Introductory remarks:
Here in this chapter we have the Triumphal Entry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus enters Jerusalem giving the people their final opportunity to receive Him as their promised Messiah, but they refuse and crucify Him. Jesus knew His time had come and He makes this entry one the world would never forget, and we believers are so thankful for the purpose of His incarnation.
The Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem
(Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-38; John 12:12-19)
Verse 1, "And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethpage, unto the Mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,"
LGT "And when they drew near unto Jerusalem and came to Bethpage, unto the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,"
Jesus spent the night in Bethany, and in the morning of His Triumphal Entry He sent two of His disciples to Bethany.
"They were going up now from Jericho chp. 20:29. The distance was about nineteen miles. The most of the way was a desert, or filled with caves, and rocks, and woods - a fit place for robbers. 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. The Mount of Olives was so called from its producing in abundance the olive. It was from Jerusalem about a Sabbath day's journey. On the west side of the mountain was the garden of Gethsemane, Luke 22:39; Mark 14:32. On the eastern declivity of the mountain were the villages of Bethpage and Bethany. Mark and Luke say that he came near both those places. He appears to have come first to Bethany, where he passed the night (John 12:1, 9-11), and in the morning sent over to the adjacent village Bethpage. Bethany was the place where Lazarus dwelt, whom he raised from the dead (John 11); where Martha and Mary dwelt; and where Mary anointed him with ointment against the day of his burying, John 12:1-7. The Mount of Olives is about a mile in length and about 700 feet in height, and overlooks Jerusalem, so that from its summit almost every part of the city can be seen. The mountain is composed of three peaks or summits. The olive is a fruit well known among us as an article of commerce. The tree blooms in June, and bears white flowers. The fruit is small. It is green, than whitish, and, when fully ripe, black. It encloses a hard stone in which are the seeds. The wild olive was common, and differed from the other only in being of a smaller size. There are two roads from Jerusalem to Bethany; one around the southern end of the Mount of Olives, and the other across the summit. The latter is considerably shorter, but more difficult, and it was probably along this road that the Savior went" (Barnes' Notes).
Verse 2, "Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me."
LGT "Saying to them, Go into the village the [one] opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose [them] and bring [them] to Me."
"Go into the village over against you,"
This phrase is literally, the one opposite you; it could mean Bethany the city over the valley that they could look out and see.
"And straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her:"
The Lord directs His disciples to the exact place where they would find an ass tied with her colt.
"Loose them, and bring them unto me."
It would be on the colt that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem. They brought the dam and the colt readily would follow.
Barnes notes:
"In Judea there were few horses, and those were chiefly used in war. Men seldom employed them in common life and in ordinary journeys. The ass, the mule, and the camel are still most used in Eastern countries. The ride on a horse was sometimes an emblem of war; on a mule and an ass, the emblem of peace. Kings and princes commonly rode on them in times of peace, and it is mentioned as a mark of rank and dignity to ride in that manner, Judges 10:4; 12:14; 1 Sam. 25:20. So Solomon, when he was inaugurated as king, rode on a mule, 1 Ki. 1:33. Riding in this manner, then, denoted neither poverty nor degradation, but was the appropriate way in which a king should ride, and in which, therefore, the King of Zion should enter into his capital, the city of Jerusalem.
Mark and Luke say that He told them they should find 'a colt tied.' This they were directed to bring. They mention only the colt, because it was this on which He rode."
Verse 3, "And if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them, and straightway he will send them."
LGT "And if one say anything to you, you shall say, That the lord has need of them: and immediately he will send them."
"And if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say,"
This phrase is literally, and if anyone say anything to you; if anyone asks you why you are taking the ass and her colt.
"The Lord hath need of them,"
The term 'lord' means no more here than 'the master'; it does not mean Jehovah, as in the Old Testament use; it is a term used for one who has authority.
"And straightway he will send them."
"The persons to whom these disciples were sent were probably acquainted with the miracles of Jesus and favorably disposed toward him. He had attracted great notice in that region, particularly by raising Lazarus from the dead, and most of the people regarded him as the Messiah" (Barnes).
Verse 4, "All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,"
LGT "But this all came to be, in order that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,"
"The first line of this verse is from Isaiah 62:11, the rest is from Zechariah 9:9. John (Joh 12:14 f.) makes it clear that Jesus did not quote the passage himself. In Matthew it is not so plain, but probably it is his own comment about the incident. It is not Christ's intention to fulfill the prophecy, simply that his conduct did fulfill it" (A.T. Robertson).
