Matthew 21
21
The Triumphal Entry
1Now #Mark 11:1–10; Luke 19:29–38when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at #(Zech. 14:4)the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
4All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
5“Tell#Is. 62:11; Zech. 9:9; John 12:15 the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
6#Mark 11:4So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7They brought the donkey and the colt, #2 Kin. 9:13laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; #Lev. 23:40; John 12:13others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
#Ps. 118:26; Matt. 23:39‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
10#John 2:13, 15And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
11So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, #(Deut. 18:15, 18); Matt. 2:23; 16:14; Luke 4:16–29; John 6:14; 7:40; 9:17; (Acts 3:22, 23)the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12#Mal. 3:1; Mark 11:15–18; Luke 19:45–47; John 2:13–16Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the #Deut. 14:25money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13And He said to them, “It is written, #Is. 56:7‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a #Jer. 7:11‘den of thieves.’ ”
14Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the #Matt. 1:1; John 7:42Son of David!” they were indignant 16and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”
And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read,
#Ps. 8:2; Matt. 11:25‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have perfected praise’?”
17Then He left them and #Matt. 26:6; Mark 11:1, 11, 12; 14:3; Luke 19:29; 24:50; John 11:1, 18; 12:1went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
The Fig Tree Withered
18#Mark 11:12–14, 20–24Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19#Mark 11:13And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
20#Mark 11:20And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, #Matt. 17:20if you have faith and #James 1:6do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, #1 Cor. 13:2but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22And #Matt. 7:7–11; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9; (John 15:7; James 5:16; 1 John 3:22; 5:14)whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Jesus’ Authority Questioned
23#Mark 11:27–33; Luke 20:1–8Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and #Ex. 2:14; Acts 4:7; 7:27said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
24But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25The #(John 1:29–34)baptism of #John 1:15–28John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we #Matt. 14:5; 21:46; Luke 20:6fear the multitude, #Matt. 14:5; Mark 6:20for all count John as a prophet.” 27So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”
And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my #Matt. 20:1; 21:33vineyard.’ 29He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, #Luke 7:29, 37–50“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32For #Luke 3:1–12; 7:29John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; #Luke 3:12, 13but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers
33“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner #Ps. 80:9; Mark 12:1–12; Luke 20:9–19who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and #Matt. 25:14went into a far country. 34Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35#2 Chr. 24:21; 36:16; (Matt. 23:34, 37; Acts 7:52; 1 Thess. 2:15); Heb. 11:36, 37And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37Then last of all he sent his #(John 3:16)son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, #(Ps. 2:8; Heb. 1:2)‘This is the heir. #(Ps. 2:2); John 11:53; Acts 4:27Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39#(Matt. 26:50); Mark 14:46; Luke 22:54; John 18:12; (Acts 2:23)So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
41#Luke 20:16They said to Him, #(Luke 21:24)“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, #(Matt. 8:11; Acts 13:46; Rom. 9; 10)and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
#Ps. 118:22, 23; Is. 28:16; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; (Rom. 9:33); Eph. 2:20; (1 Pet. 2:6, 7)‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43“Therefore I say to you, #(Matt. 8:12); Acts 13:46the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44And #Is. 8:14, 15; Zech. 12:3; Luke 20:18; (Rom. 9:33); 1 Pet. 2:8whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, #(Is. 60:12; Dan. 2:44)it will grind him to powder.”
45Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. 46But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they #Matt. 21:26; Mark 11:18, 32feared the multitudes, because #Matt. 21:11; Luke 7:16; John 7:40they took Him for a prophet.
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Matthew 21: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Matthew 21
21
Jesus' last week: his trial and death
Jesus enters Jerusalem
(Mark 11.1-11; Luke 19.28-38; John 12.12-19)
1When Jesus and his disciples came near Jerusalem, he went to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives and sent two of them on ahead. 2He told them, “Go into the next village, where you will at once find a donkey and her colt. Untie the two donkeys and bring them to me. 3If anyone asks why you are doing that, just say, ‘The Lord#21.3 The Lord: Or “the master of the donkeys”. needs them.’ Straight away he will let you have the donkeys.”
4So God's promise came true, just as the prophet had said,
5“Announce to the people#Zec 9.9.
of Jerusalem:
‘Your king is coming to you!
He is humble
and rides on a donkey.
He comes on the colt
of a donkey.’ ”
6The disciples left and did what Jesus had told them to do. 7They brought the donkey and its colt and laid some clothes on their backs. Then Jesus got on.
8Many people spread clothes in the road, while others put down branches#21.8 spread clothes…put down branches: This was one-way that the Jewish people welcomed a famous person. which they had cut from trees. 9Some people walked ahead of Jesus and others followed behind. They were all shouting,#Ps 118.25,26.
