Matthew 21
At the Mount of Olives two disciples were sent to a village to get an ass and a colt. They were to loose them and bring them to Jesus. If anyone questioned their actions, they were to answer, "The Lord hath need of them." The prophet Zechariah had prophesied that their King would come, "lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Zech. 9:99Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. (Zechariah 9:9). Having done this, the disciples put their clothes on the ass and colt and set Him thereon.
Vain man would be wise, though he (man) be born like a wild ass's colt (Job 11:1212For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt. (Job 11:12)). The colt that Jesus rode on was never broken until Jesus sat on him.
Jesus said that He had need of him. We hear of nothing else that Jesus had need of. Man is that wild ass.
Branches were strewn in the way, also garments. The multitudes before and behind cried, "Hosanna to [bestow blessing on] the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." God saw to it that the Jews would have this testimony of Jesus as the King. It probably was the same company that cried out later, "Crucify Him, crucify Him."
In the Temple
Jesus went into the temple of God, and those who bought and sold He cast out, the tables of the money changers He overthrew, and the seats of those who sold doves were likewise overthrown. He said, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." (See also Jer. 7:1111Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 7:11).)
The people of God must maintain a direct connection with God in relation to their religious or secular life. If they do not continue in dependence, waiting on God individually and collectively, the enemy will come into the void and fill it with confusion-religious and otherwise.
The leaders of Israel saw and heard the children giving praise to Jesus. The leaders were unhappy and asked Jesus if He heard what the children said. Jesus answered, "Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?"
Jesus left them and the temple and lodged in Bethany. In the morning, returning to the city, He hungered. Having found a fig tree with leaves, but no fruit, He said, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever." The fig tree withered away. He told His disciples that one who had faith, and did not doubt, would not only do what was done to the fig tree, but if they said to the mountain (Israel), "Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea," it would be done. God saw to it that this was done in the year 70 A.D. when the nation (the mountain) was scattered among the Gentiles (the sea).
Coming into the temple, Jesus was questioned as to who gave Him the authority to do the things He was doing. He answered, "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. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; He will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet." So they said to Jesus that they could not tell. And Jesus said neither would He tell by what authority He acted. Their answer clearly showed their moral indifference. They preferred to please men rather than God.
Law or Grace?
Jesus proposed a question for the conscience and the heart. A certain man who had two sons asked them to go and work in His vineyard. The first said, "I will not; but afterward he repented, and went." The second son said, "I go, sir; and went not." The first son who repented is a picture of the remnant of the Jews who repented and were baptized. The second son is a picture of the Pharisees who made a profession but did not obey the Lord. Jesus asked which son obeyed his father; they say the first. The publicans and harlots believed Him, but the Pharisees refused to believe.
The Lord told a parable about a householder who planted a vineyard. Having furnished it with convenient buildings and necessary things, he let it out to farmers and departed to a far country. As the time for fruit drew near, he sent servants to receive the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers mistreated the servants (the prophets), beating one, stoning another and killing another. Finally, the householder sent his son, saying, 'They will reverence my son." Seeing the son, they said among themselves, "This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance." So they slew him. The Lord asked His listeners, "What will the householder do to those farmers?" They answered that he would destroy them and let out the vineyard to others who would supply the fruits.
The farmers were a picture of the Jew under law with a nature that could not please God. Neither prophets, righteous men, or even the Son could do anything with those who held hatred toward God and His Christ. If they had obeyed John the Baptist, it would have been different. Surely their portion shall be given to the Gentiles, while judgment will fall on the nation.