Verse 5, "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass."
LGT "Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King comes to you, meek and mounted on an ass, even upon the colt of a beast of burden."
"Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee,"
The daughter of Sion means literally Israel. We read in Isaiah 22:4; Therefore said I, Look away from Me; I will weep bitterly; labor not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of My people." Israel will not accept the fact, but Christ will come into Jerusalem riding on the foal of an ass; He is their King, but they will not have Him; in fact, they are still looking for their King in 2006.
"Meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal [colt] of an ass."
This is literally, meek, and mounted on an ass, even upon the colt of a beast of burden. "These words give trouble if 'and' gr. kai is here taken to mean 'and.' [In Greek kai can be interpreted as meaning 'and' or 'also' or 'even' or 'but.' The context reveals its usage. One would have to go to a Geek Grammar to see its usages] Fritzsche argues that Jesus rode alternately upon each animal, a possible, but needless interpretation. In the Hebrew it means a common Hebrew parallelism; upon an ass, even upon a colt" (A.T. Robertson).
Verses 6, 7, "And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon."
LGT "And the disciples having gone, and having done just as Jesus ordered them, they brought the ass and the colt, and put on them the garments, and He took His seat upon."
"And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass, and the colt,"
As was pointed out in the last verse, Jesus rode on the colt.
"And put on them their clothes,"
"The phrase emphasizes the humble state of Jesus. He is mounted, not on a stately charger with embroidered and jeweled housings, nor even on an ass for the saddle, the Eastern ass being of great beauty and spirit, and in demand for this purpose. He rides on a common beast-of-burden, furnished with every-day garments of His disciples" (Vincent).
"And they set him thereon."
This phrase is literally, and He took His seat upon.
Verse 8, "And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way."
LGT "And the greater part [of the] crowd kept on spreading their own garments in the way, and the others kept on cutting branches from the trees and kept on spreading them in the way."
"And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way;"
This was a continuous action on the part of this crowd of spreading their own garments in front of the colt; when the colt passed over the garments, they would pick them up and re-spread them in front of the colt.
"The disciples spread their garments on the beasts; the multitude strewed their own garments in the way. Dr. Edward Robinson, cited by Dr. Morison, speaking of the inhabitants of Bethlehem who had participated in the rebellion of 1834, says: 'At that time, when some of the inhabitants were already imprisoned, and all were in deep distress, Mr. Farrar, then English consul at Damascus, was on a visit to Jerusalem, and had rode out with Mr. Nicolayson to Solomon's Pools. On their return, as they rose the ascent to enter Bethlehem, hundreds of people, male and female, met them, imploring the consul to interfere in their behalf, and afford them his protection; and all at once, by a sort of simultaneous movement, they spread their garments in the way before the horses" (Vincent).
"Others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way."
This also was a continuous action by this part of the crowd. The KJV leaves one thinking that it was a once for all act, but this was the same tense as spreading the garments denoting a continued spreading of tree branches.
Verse 9, "And the multitude that went before, 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."
LGT "And the crowds that were going before, and the ones who were following, cried out, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest."
There were two groups; one group led the way before and the other brought up the rear. They now recognize Him with their voices as the Messiah quoting from the OT.
Edersheim writes about the crowd recognizing the fulfillment of prophecy:
"They were but broken utterances, partly based upon Psalm 118, partly taken from it - the Hosanna or save now, and the Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord, forming part of the responses by the people with which this Psalm was chanted on certain of the most solemn festivals. Most truly did they thus interpret and apply the Psalm, old and new Davidic praise mingling in their acclamations [praises]. At the same time it must be remembered that, according to Jewish tradition, Psalm 118:25-29, was also chanted antiphonally [as an anthem or a chant, responsively] by the people of Jerusalem, as they welcome the festive pilgrims on their arrival, the latter always responding in the second clause of each verse, till the last verse of the Psalm was reached which was sung by both parties in unison, Psalm 102:17 being added by way of conclusion."