“Hooray#21.9 Hooray: This translates a word that can mean “please save us”. But it is most often used as a shout of praise to God. for the Son of David!#21.9 Son of David: See the note at 9.27.
God bless the one who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hooray for God
in heaven above!”
10When Jesus came to Jerusalem, everyone in the city was excited and asked, “Who can this be?”
11The crowd answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Jesus in the temple
(Mark 11.15-19; Luke 19.45-48; John 2.13-22)
12Jesus went into the temple and chased out everyone who was selling or buying. He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of the ones who were selling doves. 13He told them, “The Scriptures say, ‘My house should be called a place of worship.’ But you have turned it into a place where robbers hide.”#Is 56.7; Jr 7.11.
14Blind and lame people came to Jesus in the temple, and he healed them. 15But the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses were angry when they saw his miracles and heard the children shouting praises to the Son of David.#21.15 Son of David: See the note at 9.27. 16The men said to Jesus, “Don't you hear what those children are saying?”#Ps 8.2 (LXX).
“Yes, I do!” Jesus answered. “Don't you know that the Scriptures say, ‘Children and infants will sing praises’?” 17Then Jesus left the city and went out to the village of Bethany, where he spent the night.
Jesus puts a curse on a fig tree
(Mark 11.12-14,20-24)
18When Jesus got up the next morning, he was hungry. He started out for the city, 19and along the way he saw a fig tree. But when he came to it, he found only leaves and no figs. So he told the tree, “You will never again grow any fruit!” At once the fig tree dried up.
20The disciples were shocked when they saw how quickly the tree had dried up. 21But Jesus said to them, “If you have faith and don't doubt, I promise that you can do what I did to this tree. And you will be able to do even more. You can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will.#Mt 17.20; 1 Co 13.2. 22If you have faith when you pray, you will be given whatever you ask for.”
A question about Jesus' authority
(Mark 11.27-33; Luke 20.1-8)
23Jesus had gone into the temple and was teaching when the chief priests and the leaders of the people came up to him. They asked, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
24Jesus answered, “I have just one question to ask you. If you answer it, I will tell you where I got the right to do these things. 25Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?”
They thought it over and said to each other, “We can't say that God gave John this right. Jesus will ask us why we didn't believe John. 26On the other hand, these people think that John was a prophet, and we are afraid of what they might do to us. That's why we can't say that it was merely some human who gave John the right to baptize.” 27So they told Jesus, “We don't know.”
Jesus said, “Then I won't tell you who gave me the right to do what I do.”
A story about two sons
28Jesus said:
I will tell you a story about a man who had two sons. Then you can tell me what you think. The father went to the elder son and said, “Go and work in the vineyard today!” 29His son told him that he would not do it, but later he changed his mind and went. 30The man then told his younger son to go and work in the vineyard. The boy said he would, but he didn't go. 31Which one of the sons obeyed his father?
“The elder one,” the chief priests and leaders answered.
Then Jesus told them:
You can be sure that tax collectors#21.31 tax collectors: See the note at 5.46. and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you ever will! 32When John the Baptist showed you how to do right, you would not believe him. But these evil people did believe. And even when you saw what they did, you still would not change your minds and believe.#Lk 3.12; 7.29,30.
Tenants of a vineyard
(Mark 12.1-12; Luke 20.9-19)
33Jesus told the chief priests and leaders to listen to this story:#Is 5.1,2.
A land owner once planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it and dug a pit to crush the grapes in. He also built a lookout tower. Then he let his vineyard and left the country.
34When it was harvest time, the owner sent some servants to get his share of the grapes. 35But the tenants grabbed those servants. They beat up one, killed one, and stoned one of them to death. 36He then sent more servants than he did the first time. But the tenants treated them in the same way.
37Finally, the owner sent his own son to the tenants, because he thought they would respect him. 38But when they saw the man's son, they said, “Some day he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves.” 39So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40Jesus asked, “When the owner of that vineyard comes, what do you suppose he will do to those tenants?”
41The chief priests and leaders answered, “He will kill them in some horrible way. Then he will let his vineyard to people who will give him his share of grapes at harvest time.”
42Jesus replied, “Surely you know that the Scriptures say,#Ps 118.22,23.
‘The stone that the builders
tossed aside
is now the most important
stone of all.
This is something
the Lord has done,
and it is amazing to us.’
43I tell you that God's kingdom will be taken from you and given to people who will do what he demands. 44Anyone who stumbles over this stone will be crushed, and anyone it falls on will be smashed to pieces.”#21.44 pieces: Verse 44 is not in some manuscripts.
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard these stories, they knew that Jesus was talking about them. 46So they looked for a way to arrest Jesus. But they were afraid to, because the people thought he was a prophet.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012