to the prophecy in
Zechariah.

[Genesis 49:10-11]

49:10 The “lawgiver” is the staff of a ruler; it is a parallel to the scepter of the king.

“Shiloh” is a transliteration from the Hebrew. The actual name means peace-bringer. But the meaning of
the word here according to the LXX is “to whom it belongs” (as in Eze 21:27).

So the idea is that the rule over Israel will be retained within the tribe of Judah - through the royal line.
This would be true throughout the time Israel was ruled over by the Gentiles - the rule would be retained
until Him to whom the scepter belongs comes.

So who would that be? Jesus - the Lion of the tribe of Judah. When He takes up the scepter in His Second
Coming - which has been hidden throughout the time of Gentile dominion - He will rule over Israel, and all
the earth - forever and ever.
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To Him - to Jesus - shall be the obedience of the people. This part of the prophecy pertains to His Second
Coming; His people shall be willing, in the day of His power (Ps 110:3).

And that obedience is borne out in the imagery which follows, in verse 11.

49:11a First, we have to sort out our donkeys here. The first one mentioned - binding his donkey to the
vine - is actually a young male donkey; a colt. The next word for donkey, in the possessive, is a female
donkey; and the word “colt” after that is actually the Hebrew word for son. So although both the mother
donkey and the colt are mentioned, it is only the colt that is bound to the vine; to the choice vine; just as in
Zechariah’s prophecy, only the colt is ridden. But what is this imagery here intended to represent?

Let’s consider the vine first. The prophets spoke of the nation Israel as the vineyard of the LORD, from
which the LORD expected to obtain good fruit - sons of God. But what did Israel always bring forth?
Worthless, wild grapes (Is 5:1-2).

Yet, out of that dry ground of the nation sprang a tender plant (Is 53:2) - a choice vine, that would bring
forth good fruit for the LORD. Who is that choice vine? Israel’s Messiah.

So the vine, the choice vine - to which the colt is bound - represents the Messiah in this prophecy; Jesus.
Now - who or what does this donkey’s colt represent?

For that, we need to leave this prophecy for a moment, and turn to Exodus chapter 13 - where we learn a
little bit about donkeys.

The LORD had delivered the children of Israel from Egypt - redeeming them through the blood of the lambs.
The same action that brought salvation to the children of Israel brought judgment to their Egyptian captors:
in every house that was not marked by the blood of the lamb, the LORD smote the firstborn with death,
whether the firstborn of man or of beast (Ex 12:29).

As a memorial, the LORD had Moses set apart all of the firstborn males - they belonged to Him. This was
true among both men and livestock - except for one particular animal.

[Exodus 13:11-12] The firstborn of donkeys could not be set apart to the LORD. This is because of the
nature of donkeys; they are stubborn, willful beasts. The imagery points to the sons of Adam - God’s
“firstborns”, in the flesh, in their willful lawlessness. Sons of Adam cannot be set apart to the LORD; they
must instead be redeemed with a lamb - the Lamb of God - Jesus.

If the firstborn of a donkey is not redeemed, what must be done to it? It must have its neck broken. For the
sons of Adam, if they will not receive the redemption that is in the Lamb of God - Christ Jesus - they will
come into judgment. The neck will bow, one way or the other.

Let’s take this thought back now to the prophecy in Genesis chapter 49.

[Return to Genesis 49]

The donkeys in this prophecy about Israel does not represent just any of the sons of Adam - but the nation
Israel - whom God calls His firstborn (Ex 4:22). Israel had willfully refused the LORD in the past, resulting
in their neck being broken, in judgment - generation, after generation.
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But when the One to whom the scepter belongs comes to take it - Jesus, in His Second Coming - to Him
will be the obedience of the people - His nation Israel.

The colt, then, represents that generation of Israel that is willing to submit to Jesus - to be bound to the
Lamb, as their Messiah and King - when He returns in His Second Coming. The colt is the remnant of
Israel, which will be born out of the Great Tribulation.

With those thoughts in mind now, let’s return to Matthew chapter 21.

[Return to Matthew 21]

So we see that Matthew was impressing on the minds of his readers that the manner in which Jesus came to
Jerusalem was deliberately intended to show Him forth as Israel’s Messiah and King - in fulfillment of
Zechariah’s prophecy.

And some of Matthew’s readers would have further understood the significance of the donkeys - seeing in
the mother donkey the nation Israel, the LORD, always over her, her King, but then her lack of submission to
Him - she is unridden; and in the colt - upon which no man had sat - the remnant of Israel that will submit
only to their Messiah, to become sons of God.

As prophesied, this King came lowly - the meaning here is that He came in meekness; humility; without a
will of His own. Jesus came to do the will of His Father - the Servant of Jehovah - who would humble
Himself in death, in order to accomplish His Father’s will - for the good of His people.

How unlike worldly kings, who take a city by force, and bend it to their own will! Jesus came, offering
Himself to His people as their King.

And this King came, not on a war horse, but on a donkey - the emblem of a king who comes in peace.
Solomon, the son of David, also rode a donkey to take his throne into Jerusalem - which would not have
been lost, on those in Jerusalem who saw Jesus approaching this way.