Pentecost adds:
"Such statements as 'blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord' (Mark 11:9), the 'Kingdom of our father David (v. 9), and 'the Son of David' (Matt. 21:9) indicate that the multitude knew Jesus was presenting Himself as the Messiah. Shouts of joy echoed throughout the hills and valleys of Jerusalem in response to His presentation of Himself as King. The joyous response, however, was not universal, for Luke noted that the Pharisees asked Christ to silence the multitude and restrain them from such outbursts of enthusiasm (Luke 19:39). But so significant a presentation could not go unrecognized. Christ said that if the multitude did not express their recognition that He was King, God would give stones a voice (v. 40). There would be testimony to the covenant faithfulness of God, who had sent a Savior-Sovereign into the world."
Verse 10, "And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?"
LGT "And as He entered into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred or agitated, saying, Who is this?"
"All the city was moved,"
The Greek word for 'moved' is eseisthe, a first aorist passive, from the same root word that means an earthquake, so it means that they were stirred or agitated, that is, as Bruce says, "Even Jerusalem frozen with religious formalism and socially undemonstrative, was stirred with popular enthusiasm as by a mighty wind or by an earthquake."
"Who is this?"
With all the singing and praising from the crowds around Jesus as He makes His way into Jerusalem cause a stir among the people to wonder what all the excitement was about. They ask the crowd, Who is this?
Verse 11, "And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee."
LGT "And the crowds said, This is the prophet Jesus, the One from Nazareth of Galilee."
The crowds had followed Jesus around during His ministry, so some of them knew full well who He was, but others still thought of Him as a prophet; some obviously knew He was the Messiah, but no one was truly convinced until after His resurrection that He was the Son of God.
The Cleansing of the Temple
(Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-22)
Verse 12, "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,"
LGT "And Jesus entered into the temple and drove out all the ones selling and buying in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of those selling doves."
In John 2:14 we have a similar incident at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, but it didn't seem to have that big of an impression on the money-changers, for here they are three years later still profaning God's House. "These changers sat in the temple, in the court of the Gentiles, to change the foreign coins of the pilgrims into the shekel of the sanctuary for payment of the annual tribute" (Vincent).
Verse 13, "And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."
LGT "And He says to them, It had been written: My House shall be called a House of Prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers."
"My house shall be called the house of prayer;"
Jesus quotes from Isaiah 56:7, "Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all peoples."
"But ye have made it a den of thieves."
This phrase is literally but you have made it a den of robbers.
Barnes notes:
"This last phrase was added by Jesus, denoting their abuse of the temple. Thieves and robbers live in dens and caves. Judea was then much infested with them. In their dens thieves devise and practice iniquity. These buyers and sellers imitated them. They made the temple a place of gain; they cheated and defrauded; they took advantage of the poor, and, by their being under a necessity of purchasing these articles for sacrifice, they robbed them by selling what they had at an enormous price."
Verse 14, "And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them."
LGT "And blind and lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them."
After driving out the moneychangers, Christ invites the needy in and He heals them all. "He who was the Lord of the temple was there to manifest His delivering power. Those who were suffering from various physical infirmities sought Him out, and He healed them in His grace and compassion" (H.A. Ironside).
Verse 15, "And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: they were sore displeased."
LGT "But the chief priests and scribes seeing the wonders which He did, and the little children crying out in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were indignant."
"And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things he did,"
The wonderful things He did had a direct reference to the healing of those in need, and indirectly to the children praising the Lord.
"And the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David:"
Jesus attracted the children wherever He went; these children were probably playing in the outer court where all the animals were kept for the sacrifices. These children might have seen Him when He welcomed them to Him, and set them on His knee and reprimanded His disciples for forbidding them to come to Him. Children should never be kept away from our Lord, for He said of such is the Kingdom of the Heavens.
"They were sore displeased."
These holy men, the chief priests and scribes, became indignant in their self-righteousness at seeing Christ heal the sick, and then hearing the children sing praises to Jesus as the Son of David; these children were admitting that Christ was the Messiah, their long awaited King.
Verse 16, "And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of Babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"
LGT "And said to Him, Do you hear what these are saying? And Jesus says to them, Yes, Have you never read that Out of [the] mouth of babes and sucklings you have perfected praise."
"And said unto Him, Hearest thou what these say?"
These holy men take their complaint directly to Jesus; the thing that makes them most indignant is the little ones praising Christ. They ask the Lord if He even hears them. "In a rage at the desecration [violation] of the temple by the shouts of the little ones they try to shame Jesus, as responsible for it" (A.T. Robertson).
"And Jesus saith unto them, Yea;"
Jesus answers, Yes, I hear them, and what they are saying I wholeheartedly agree.
"Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"
Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2, from the Septuagint [the Greek translation of the Hebrew OT], Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise, because of thine enemies; that thou mightiest put down the enemy and avenger.
The fact that Jesus quotes from the Greek translation and not the Hebrew should not create any great difficulty. The fact of the matter is that the Septuagint was in use at this time much more than the Hebrew original, for the religious leaders only used the Hebrew. The KJV has this phrase Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies The meaning is the same, the praise that came form the little ones was from their heart and not some verses they had memorized in catechism.
Verse 17, "And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there."
LGT "And having left them, He went out of the city into Bethany and passed the night there."
Jesus never spent a night in Jerusalem until the night of His arrest. He went to Bethany. Jesus will enter Jerusalem the next morning.
The Cursing of the Fig Tree
(Mark 11:12-14, 20-24)
Verses 18, "Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
LGT "Now early in the morning, coming back into the city, He hungered."
Jesus might have spent the night out in the open, and probably had no breakfast, and now He was hungry.
Verse 19, "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth forever. And presently the fig tree withered away."
LGT "And seeing one single fig tree upon the way, He came to it, and found nothing on it except leaves only, and He says to it, No longer let there be fruit from you forever. And the fig tree dried up immediately."
There have been a lot of conjecture on the part of commentators regarding the withering of the fig tree as that of fruitless Israel being dispersed and Jerusalem being destroyed; however, if the Scripture is silent about a certain thing, we have no right to pretend to be certain. Some even think this is a parable; this is not a parable. The fact that Matthew brings out is that Christ saw a beautiful fig tree standing in the public way, and upon closer inspection, it had only leaves and no fruit. Mark brings out that it was during the fig fruit-bearing season, and that the tree should have had fruit on it. The lesson is that a tree that does not bear fruit is good for nothing, and the miracle would be a lesson to His disciples.
Verse 20, "And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!"
LGT "And seeing [it] the disciples wondered, saying, How immediately is the fruit tree dried up!"
This verse gives the reason that Christ performed this miracle; so that His disciples could see what He could do, and that eventually they could do the similar thing.
Verse 21, "Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done."
LGT "And Jesus answering said unto them, Verily I say to you, If you have faith and do not doubt, not only what is done to the fig tree will you do, but even if to this mountain you should say, Be thou taken away and cast into the sea, it shall come to be."
As I commented on the reason for the miracle verse 21, Jesus expands upon the reason He cursed the fig tree that He created, here in verse 22; He says that if they have faith, that is, if they have the singleness of mind they will be able to not only do this same miracle, but they will also be able to move mountains. The disciples would never have the faith to remove mountains; as a matter of fact, every miracle they would perform would be the Holy Spirit working through them.
Verse 22, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
LGT "And all things whatsoever you may ask in prayer, you shall receive."
This verse is the formula for His disciples; the Holy Spirit would answer all their prayers of faith, performing the coming miracles; by the way, this verse is not for the church today, but it was given to His disciples before the Word of God was completed. Christ is still performing miracles, but they are not our tools, they are His to perform. Many of the miracles today are beyond human awareness and comprehension. The Pentecostals have taken this portion of Scripture and run amuck with it, inventing all types of phony make-believe sermons. I have been watching TBN [Trinity Broadcast Network] in the evenings, and they have been having a telethon where they spend day and night begging for money; they delude the poor people into thinking if they send in a thousand dollars, God will increase that money seven and tenfold. The only people who are fooled by these money-grubbers are the people who refuse to study God's Word. This entire broadcast is disgusting and Christ dishonoring; they are the worse than the moneychangers in the temple; I would love to see Christ turn over their satellite as He did the tables of the Jewish moneychangers.
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
(Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8)
Verse 23, "And 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?"
LGT "And on His coming into the temple there came up to Him [when] teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people saying, By what authority do You do these things? And who gave to you this authority?"
The religious authorities came up to Jesus as He was teaching in the temple and asked Him what authority had he been given in order to do the things that he had been doing the last couple of days.
Edersheim writes:
"From the formal manner in which the chief priest, the scribes, and the elders are introduced, and from the circumstance that they so met Christ immediately on His entry into the temple, we can scarcely doubt that a meeting, although informal, of the authorities had been to concert measures against the growing danger. Yet, even so, cowardice as well as cunning marked their procedure. They dared not directly oppose Him, but endeavored, by attacking Him on the one point where He seemed to lay Himself open to it, to arrogate to themselves the appearance of strict legality, and so to turn popular feeling against Him.
