Matthew 21

Matthew 21:1

Following the retreat of the King in chapters 14 through 20, Matthew 21 marks the beginning of a new section: that of the rejection of the King as Jesus heads toward Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem was teeming with people, probably two million in number. They were there to commemorate Passover, an event that had taken place fifteen hundred years earlier… While His people were being held captive, the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart caused God to send a series of plagues upon Egypt, the tenth of which was the death of the firstborn in every home. The only way a family could escape this tragedy was to slaughter a lamb and mark the top, sides, and bottom of their door with blood, thereby painting a prophetic picture of the Cross that would one day save all mankind from the curse of sin and death. Here, Jesus, the Passover Lamb, heads into Jerusalem, where He will orchestrate a massive public demonstration as He offers Himself to be King of Israel. Keep in mind that normally Jesus moved quietly and preferred obscurity, many times charging those He healed to “tell no man” (see Mat_8:4). Here, however, He organizes a huge crusade. Why? I suggest it was so the Jews would never be able to say, “If we had only had the opportunity to embrace You as our King, we certainly would have done so.” He stripped away that excuse from the Jewish nation when He rode into Jerusalem and publicly offered Himself to them as their Messiah.

Matthew 21:4

Can’t you hear the Roman soldiers garrisoned in Jerusalem snickering as they saw Jesus ride in on a donkey? When a Roman leader came cruising into a city, it wasn’t on a donkey. No, Roman rulers rode black stallions followed by chariots and thousands of soldiers marching in step with shields gleaming. But I wonder what the Romans of this world will say when Jesus comes again, for next time He comes, it won’t be on a donkey. He’ll come back riding a white horse followed by ten thousands of His saints (Jud_1:14). You see, the first time Jesus came, He came as the suffering Servant. But the next time He comes, it will be as the conquering King.

Matthew 21:6

Because the word “Hosanna” means “Save now,” the crowd was essentially saying, “Overthrow the Roman yoke politically. Help us economically. Lead us militarily. Save Now!” No wonder that, as the week went on and they realized none of that was His intent, they turned against Jesus. I see the same thing happen today, for there can be a tendency within the heart of each of us to cash it in when things don’t work out. If you are expecting Jesus to be a “good luck charm” for you, if you expect Him to help you financially or physically, socially or vocationally, you will be disappointed when things don’t go the way you thought they would. We need to realize that Jesus Christ came to die for our sin and pay the price for our iniquity. If He never does anything else in this life presently, that is more than enough to merit our loyalty, our affection, and our devotion eternally. If He never does another thing for me, if He never gives another blessing to me, I owe Him my life because of what He did on Calvary.

Matthew 21:10

The Greek word translated “moved” is seio from which we get our word “seismic.” In other words, Matthew writes that the whole city was “quaking"not physically, but mentally and emotionally when Jesus made His entry.

Matthew 21:12

When Jesus came into the city, the multitude must have thought He would head straight for the fortress Antonia to deal with the Romans. Instead, He went into the temple to deal with the Jews. Keep in mind that Jesus had already cleansed the temple at the outset of His public ministry (Joh_2:13-15). So, too, because I myself am a temple (1Co_3:16), the Lord has to come and overturn the tables of my life. And although I wish this were a one-time process, it’s not. Just when I think I’ve learned a lesson, suddenly I find the old junk back in my temple once again. Then the Lord comes in faithfully and deals with it radically. The Lord not only desires purity in our temples individually, but also corporately. In the following passage, I see four characteristics He is looking for in us, His corporate temple (1Pe_2:5).

Matthew 21:13

First of all, we are to be a house of prayer. I thank the Lord for times of corporate prayer. I continue to be blown away by the reports I hear from people, saying, “We prayed specifically for this and here is how the Lord answered our prayer…”

Matthew 21:14

Second, this is to be a place where people are helped. The blind and the lame came to Jesus in the temple and He healed them. So, too, we who have been spiritually blinded and we who are lame-brained should be able to come into this place and hear the Word, study the Scriptures, and receive help and healing.

