1Christ rideth into Jerusalem upon an ass amidst the acclamations of the multitude. 12He driveth the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and healeth the diseased there. 15His reply to the priests and scribes who took offence at the hosannas of the people. 17He curseth the barren fig tree, which presently withereth: 23he silenceth the priests and elders who questioned his authority. 28The parable of the two sons whom their father sent to work in his vineyard. 33The parable of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen.
1AND whena they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to 1Bethphage, unto the mount of 2Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
a Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29.
1 Mark 11:1 and Luke 19:29 adds hereto Bethany, which were two villages or places, one situated close to the other at the Mount of Olives, about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem, as is to be seen, John 11:18.
2 Or, Olives’ mount, which was situated eastward from Jerusalem, a sabbath’s day journey, Acts 1:12.
2Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, 3and bring them unto me.
3 Other, lead them.
3And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will 4send them.
4 Other, send them back again, so that these would be the words of Christ, which He bid His disciples to say to the owner of the she-ass.
4All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5Tellb ye 5the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an 6ass, and a colt the 7foal of an ass.
b Isa. 62:11; Zech. 9:9; John 12:15.
5 That is, the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem, who were so called, because part of Jerusalem was built on Mount Sion, 2 Kings 19:21. And hereby is also understood the church of God, whereof Jerusalem and Sion were types.
6Christ truly sat upon the foal, as appears out of Mark 11:7, Luke 19:30, but this she-ass is joined here to show that it was a foal that followed its mother, yet so that none had ever sat thereon, as the other evangelists testify.
7 Gr. son.
6And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
7And brought the ass, and the colt, andc put on them their clothes, and they setdhim 8thereon.
c 2 Kings 9:13.
d John 12:14.
8 Namely, on the clothes.
8And a very great multitude 9spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawedethem in the way.
9 Namely, unto a sign of joy and honor which thereby men were wont to show great lords and kings. See 2 Kings 9:13; 1 Maccabees 13:51.
e strewed, scattered*
9And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, 10Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessedf11is he that cometh in the 12name of the Lord; Hosannag in the highest.
10 The word hosanna, taken out of Psalm 118:25 is an Hebrew word, two made into one, and signifies so much as: Save we pray, or: give we pray happiness and prosperity.
f Psalm 118:25, 26.
11 Or, be He.
12 That is, sent by the Lord, according to His promises to accomplish His work, Luke 1:32, 33.
g save, we pray; a shout of praise*
10And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
11And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
12¶Andh Jesus went into the temple of God, and 13cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the 14moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
h Deut. 14:26; Mark 11:15; Luke 19:45; John 2:14.
13 Or, drove out.
14 These changers and sellers were permitted by the chief priests in the temple without God’s command, under the pretense of enhancing the worship of God, but in truth out of covetousness, that the people might always have proper money and beasts for the sacrifices whereof they had their share and profit.
13And said unto them, It is written, Myi house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a 15den of thieves.
i 1 Kings 8:29; Isa. 56:7; Jer. 7:11; Luke 19:46.
15 Or, robbers, highwaymen. For, as the robbers used to have their dens in the rocks, where they brought and divided their prey, so likewise did the priests in the temple. And these words are taken out of Jer. 7:11.
14And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
15And whenj the chief priests and scribes saw the 16wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,
j Mark 11:27.
16 Gr. wondrous, namely, deeds.
16And said unto him, 17Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Outk of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast 18perfected praise?
17 This they say by way of reproof, that He did not cause the children to hold their peace.
k Psalm 8:2.
18 Or, prepared.
17¶And he left them, and went out of the city into 19Bethany; and he 20lodged there.
19 Of Bethany see the annotation on the first verse.
20 Or, tarried there, and took up His inn there.
18Nowl in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
l Mark 11:12, 20.
19And 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 henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
20And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
21Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, Ifm ye have 21faith, 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.
m Mat. 17:20; Luke 17:6.
21 Of this faith see Mat. 17:20.
22Andn all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
n Mat. 7:7; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9; John 14:13; 16:24; James 1:5; 1 John 3:22.
23¶Ando 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, 22Byp what 23authority doest thou 24these things? and who gave thee this authority?
o Mark 11:27; Luke 20:1.