For, there was no principle more firmly established by universal consent than that authoritative teaching required previous authorization. Indeed, this logically followed from the principle of Rabinism. All teaching must be authoritative, since it was traditional - approved by authority, and handed down from teacher to disciple. The highest honor of a scholar was, that he was like a well-plastered cistern, from which not a drop had leaked of what had been poured into it. The ultimate appeal in cases of discussion was always to some great authority, whether an individual Teacher or a Degree by the Sanhedrin. In this manner had the great Hillel first vindicated his claim to be the Teacher of his time and to decide the disputes then pending. And to decide differently from authority, was either the mark of ignorant assumption or the outcome of daring rebellion, in either case to be visited with the ban."
Verse 24, "And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things."
LGT "And Jesus answering said to them, I also will ask you one word, which if you tell Me, I also will say by what authority I do these things."
"I also will ask you one thing,"
This phrase is literally I also will ask you one word.
"Which if ye tell me,"
Jesus knew that these religious leaders were baiting Him, hoping that He would answer their question wrongly; they knew full well where He had His authority, for He did not ever conceal who He was.
"I in like wise tell you by what authority I do these things."
It makes no difference how they answered His word, He would have them dead to rights; He would easily reveal their motives.
Verse 25, "The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with them selves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?"
LGT "The baptism of John, which was it? Out of heaven or from men? And they reasoned with them selves, saying, If we should say, out of heaven, He will say to us, Why did you not believe Him?"
"The baptism of John, whence was it?"
This question, Jesus is asking, describes His relationship to John, in that John baptized him, and they all were aware of this. These religious scoundrels were trying to put Jesus on the defensive, but Jesus turned the tables on them by asking the question if they could tell Him what authority John ministered, He would tell them by what authority He ministered.
"From heaven or from men?"
Jesus is asking about the ministry of John; was his ministry from heaven or from men, that is, by divine authority or human authority?
"And they reasoned with themselves,"
They put their heads together and tried to apply some logic to the situation, because Jesus had stumped them.
"Saying, If we shall say, from heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not believe him?"
They reasoned that if they were to answer, By the authority of heaven, Jesus would say, "Then why did you not believe him?"
Verse 26, "But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people, for all hold John as a prophet."
LGT "But if we should say, From men, we fear the crowd, for all hold John as a prophet."
The Jews held John as a prophet, so if they had responded from man, then they would have admitted that John commissioned him. If they had said that John was an imposter, the people would have stoned them.
Verse 27, "And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things,"
LGT "And answering Jesus, they said, We do not know. He also said to them, Neither do I say to you by what authority I do these things."
"And they answered Jesus and said, We cannot tell."
The answer was not they did not know but should have been we refuse to say.
Barnes notes:
"This was a direct falsehood. They could Have told; and the answer should have been, 'We will not tell.' There was no reason but that why they did not tell. The reason, probably, why they would not acknowledge that John was a prophet, was that, if they did, they saw he could easily show them by what authority he did those things; that is, by his authority as Messiah. John came as his forerunner, pointed him out to the people, baptized him, and bore his public and solemn testimony to the fact that he was the Messiah, (Matt. 3:13-15; John 1:29-34). If they acknowledged one, they must the other. In this way our Savior was about to lead these crafty men to answer their own question, to their own confusion, about his authority. They saw this; and having given them a sufficient answer, there was no need of saying anything further."
The Parable of the Two Sons
Verse 28, "But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard."
LGT "But what do you think? A man had two sons; and having come to the first, he said, Son, go work today in my vineyard."
"But what think ye?"
This was a method Jesus used to get them to think about what He had just said to them.
"A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard."
The father goes to his first son and commands him to go to work that day in his vineyard.
"The background of this parable was the claim of the Pharisees that they were sons of the kingdom by virtue of their descent from Abraham. But Christ taught that sonship must be tested by obedience and only the obedient are true sons" (Pentecost).
Verse 29, "He answered and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and went."
LGT "And he answering said, I will not; but afterwards having repented, he went."
The word for repented here in the Greek is metameletheis and it does not mean just a change of mind; here it has the connotation of being sorry for his first refusal to go upon his fathers command, and then changing his whole attitude; this is rather like the godly sorrow that leads to repentance. The son not only changed his mind, but he was sorry for his first refusal.
