Mateus 21

Mateus 21

MacLaren commented on this: “Christ comes to us in like fashion, and brushes aside all our convenient excuses. He says, ‘I want you, and that is enough.’ ” Think of it! The Creator of the universe needs us and desires to fit us into His eternal design! Though all-powerful and not dependent on any creature, He has chosen to carry out His plans through lowly human instruments. If this were not so, He would have taken us to heaven as soon as He saved us by His grace. Someone once asked Francis of Assisi how he was able to accomplish so much. He replied, “This may be why: The Lord looked down from heaven and said, ‘Where can I find the weakest, littlest man on earth?’ Then He saw me and said, ‘I’ve found him. I will work through him, and he won’t be proud of it. He’ll see that I am only using him because of his insignificance.’ ” Yours is a mission you alone can fill, Whether it be to build or teach or till; Your goal may still be hidden from your view, But somewhere God has urgent need of you. —Thayer God is looking for ordinary people for extraordinary work. Matthew 21:4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: this: Mt 1:22 26:56 Joh 19:36,37 spoken through the prophet: Zec 9:9 Joh 12:15 FULFILLED This - What is "this?" In context this seems to allude primarily to the procurement of the donkey without any difficulties. But it also seems to point to the following prophetic passage. Took place (purpose clause - hina - in order) to fulfill (pleroo) what was spoken through the prophet (prophetes) - The prophet Zechariah is quoted in the next verse. In this section it is fascinating in that we see a mixture of the attributes of Jesus coming into play as the drama of redemption crescendos - His dominion, power and authority (riding an unbroken colt, cleansing temple), His omniscience (details of colt), His humility (to ride in on a donkey) Mark Moore - The book of Zechariah predicts the Messiah with astounding clarity. (Especially Zech 9:9; 11:13; 12:10; 13:7; 14:4.) This passage in particular was interpreted by many rabbis as Messianic. Matthew shows how this triumphal entry fulfills Zechariah 9:9. (The introductory phrase is actually closer to Isa 62:11, “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you.’ ” Since the context of Isa 62:11 is also appropriate to our passages, Matthew may intend for us to see a connection.) He also shows, however, that although Jesus is the Messiah predicted by the prophets, he is not the Messiah expected by the people. They were looking for the king to ride into Jerusalem (Borrow Tenney who notes that Daughter of Zion is “a personification of the city of Jerusalem” in the OT, especially in the latter prophets (Isa 1:8; 52:2; 62:11; Jer 4:31; 6:23; Lam 2:4, 8, 10, 13; Mic 4:8; Zeph 3:14; Zech 2:10).) on a war horse (cf. Rev 6:4; 19:11). What they were promised was a Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6) riding on a donkey—a symbol of kings and of peace (Judg 5:10; 1 Kgs 1:33; b. Ber. 56b).11 This kind of use of prophecy will continue to the end of the Gospels. Although we have already become accustomed to Jesus fulfilling prophecy throughout the Gospels, we will be overwhelmed by how much Jesus fulfills in this last week. Most of it will convey this same message: Jesus is the Messiah predicted by the prophets, but not the Messiah expected by the people. (See The Chronological Life of Christ - Page 494 - this resource highly recommended available in Logos or book format) Matthew 21:5 “SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’” the daughter: Ps 9:14 Isa 12:6 40:9 62:11 Zep 3:14,15 Mk 11:4-11 King: Mt 2:2,6 Ge 49:10 Nu 24:19 Ps 2:6-12 45:1-17 72:1-20 Ps 110:1-4 Isa 9:6,7 Jer 23:5,6 Eze 34:24 37:24 Da 2:44-45 Da 7:13-14 Mic 5:2 Zec 6:12-13 Joh 1:49 19:15-22 gentle: Mt 11:29 12:19,20 2Co 10:1 Php 2:3-5 mounted: De 17:16 Judges 5:10 12:14 2Sa 16:2 1Ki 1:33 10:26 Ho 1:7 Mic 5:10,11 Zec 9:9-10 Related Passages: Zechariah 9:9-10 (See also discussion below.) Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold (hinneh; Lxx - idou), your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; And the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; (PROPHECY OF THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM)And His dominion will be from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 62:11 (NOTE 3X THE SPIRIT IS CALLING THE READER TO PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THIS VERSE!) Behold (hinneh; Lxx - idou), the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth, Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo (hinneh; Lxx - idou), your salvation comes; Behold (hinneh) His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.” Genesis 49:8-12 (JACOB'S MESSIANIC PROPHECY OF A KING OVER ALL THE PEOPLES/NATIONS) Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s sons shall bow down to you. 9 “Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him up? 10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. 11 “He ties his foal to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, And his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 “His eyes are dull from wine, And his teeth white from milk. Mark 11:4-7+ They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they *untied (historical present tense) it. 5 Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission. 7 They *brought(historical present tense) the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it. (Note that Mark does not quote Zechariah's prophecy. A gentile audience would not have been familiar with that OT book.) ZECHARIAH'S PROPHECY MESSIAH RIDING ON DONKEY SAY TO THE DAUGHTER (thugater) OF ZION - This is a figurative description, not of a woman (a daughter), but of the nation of Israel. It is interesting that in the OT, Israel was referred to as the "wife of Jehovah" (Isa 54:5-6, Jer 31:32+) (See study Israel The Wife of Jehovah) BEHOLD (idou) - This is a command for Israel to give full attention to the following description, for it is a quote that fulfills Messianic Prophecy and specifically indicates that Jesus is the long expected Messiah now entering Jerusalem! (See Messianic Prophecies) YOUR (Israel's) KING (basileus) IS COMING (erchomai - present tense) TO YOU, GENTLE (praus), AND MOUNTED (epibaino) ON A DONKEY, (onos) EVEN ON A COLT (polos), THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN - Notice the words are in all caps which in the NAS version signifies a direct Old Testament quote (this tool not used in any other Bible version). See also discussion below. Note that this is the first time that Jesus publicly and openly presented Himself to the Jews as their promised Messiah and King. He knew that had He done it earlier, they would have attempted to make Him King. But Jesus' way of obtaining a crown was first to experience the cross! His first coming would be gentle and on a donkey which dramatically contrasts with His Second Coming as a victorious Warrior and King of kings, riding on a white horse to conquer all His enemies (Rev 19:11-21+, see also return of Jesus the Stone in Da 2:44-45+). Jesus had described Himself as gentle in His great invitation to Israel (and to all lost people) in Mt 11:28-30+ Come (command see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take (aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle (praus) and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” NET NOTE - Greek “Tell the daughter of Zion” (the phrase “daughter of Zion” is an idiom for the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “people of Zion”). The idiom “daughter of Zion” has been translated as “people of Zion” because the original idiom, while firmly embedded in the Christian tradition, is not understandable to most modern English readers. Grk “the foal of an animal under the yoke,” i.e., a hard-working animal. This is a quotation from Zech 9:9. C H