22 Gr. in.
p Exod. 2:14; Acts 4:7; 7:27.
23 Or, power.
24 Namely, which are written down previously.
24And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one 25thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 That is, word.
25The 26baptism of John, whence was it? 27from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned 28with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
26 That is, the doctrine of John, confirmed by his baptism. By this question Christ answers the question of the chief priests, seeing that John, whose doctrine was from heaven, had born witness of Him that He was the true Messiah; as also God the Father Himself, when Christ was baptized by John.
27 That is, from God, Luke 15:18.
28 Or, amongst one another.
26But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; forq all hold John as a prophet.
q Mat. 14:5; Mark 6:20.
27And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
28¶But what think ye? A certain man had two 29sons; and he came to the 30first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29 Gr. children.
30 By the first son are understood notorious sinners, who, being converted, are obedient to the Gospel.
29He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30And he came to the 31second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, Irgo, sir: and went not.
31 By the second son are understood those who make profession to serve God, and notwithstanding do not do so in truth.
r Ezek. 33:31.
31Whethers 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 32publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God 33before you.
s which of two*
32 Namely, being converted.
33 That is, they repent themselves and embrace the Gospel, whereas you, being and remaining impenitent, reject the same; and consequently they shall enter into heaven, whereas you shall be excluded. See Mat. 25:12.
32Fort John came unto you in the 34way 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.
t Mat. 3:1.
34 That is, teaching the right way of salvation and walking in the same.
33¶Hear another parable: Thereu was 35a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and 36hedged it round about, and digged a 37winepress in it, and built a 38tower, and 39let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
u Psalm 80:8; Isa. 5:1; Jer. 2:21; 12:10; Mark 12:1; Luke 20:9.
35 Gr. a man who was a master of a family.
36 Or, fence, hedgerow.
37 Namely, where into the wine runs and is gathered together under the press.
38 Namely, from which to survey the whole vineyard and to watch the same.
39 Or, rented it out. Gr. gave it out.
34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he 40sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
40 In this parable or similitude, God the Father is compared to a father of a family, the church of the Jews to a vineyard, the priests and scribes to husbandmen, the prophets and faithful teachers to servants, Christ to the son of the father of the family and faith and obedience to fruits; seeing they did not bring forth, therefore their ruin is threatened by the Romans and the calling of the Gentiles foretold in their stead. See similar similitude, Psalm 80:8; Isa. 5:1; Jer. 12:10.
35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat 41one, and killed another, and stonedv another.
41 See hereof, Heb. 11:36, 37.
v 2 Chron. 24:21.
36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, Thisw is the heir; come,x let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
w Psalm 2:8; Heb. 1:2.
x Gen. 37:18; Psalm 2:1; Mat. 26:3; 27:1; John 11:53.
39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41They 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 in their seasons.
42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, 42They stone which the builders 43rejected, the same is become the 44head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
42 This Stone is Christ, 1 Peter 2:4, Whom the builders, that is, the scribes and Pharisees, have rejected.
y Psalm 118:22; Isa. 8:14; 28:16; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Rom. 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6.
43 Gr. disapproved.
44 That is, the utmost Cornerstone, on Which two walls stand firm and are joined one to another, namely, the church brought together from Jews and Gentiles. See Eph. 2:13, 20; 1 Peter 2:7, 8.
43Therefore say I unto you, Thez kingdom of God shall be taken from you, andaa given to a nation bringing forth 45the fruits thereof.
z Exod. 32:10; Mat. 8:12.
aa Isa. 55:5.
45 Namely, of the Kingdom of heaven, that is, which becomes the Kingdom.
44Andab whosoever shall 46fall on this stone shall be broken: but onac whomsoever it shall 47fall, it will 48grind him to powder.
ab Isa. 8:15; Zech. 12:3; Luke 20:18.
46 Namely, by contempt or unbelief, 1 Peter 2:8.
ac Dan. 2:34.
47 Namely, by the weight of His judgment, or of His punishment.
48 Gr. winnow, that is, grind him so small that it might be winnowed or sifted, Psalm 2:9.
45Andad when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
ad Luke 20:19.
46But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him forae a prophet.
ae Luke 7:16; John 7:40.