Verse 30, "And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir; and went not."
LGT "And having come to the other, and said likewise. And answering said, I [go], sir, and went not."
This second son represents the religious rulers who had a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof. The first son proved his sonship by his obedience, whereas the second son lied, that is, he claims sonship, but refused to accept the father. These Pharisees and Sadducees refused the kingdom of heaven, because they refused the King; and now they are about to crucify Him. The second son showed lip service, but in his heart he refused to perform.
Verse 31, "Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, 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."
LGT "Which of the two did the will of the father? They say, the first. Jesus says to them, Verily I say to you, That tax-gatherers and the harlots go before you into the kingdom of God."
"Whether of them twain did the will of his father?"
The word 'twain' is old English for 'two.'
"They say unto him, The first."
They gave the obvious correct answer; however, they had no idea that they were condemning themselves. The first son proved himself a true son after first refusing to go; the second son gave the response of a true son, but then refused to be a son.
"Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom before you."
Jesus says the tax-gatherers and the harlots will go into the kingdom before you; the term 'before' means 'more likely', or 'rather than you.'
Verse 32, "For 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 had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him."
LGT "For John came to you in [the] way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax-gatherers and the harlots believed him: but you, having seen, did not repent afterwards to believe him."
"For John came to you in the way of righteousness,"
John the Baptist came proclaiming the way of righteousness; that is. That man has 'fallen short of the glory of God' and needed to repent and believe into Christ.
'And ye believed him not:"
The offer of salvation was given to the Jewish leaders as well as the Jewish people, but the leaders refused to accept Him.
"But the publicans and harlots believed him:"
The common people, even the tax-gatherers and the harlots believed He was the promised Messiah.
"And ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him."
Like the second son in the parable, these religious rulers refuse to obey and believe in Christ. The tax-gathers and the harlots, like the first son, refused to accept and obey, but later repented and obeyed, that is, believe into Christ.
The Parable of the Vineyard and the Temple
(Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19)
Verse 33, "Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:"
LGT "Hear another parable: A man was a master of a house who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and dug in it a winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and left the country."
"Hear another parable:"
The Greek word for 'another' is allos, and is, as has been pointed out before, another of the same kind. Jesus goes abruptly from verse 32 into telling them another parable relating to the kingdom. As I have noted before regarding a 'parable' that it is an 'earthly story with an heavenly meaning.' Jesus used these parables about situations all Jews were very familiar. In the Expositors Greek NT we read:
"This parable is spoken at the same time, and of kindred import. The abrupt introduction, Hear another parable, betrays emotion. Jesus is aware that He has given mortal offence, and here He shows His knowledge by foreshadowing His own doom. The former parable has exposed the insincerity of the leaders of Israel, this exposes their open revolt against divine authority."
"There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard,"
The householder was the head of the house or of the affairs of the house. "We have a detailed description of the pains taken by the landlord in the construction of the vineyard, based on Isaiah's song of the vineyard: And he dug it, and gathered out the stones, and planted it with the choicest vine, and also made a winepress in it; and he looked for it to bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes, all with a view to fruitfulness, and to fruit of the best kind; for the owner, at least, is very much in earnest" (The Expositor's Greek NT).
"And hedged it round about,"
"More literally, set a hedge about it; possibly of the thorny wild aloe, common in the East" (Vincent).
"And digged a winepress in it
In Isaiah 5:1, 2, which this parable at once recalls, the Hebrew word rendered by the Septuagint and here digged, or hewed out, i.e., from the solid rock. "Above the road on our left are the outlines of a wine-fat, one of the most complete and best preserved in the country. Here is the upper basin where grapes were trodden and pressed. A narrow channel cut in the rock conveyed the juice into the lower basin, where it was allowed to settle; from there it was drawn off into a third and smaller basin. There is no mistaking the purpose for which those basins were excavated in the solid rock" (Thompson, Land and Book).