Matthew 21:15

Third, this is to be a place where power is released. The chief priests and scribes saw the wonderfulor awesomethings He did. You should have seen the awesome things God did in the amphitheatre at Applegate Christian Fellowship one Sunday: On that cold and rainy day, eight or ten radical kids went on record, saying, “You can say we’re all wet; you can call us drips; but we’re taking the plunge. We’re going for it. We’re getting baptized. From this point on, Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Lord!” Finally, this is to be a place where praise is expressed. The old fuddy-duddies in our text were “sore displeased,” but the kids were crying, “Hosanna.” You see, when the kids cried “Hosanna” it wasn’t for political reasons; it wasn’t for economic reasons; it wasn’t for vocational reasons. They cried “Hosanna” simply because they were excited about Jesus. I find that to be true with young Christians as well. It’s often the young brother or sister who can lead the way in simple and sincere praise. This house must be a place where such praise is expressed. Following are four key Hebrew words that shed light on the meaning of true praise. One Old Testament word for praise is halal which literally means, “to acclaim or to glory in God who brings the deepest of satisfaction.” I like that! Late at night when you think you’re hungry, instead of making yourself a peanut butter and pickle sandwich, try worshiping. Over and over again, I have found that when I think I want to listen to some classical music, watch TV, read a book, or have a snack, if I get away and begin to worship, suddenly the deepest satisfaction overwhelms me and I realize that time with God was what I craved all along. If you have been frustrated or restless lately, try worshiping. Halal means you will find all you’re longing for internally in the One who satisfies you totally. The second word used for praise is towdah which means “acknowledging God’s work and His character and commending it.” Towdah says, “Yes, Lord, You are good. You are holy and righteous. At last, we have found Someone in this universe worthy of our commendation.” The third word is zamar which means “to break out in song.” When you find yourself singing joyfully about something of the goodness of God, that is zamar. The fourth word is shabach, which means, “to commend God with thanksgiving.” Shabach is saying, “Lord, we commend You for the way You’ve seen us through our trials, the way You’ve answered our prayers, the way You purchased our salvation.”

Matthew 21:17

The day after Jesus entered Jerusalem, He departed for Bethany. Mark tells us that on His way to Bethany, He went through the tiny town of Bethphage, or “House of Figs” (Mar_11:1). It was in Bethany where His friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived, and no doubt He stayed with them. On the way from Bethany to Jerusalem, on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, Jesus saw a fig tree. Fig trees were common in Israel. Growing to heights of twenty-five feet and widths of twenty to twenty-five feet, they covered the countryside. Because of their abundance, figs were a staple of the Hebrew diet. Here, Jesushungry for breakfastsaw a fig tree covered with leaves. Fig trees are unusual in that the appearance of fruit precedes the appearance of leaves. Jesus assumed, therefore, that since this particular tree was covered with leaves, it must surely contain fruit as well. But this fig tree was a hypocrite. It had leavesthe outward appearance of vitality and healthbut no fruit. So Jesus cursed it. And it withered, Mark tells us, beginning with the roots (Mar_11:20). Many people have a real problem at this point. Environmentalists say, “How could this be? What kind of person is this Jesus of Nazareth? Is He just venting His anger by cursing this poor, helpless tree?” Yet if Jesus and the disciples were cold and they used the tree for firewood to warm themselves, no one would think anything of it. Here, Jesus uses the tree not to warm the hands but to warn the hearts of His disciples. To those who question the environmental correctness of Jesus’ action, I say, “Consider what He could have done. Think of Elijah. When a group of soldiers came to get him, he called down fire from heaven and burned them up. Think of Elisha. When some young men were making fun of his bald head, he called a bear out of the woods and they became lunch.” When you look at the Old Testament prophets and see the severity of the lessons they taught, cursing a fruitless fig tree should pose no problem for us. Seeing a barren fig tree, Jesus seized the moment to teach a lesson to His disciples, to you, and to me about hypocrisy, hope, and healing. The Fate of the Figless Tree A Topical Study of Mat_21:17-20 Jesus deals with the issue of hypocrisy in the miracle of the fig tree. You see, although this fig tree was covered with leaves, it was a hypocrite because it had no fruit. Why wasn’t there fruit? To answer this question, consider three aspects of this miracle, each of which has practical application for us today… Practical Application Verse Mat_21:19 says it was a lone fig tree. This tree bore no fruit because there was no cross-pollination. It’s a matter of biology and a fact of life: A lone fig tree cannot bear fruit. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.Heb_10:25 You see, gang, when we meet together, a spiritual “cross-pollination” takes place. There’s a dynamic unlike any other when people come together corporately to praise, pray, and study the Word. This only makes sense, for our God is a Father who loves His family. When my kids where all at home, I wanted them to sit around the table and eat together. We didn’t serve Peter-John in his room, Jessie and Christy in their room, and Mary and Ben in their rooms because something special happened when we were all together. So, too, our Father desires that His children come together around His table, the table of Communion. Secondly, our Father calls us to come together to the table of Bible study, where the manna of the Word is opened for us to partake of its spiritual nutrition. If you are a lone fig tree, you might appear to be healthy for a while. You might have all the leaves of right theology.