For they would easily have seen Jesus, as He approached Jerusalem. Remember that the donkey and her
colt were acquired in Bethphage, at the eastern foot of the Mount of Olives, where presumably Jesus was
set on the donkey - the colt, with its mother accompanying. Jesus would then have taken the road to
Jerusalem that crested the hill, and come down the western slope in full view of all the city.

The residents of the city might well have heard Jesus coming, before they actually saw Him - for the
multitude which had been accompanying Jesus, and additional pilgrims, now formed a very great
multitude, that all got involved, as His entourage.

They spread their outer garments on the road in front of Jesus - an ancient act of homage reserved for high
royalty - like a kind of red carpet. They also cut down branches from the trees as they passed, which were
then strewn in His path - another token of honor.

John mentions in his account that some of the pilgrims who were already in the city heard Jesus was
coming, and they took palm branches and went out to meet Him, presumably waving them - which is where
we get the idea behind Palm Sunday.
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What does the palm tree represent? Victory. So the waving of palm branches toward Jesus would suggest
an acknowledgement of Him as Messiah; the newly proclaimed King - at least, on the part of this
enthusiastic multitude, who had come to Jerusalem for Passover (Jn 12:12-13). We can see in this a
triumphant approach of Jesus, to the city.

And the crowd acknowledged the new King, with their words, as well. Let’s read that again, in verse 9.

21:9 What the pilgrims were chanting was a verse from Psalm 118. That psalm forms part of the Hallel,
the Praise, which was sung regularly by the Jews during Passover season. It was fresh on everyone’s minds
- and the multitude who accompanied Jesus enthusiastically applied this verse to Him, calling Him the Son
of David - a title for Messiah.

“Hosanna” means literally, “Save now”. What is it that these people are expecting of Jesus? They are
expecting this Blessed One, who comes in the name of their God, to deliver them - from what? From their
Roman occupiers.

But they should have recognized by His very manner of approach to the city that Jesus would not “Save
now”, in this way. The King came on a donkey - in meekness; peaceably. He came to offer Himself for the
sins of His people - and for the whole world. He came to deliver - not from the Romans, but from sin and
death. The multitudes’ enthusiasm had no real basis; it was false hope, one that would disappoint them.

Jesus continued riding the colt, down the slope of the Mount of Olives, toward the city. The date of His
entrance would have been exactly 483 years after the decree had been issued by King Artaxerxes to rebuild
Jerusalem and the temple (Neh 2:1-8, Dan 9:25) - as Daniel prophesied.

It is certain that Jesus would have entered Jerusalem though the Eastern Gate of the city wall - what is now
known as the Golden Gate. As this gate is in such close proximity to the temple, Jesus would not have
continued very far on the donkey before dismounting, for the temple was where He would go next - by
foot.

So the residents of Jerusalem would have no doubt have seen the approach of Jesus, to the city. They
would have noted the manner of His coming, taken in the significance of it, and heard the pilgrims
proclaiming Him, as Messiah and King.

But as we continue to verse 10, we read of their strange reaction.

v. 10-11 It’s important to recognize that there were two groups here. One group was that great multitude,
the Jews who were on pilgrimage for the feast, mainly from outlying areas, especially from Galilee. These
were the ones who had accompanied Jesus, and enthusiastically proclaimed Him.

And then there were the residents of the city - the Judean Jews, who lived right in the religious heart of the
nation. The reaction of that group to Jesus was decidedly different from that of the pilgrims.

Matthew says they were moved. The word actually means that they were disturbed. They were in an
uproar; all shaken up.

Who is this, who is coming to Jerusalem, in the manner of our kings of old? Who is this, who is creating
such a stir, and bringing it into our city? Who is this, who is interrupting our festival schedule; and more
importantly, threatening to disturb the status quo? Who is this? Many of them know exactly who He is.
Their question doesn’t reflect ignorance; it reflects hostility.
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Nonetheless, the multitudes answer them: This is Jesus. They name Him as no more than a prophet; they
dare not name Jesus as a king; not with the Fortress of Antonia containing its Roman soldiers overlooking
the temple grounds.

But they do indicate where this Prophet is from: He’s not from around here; not from Judea; He’s one of
their own; from Nazareth, of Galilee. Proud words. Yet less than a week from now, there will be few left
who will call Him their own.

So the triumphal approach of Jesus to Jerusalem ended with a hostile reception, by the city. But it was
nothing less than what Jesus had anticipated. Turn to Luke chapter 19. Luke records the words of Jesus, as
He crested the Mount of Olives, and Jerusalem came into view.

[Luke 19:37-44]

19:37-40 This was all still on the approach to Jerusalem. Notice that Jesus was no longer telling His
followers to keep quiet about who He is; for now is the time for Messiah to be made known.

19:41-44 Jesus came in peace - offering Jerusalem peace with God; but that was hidden from their eyes;
they were blind to their Messiah. It would bring them into God’s judgment, yet again; and it so grieved
Him.

Yet there will come a day, yet future, when Jesus returns to Jerusalem, and then the daughter of Zion will
rejoice greatly, as she receives His salvation (Zech 9:9).

Then Jerusalem will not ask, Who is this? For in that day, Jerusalem will know this is the King of glory;
the LORD of hosts - He is her King of glory (Ps 24:10).

Reading: Mt 21:12-17; Mk 11:11, 15-19; Lk 19:45-46; Jn 2:14-16; Is 56:3-8; Jer 7:1-11; Ps 8

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