Mat 21:1-11 | KingComments | STEP | They are approaching Jerusalem. The entry into Jerusalem marks the beginning of the last week of the Lord’s life on earth before the cross. The description of the events in this week is extensive. It takes up more than a quarter of this Gospel. There is a stop at Bethphage, which lies on the Mount of Olives. The Mount of Olives is the mountain of Gethsemane, the mountain where Christ will go to heaven and where He will descend at His second coming, that is His return to the earth in power and majesty. From there He sends out two of His disciples. He tells them where to go. With His Divine omniscience He also tells them what they will find there. He also tells them what to do with the donkey and the colt. He also knows that there will be comments. Therefore He tells them what to answer. Then it will be clear to the owner and he will – not ‘give’, but – “send” the animals. The owner will agree to it and will gladly give them up. We see how the Lord works the situation and hearts. This commission is necessary for the fulfilment of a prophecy which has been pronounced five hundred years ago ( ). At the right time, the animals are ready for their share in the fulfilment. The owner is also immediately prepared to give them up. The donkey and foal will become the bearers of the Lord Jesus Who comes to His people as King. He does not come on horseback to judge ( ), but “gentle”. This is the message for “the daughter of Zion”. Zion is the name for Jerusalem as connected with grace, for Zion is the mountain that speaks of grace ( ). “Foal” speaks of a new beginning. The disciples obey. They go to the village that the Lord has appointed and act according to His command. When they come to Him with the animals, they put their clothes on the donkey as a tribute to Him. He accepts that tribute. Through the symbol of their clothes they make themselves available to carry Him. Under the action of God’s Spirit, the large crowd also sets in motion. They too give the Lord Jesus their coats, not to sit on, but to ride over. The branches they cut from the trees are palm branches, a picture of victory. So they welcome their King. Unfortunately it is only an external whim, without depth. This will become clear when they will soon call for His death on the cross. Yet God works this tribute to His Son. The power of God influences the heart of the crowd. He cannot allow His Son to be rejected without having received this testimony. In their greeting the crowd uses a verse from Psalm 118 ( ). In that psalm the thousand-year Sabbath is sung, that will be established by the Messiah when He will be recognized by His people. Unfortunately, their words go beyond their hearts. They wish He will rule, because they have already received so much blessing from Him, but they are blind to the state of sin in which they find themselves. When the Lord has entered the city of Jerusalem as King, the sixty-nine (year) weeks which was spoken to Daniel are fulfilled ( ). After these sixty-nine weeks the seventieth week of the year could begin, about which Daniel was also spoken to ( ), that is to say the kingdom of peace. But, as also was spoken to Daniel, the Messiah is rejected ( ). As a result, the seventieth (year) week could not be fulfilled at that time. That week has been postponed because that week will also be fulfilled. The presence of Christ and His whole performance at His coming to Jerusalem causes turmoil and curious questions about His Person. It is felt that He is the Prophet. By this they mean the Prophet announced by Moses ( ). And He is. At the same time there is unbelief in who He really is. For them he is nothing more than “Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee”, a man from Nazareth. They have no eye for the fact that “His origins are from long ago, from the days of eternity” ( ). If He is nothing more than a prophet, their faith is fatally lacking, for that faith does not lead them to acknowledge their sins of departure from God.

‏ Matthew 21:1-11

The Entry Into Jerusalem

They are approaching Jerusalem. The entry into Jerusalem marks the beginning of the last week of the Lord’s life on earth before the cross. The description of the events in this week is extensive. It takes up more than a quarter of this Gospel.

There is a stop at Bethphage, which lies on the Mount of Olives. The Mount of Olives is the mountain of Gethsemane, the mountain where Christ will go to heaven and where He will descend at His second coming, that is His return to the earth in power and majesty. From there He sends out two of His disciples. He tells them where to go. With His Divine omniscience He also tells them what they will find there. He also tells them what to do with the donkey and the colt. He also knows that there will be comments. Therefore He tells them what to answer. Then it will be clear to the owner and he will – not ‘give’, but – “send” the animals. The owner will agree to it and will gladly give them up. We see how the Lord works the situation and hearts.

This commission is necessary for the fulfilment of a prophecy which has been pronounced five hundred years ago (Zec 9:9). At the right time, the animals are ready for their share in the fulfilment. The owner is also immediately prepared to give them up. The donkey and foal will become the bearers of the Lord Jesus Who comes to His people as King. He does not come on horseback to judge (Rev 19:11), but “gentle”. This is the message for “the daughter of Zion”. Zion is the name for Jerusalem as connected with grace, for Zion is the mountain that speaks of grace (Heb 12:22). “Foal” speaks of a new beginning.

The disciples obey. They go to the village that the Lord has appointed and act according to His command. When they come to Him with the animals, they put their clothes on the donkey as a tribute to Him. He accepts that tribute. Through the symbol of their clothes they make themselves available to carry Him.

Under the action of God’s Spirit, the large crowd also sets in motion. They too give the Lord Jesus their coats, not to sit on, but to ride over. The branches they cut from the trees are palm branches, a picture of victory. So they welcome their King. Unfortunately it is only an external whim, without depth. This will become clear when they will soon call for His death on the cross. Yet God works this tribute to His Son. The power of God influences the heart of the crowd. He cannot allow His Son to be rejected without having received this testimony.

In their greeting the crowd uses a verse from Psalm 118 (Psa 118:26). In that psalm the thousand-year Sabbath is sung, that will be established by the Messiah when He will be recognized by His people. Unfortunately, their words go beyond their hearts. They wish He will rule, because they have already received so much blessing from Him, but they are blind to the state of sin in which they find themselves.

When the Lord has entered the city of Jerusalem as King, the sixty-nine (year) weeks which was spoken to Daniel are fulfilled (Dan 9:25). After these sixty-nine weeks the seventieth week of the year could begin, about which Daniel was also spoken to (Dan 9:24), that is to say the kingdom of peace. But, as also was spoken to Daniel, the Messiah is rejected (Dan 9:26). As a result, the seventieth (year) week could not be fulfilled at that time. That week has been postponed because that week will also be fulfilled.

The presence of Christ and His whole performance at His coming to Jerusalem causes turmoil and curious questions about His Person. It is felt that He is the Prophet. By this they mean the Prophet announced by Moses (Deu 18:15). And He is. At the same time there is unbelief in who He really is. For them he is nothing more than “Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee”, a man from Nazareth. They have no eye for the fact that “His origins are from long ago, from the days of eternity” (Mic 5:2). If He is nothing more than a prophet, their faith is fatally lacking, for that faith does not lead them to acknowledge their sins of departure from God.