Others might be fooled by your outward appearance. But there will be no real fruit found on you. As “living stones being fit together for His glory” (see 2Pe_2:4), we need each other. Prophetic Illustration Scripturally, historically, and presently, the fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel. Jeremiah, Amos, Ezekiel, Hosea, and Isaiah all liken Israel to the fig tree. Just as the eagle symbolizes America and the bear represents Russia, so Israel is portrayed by the fig tree. Like the fig tree in this account, Israel had lots of leaves. This nation appeared to be so religiouswith temple worship, traditions, and the Torah; with Pharisees, scribes, and Sadduceesbut Jesus found no fruit in her land. Forty years later, the Romans marched into Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and slaughtered thousands. And the nation of Israel lost her identity until 1948. Thus, for almost two thousand years, the Jews, like the fig tree, shriveled and withered. Personal Exhortation When the first Adam came to a fig tree in the Garden of Eden, he was not looking for fruit. He was looking for leaves to cover his nakedness (Gen_3:7). That’s always the tendency of humanity. We cover up our nakedness with outward activity. We join Rotary. We volunteer for the Red Cross.

We teach Sunday school. We do whatever it takes to cover our sinfulness because we know what lurks within us. The last Adam, as Paul calls Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15, came looking not for leaves, but for fruit. He didn’t care about the leaves of outward demonstration. He desired fruit for inner satiation. And He still hungers for fruit.

What fruit? The fruit of His Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Gal_5:22-23); the fruit of our thanksgiving (Heb_13:15); the fruit of the gospel (Col_1:6); and the fruit of righteousness (Jas_3:18). Jesus comes by your tree every day, saying, “I’m hungry.” What do you have for Him? A bunch of leaves? “Oh, I’m doing fine,” you might say. “I’m involved in this activity. I’m supporting that mission. I’m going to this meeting.” Your tree may look healthy. Others might be attracted to it and impressed by it. But Jesus isn’t fooled. What is there for Him? When He comes morning by morning seeking satiation and satisfaction, does He find real fruit? Does He say, “It’s such a joy being with you in the morning hour or in the cool of the day as we walk together. It’s so wonderful that someone would take ten minutes to thank Me specifically for what I’ve done, that someone would worship Me for who I am”? Or does He see a tree filled with leaves but lacking fruit? And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.Mar_11:13-14 “No man eat fruit of thee.” If we are not satisfying Jesus intimately and personally, we will not satisfy anyone else through service or ministry. What has He found in you today? What will He find in you tomorrow morning? Figs or leaves? Maybe you’re saying, “I don’t know if there is any fruit in my life for Him to enjoy. What can I do?” Take a look at Luke 13… He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?Luk_13:6-7 For three years this fig tree had been tended, cultivated, and watered even as Jesus had publicly ministered to the Jews for three years. But there was no fruit. And so the owner said, “Why should it continue to sap nutrients from the soil? Cut it down!” And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.Luk_13:8-9 Here, the vinedresser pleads on behalf of the barren fig tree even as Jesus lives to make intercession for us (Heb_7:25). Jesus is our Advocate, our Defense Lawyer. Like the vinedresser, He says, “Give Me one more year to dig around it.” In the parallel passage to Matthew 21, Mark 11 says the fig tree dried up from the roots. That’s where dryness always begins. You see, it’s what takes place in the quiet, secret, hidden time that matters. Is there a heart for God? Is there communication with the Lord? Is there an expression of thanks to the Lord? Or is there nothing beneath the surface because the roots are dry? The Vinedresser says, “Let Me dig it. Let Me expose sin. Let Me get to the heart of the matter.” What about your root system that was once so vibrant? What about your time with the Lord, your time in the Word, your time of praise and thanksgiving and adoration? Is it withered? Let Him dig it. Secondly, let Him dung it. What is dung? Manure. In Php_3:4-6, speaking of past accomplishments, Paul wrote, “I have quite a record. I was born into a godly tribe, lived an upright life, worked zealously, and studied steadfastly.” And then he added: “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (see Php_3:7). Interestingly, the Greek word translated “loss” is “dung.” You might be saying, “I used to be a deacon” or “I used to be a pastor, gospel singer, or Sunday-school teacher.” Gang, it doesn’t matter what you were. You cannot live in the glory of what you were doing in 1942, the revival of 1964, or the spiritual high you felt three years ago. Only what you’re doing presently matters. It is only where you’re at with the Lord today that counts. When you allow the Vinedresser to dig and to dung, to expose sin and to expel self, fruit will come. May the Lord make you fruitful. May Jesus come by your tree this week and eat of the abundance. May your goal not be to impress others, but to satisfy your Master. And may this be the fruitiest year of your whole life!