"And built a tower,"
"A tower for watchmen. Stanley (Sinai and Palestine) describes the ruins of vineyards in Judea as enclosures of loose stones, with the square gray tower at the corner of each. Allusions to these watching-places, temporary and permanent, are frequent in Scripture. Thus a booth in the vineyard (Isa. 1:8). 'The earth moveth to and fro like a hammock' (Cheyne on Isaiah). A vineyard-watchman's deserted hammock tossed to and fro by storm (Isa. 24:20). So Job speaks of a booth which the keeper of a vineyard runneth up (Job 10:18), a hut made of sticks and hung with mats, erected only for the harvest season on the field or vineyard, for the watchman who spreads his rude bed upon its high platform, and mounts guard against the robber and the beast. In Spain, where, especially in the South, the Orient has left its mark, not only upon architecture but also upon agricultural implements and methods, Archbishop Trench says that he has observed similar temporary structures erected for watchmen in the vineyards. The tower alluded to in this passage would seem to have been a more permanent character, and some have thought that it was intended not only for watching, but as a storehouse for the wine and a lodging for the workmen" (Vincent).
"And let it out to husbandmen,"
"There were three modes of dealing with land. According to one of these, the labors employed received a certain portion of the fruits; say a third or a fourth of the produce. The other two modes were either that the tenant paid a money-rent to the proprietor, or else that he agreed to give the owner a definite amount of the produce, whether the harvest had been good or bad. Such leases were given by the year for life; sometimes the lease was even hereditary, passing from father to son. There can scarcely be a doubt that it is the latter kind of lease which is referred to in the parable: the lessees being bound to give the owner a certain amount of fruits in their season" (Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus).
"And went into a far country:"
"He went abroad, to leave them freedom, and also to give them time; for the newly planted vines would not bear fruit for two or three years" (The Expositor's Greek NT).
Verse 34, "And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it."
LGT "And when the season drew near of the fruits, he sent his servants to the husbandmen to receive his fruits."
The householder sent his servants to collect the agreed upon fruits that were legally his for the lease of the field.
"Verse 35, "And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another."
LGT "And the husbandmen having taken his servants, they beat the one, and another they killed, and another they stoned."
This is the point of the parable; the way the religious leaders of Israel treated the prophets of God.
Barnes notes:
"The word here translated beat properly means to flay or take off the skin; hence to beat or whip so that the skin in many places is taken of. And killed another. Isaiah is said to have been put to death by sawing him asunder. Many other of the prophets were also put to death. See Luke 13:34; Hebrews 11:37; 1 Sam. 22:18; 1 Kings 19:10. And stoned another. This was among the Jews a common mode of punishment, Deut. 13:10; 17:7; Jos. 7:25. Especially was this the case in times of popular tumult, and of sudden indignation among the people, Acts 7:58; 14:19; John 8:59; 10:31. This does not imply, of necessity, that those who were stoned died, but they might be only severely wounded. Mark says, At him they cast stones and wounded him in the head, and sent him away, etc.
There is a little variation in the circumstances as mentioned by Matthew, and by Mark and Luke, but the substance is the same. Mark and Luke are more particular, and state the order in which the servants were sent one after another. They all denote the dealing of the people of Israel towards the prophets. All these things had been done to them. See Heb. 11:37; Jer. 44:4-6; 2 Chron. 36:16; Neh. 9:26; 2 Chron. 24:20, 21."
Verse 36, "Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them like wise."
LGT "Again, he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did to them in like manner."
The householder was not ready to give up, for he sent other servants and they were treated in like manner, that is, they beat some, and they murdered others.
Verse 37, "But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, they will reverence my son."
LGT "And finally, he sent to them his son, saying, they will have respect for my son."
In his last effort the householder sent his only beloved son. "The last step was now to be taken; excuses conceivable hitherto: doubt as to credentials, a provoking manner in those sent, etc.; not yet conclusively proved that deliberate defiance is intended. The patient master will make that clear before taking further steps. They will show respect to. It is assumed that they will have no difficulty in knowing him" (Expositor's Greek NT).
Barnes notes:
"Mark adds that this was an only son, greatly beloved. This beautifully and most tenderly exhibits the love of God in sending his only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to die for men. Long had he sent the prophets, and they had been persecuted and slain. There was no use in sending any more prophets to the people. They had done all they could do. God had one only-begotten and well-beloved Son, whom he might send, and whom the world ought to reverence even as they should the Father, John 5:23. God is often represented in the Bible as giving his Son, his only-begotten and well-beloved Son, for a lost world, John 3:16, 17; 1 John 4:9, 14; Rom. 8:32; Gal. 4:4. Saying, They will reverence my son. To reverence means to honor, to esteem, to show deference [high regard] to. It is that feeling which we have in the presence of one who is greatly our superior. It means to give to such a person, in our feelings and our deportment [manner], the honor which is due to his rank and character."
