Matthew 21:1-11

What Kind of Messiah?

The main pilgrim route from Galilee, beyond the Jordan, led through Jericho to Jerusalem.  Jesus had arrived at his city of destiny.

Matthew 21:1-11     Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem 

In his description of Jesus’ few days of ministry in Jerusalem, Matthew would rely heavily on Mark’s narrative, adapting it here and there to emphasise better the particular meanings he had in mind.

For Mark, Jesus’ entry had been little different from “street theatre”, contrasting and implicitly critiquing the triumphalism of Roman power and grandeur. Matthew would treat the incident differently from Mark, maximising its impact and emphasising how it fulfilled prophetic expectations. The detail served to underline the deliberateness of the “prophecy in action”.

Zechariah was the source of the prophecy [Zechariah 9:9]. Matthew already had clearly stated that Jesus was indeed Israel’s King (Messiah) [1:18]. His concern now would be to show that, as King, Jesus disowned the common stereotype, despising the trappings of power and honour, and choosing instead to be humble and to lift burdens [11:29], in contrast with the world’s kings with their oppressive and crippling impositions.

Did Jesus sit on the cloaks (“them”), or on the donkey and its foal? For Zechariah, the mention of donkey and foal was a common literary doublet. Matthew, presumably, would have been quite familiar with this construction; but, in his love to illustrate the literal fulfilment of prophecy, he may have chosen to show Jesus mounted on both (despite the incongruity!).

Going beyond what Mark had said, Matthew ensured the presence of a vast crowd of Galilean pilgrims who already knew him well. In their enthusiasm they spread branches on the road.  (Matthew gave no indication that the branches were palms!)

Again, and soon for a third time, Matthew emphasised the crowds. In their acclamation, they addressed Jesus as Son of David, a title with which Matthew was quite comfortable [1:1]. Their greeting was taken from the last of the “Hallel Psalms”, a group of psalms recited during the Paschal meal on the feast of Passover. The mood of the feast was already in their hearts!

The turmoil of the Jerusalem population, stirred by the advent of a new king and Son of David, reflected the fear they shared with Herod, when the wise men had sought the new-born king [2:3]. The Greek word, here translated as stirred, would occur again in the aftermath of Jesus’ death [27:51], and again a third time, as the stone would be rolled back from his tomb [28:2]. Literally, it suggested “earthquake”. Matthew saw Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem initiating the coming of the Son of Man and the definitive judgment of the world, which would climax in his death and resurrection. (Earthquakes would accompany all three incidents.)

The crowd’s question Who is this? echoed passages from Psalm 24, which used to be sung to mark the annual festivals commemorating the entry of the Davidic kings into Jerusalem:

The crowd’s identification of Jesus as prophet sat comfortably with Matthew. The crowds had witnessed much of Jesus’ teaching; now they observed this prophetic action. They were potential believers; though soon another crowd (or perhaps the same) would clamour for his death.

Next >> Matthew 21:12-27