Matthew 21:21

In contrast to the impotent, barren state of the fig tree, here Jesus speaks of the power of prayer and the potency of faith.

Matthew 21:23

Upon His return from Bethany, Jesus taught in the Temple. With the cleansing of the Temple fresh in their minds, the chief priests and elders demanded to know by whose authority He overturned the tables and drove out the sheep and cows.

Matthew 21:24

Jesus answered their question with a question. “Remember John?” He said. “Was his ministry from God or simply done by his own energy?” Realizing they were backed into a corner, the chief priests and elders refused to answer. “If you won’t answer Me, I have no obligation to answer you,” Jesus said. Next, we see Him launch into a series of three parables in which He will answer them, but indirectly. “By whose authority did I cleanse the temple? He asked. “By the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” He’ll answer.

Matthew 21:28

First, Jesus cleansed the temple by the authority of the Father. Jesus likened the prostitutes and publicans to the first son. They seemed unlikely candidates to receive John’s message, but receive it they did. On the other hand, like the second son, the pseudo-religious scribes and Pharisees gave only lip service to the preaching of John.

Matthew 21:33

Second, Jesus cleansed the temple by the authority of the Son. Taken from Isaiah 5, this parable speaks of Israel as a vineyard and of God as the owner who went to a far country, expecting to receive payment as the grapes were harvested. When the owner sent messengers to collect, the stewards killed the messengers just as the people of Israel had killed the prophets God had sent to them. Did the Owner then say, “I’m going to send soldiers”? No, He said, “I’ll send My Son.” Did He say, “I’ll send lightning to strike them”? No, He said, “I’ll send the Light of the world to instruct them.” Nonetheless, rather than respond to Him, they killed Him.

Matthew 21:42

This reference to Psalms 118, the very psalm sung during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, speaks of the temple. When the temple was under construction, stones were quarried miles away and transported to the temple mount. Forty feet wide and twenty feet high, these stones were massive. Yet they fit together so perfectly that no mortar was needed, for not even a knife blade could fit between them. Tradition had it that one stone arrived on the scene but, because no one could figure out where it was supposed to go, the builders rolled it off a cliff into the Kidron Valley. Not until the foundation was complete did the builders discover they were one stone short.

Sure enough, the stone they had rejected was none other than the cornerstone. Here, Jesus pulls from that tradition as well as from Psalms 118, and says, “Haven’t you read? The One who was rejected, the One who was cast away is indeed the chief cornerstone, the foundation stone.” Truly, Jesus is our Rock. To the Jews, He is a stumbling stone (Rom_9:32-33). To the Gentiles, He is a smiting stone (Dan_2:34). To the believer, He is the foundation stone (Eph_2:20). Either you will fall on Him and be saved, or He will fall on you and you’ll be crushed. It’s your choice. I highly recommend the first. I recommend building your life upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 21:45

At last, the chief priests and elders were getting the point that Jesus did what He did in the authority of the Father and of the Son. But, as we will see in chapter 22, He had one more parable left.