Verses 38, 39, "But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance." And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him."
LGT "But the husbandmen, seeing the son, said among themselves, This is the heir: let us kill him, and get of his inheritance. And having taken him, they cast him out of the vineyard and killed [him]."
These verses complete the story and reveal how that the prophets, even Christ Himself tried to get the children of Israel to repent and follow the Lord; the result was, that, they abused the prophets, stoned some, killed many, and eventually crucified their Savior.
Verse 40, "When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?"
LGT "When therefore, the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do to those husbandmen?"
"When Jesus had finished the story, which set forth so graphically, on the background of Isaiah's parable of the vineyard, the theocratic vineyard-privileges to Israel; the special advantages and opportunities that were given to the chosen seed through God's covenant with them; and the horrible treatment they dealt out to God's long line of prophets, from the time of Elijah to that of John the Baptist, to culminate now in three days in the crucifixion of the Beloved Son at Calvary, He asked the question: When the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do unto those husbandmen?" (Shepherd).
Verse 41, "They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits of their seasons."
LGT "They say to Him, The miserable men, miserably he will destroy them, and he will give the vineyard to other husbandmen, which shall render the fruits in their seasons to him."
These men were not aware that they were pronouncing judgment on themselves; Jesus would eventually take the blessings of the Gospel given to Israel and give it to the Gentiles who would believe. Jesus allowed these Jews to pronounce judgment upon themselves.
Verse 42, "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, the stone which the builder rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?"
LGT "Jesus says to them, Did you never read in the Scriptures,
Those who build, rejected [the] Stone,
This is become Head of [the] corner:
From [the] Lord became this,
And it is wonderful in our eyes?"
Jesus is quoting from Psalm 118:22, 23 which was applied to David, but it also was predictive of Christ. He explains the application in the next verse.
Verse 43, "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
LGT "Because of this I say to you, That the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and it shall be given to a nation producing the fruits of it."
"The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
"Jesus applies the parable to them-the Jews. They had been the children of the kingdom, or under the reign of God; having his law and acknowledging him as King. They had been his chosen and peculiar people, but he says that now this privilege would be taken away; they would cease to be the peculiar people of God, and that the blessing would be given to a nation who would bring forth the fruits thereof, or be righteous - that is, to the Gentiles, Be it known, therefore, unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it (Acts 28:28)" (Barnes).
We also read in 1 Peter 2:9, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." The Church is that holy nation.
Verse 44, "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
LGT "And he who falls on this Stone, shall be broken to pieces: but on whoever it shall fall, it will scatter him like dust."
"And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken:"
The Greek word sunthasthesetai means shall be broken to pieces. "It graphically pictures the fate of the man who rejects Christ. The verb means to shatter" (Robertson). "The preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God; but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling Stone, and unto the Greeks [Gentiles] foolishness;" (1 Cor. 1:18, 23).
"But on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
The Greek word likmesei means literally, will scatter him as dust. "The verb was used of winnowing out the chaff and then of grinding to powder. This is the fate of him on whom this rejected Stone falls" (Robertson).
Verse 45, "And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them."
LGT "And the chief priests and the Pharisees, hearing His parables, they knew that concerning them He speaks."
They knew exactly whom He was talking about; just as in our day, when we speak of Christ and His judgments, the world knows what we are talking about. McGee thinks that the world is ignorant, by his comment on this verse, but I am not willing to give unbelief an excuse; and I think we will see in the final judgment day, that God does not give the unbeliever an excuse, "But I say, Have they not heard? Yea, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world" (Romans 10:18), so they are without excuse.
Verse 46, "But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet."
LGT "And seeking to lay hold of Him, they feared the crowds, because they held Him as a prophet."
"This fear of the people was all that stayed the hands of the rabbis on this occasion. Murderous rage was in their hearts toward Jesus. People do not always grasp the application of sermons to themselves" (A.T. Robertson). But in this case, the conviction of the Holy Spirit is obvious; I believe where there is no resentment to the preaching of the Gospel, the Gospel is not being preached; when men have their own interests in mind when they are so-called 'preaching the gospel' the Holy Spirit is not working, and they interpret it as men not understanding. The problem when men are preaching for 'filthy lucre' is that it is not preaching at all, but simply showmanship.
The next chapter is a continuation of this chapter.
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