CHAP. XXI.

[of the multitude.

11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. (U)

12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple; and overthrew the tables of the money

(U) Ver. 1-11. The Lord Jesus rides into Jerusalem on an ass, is hailed by the hosannas of the multitude. - To understand the propriety of this conduct in our Saviour, we must turn back to the prophecy of Zechariah (chap. ix. 9), of which we shall find it an exact fulfilment; and consequently, an argument of Christ's divine character and mission. It also forms an honourable close of his public ministry. An eloquent and popular writer thus describes the event: "When this Sun of righteousness arose with healing under his wings, the populace, who lay all neglected and forlorn, benighted with ignorance, and benumbed with vice, saw the light, and hailed the brightness of its rising. Up they sprang, and after him in multitudes, men, women, and children, went. Was he to pass a road, they climbed the trees to see him; yea, the blind sat by the way side to hear him go by. Was he in a house, they unroofed the building to come at him. As if they could never get near enough to hear the soft accents of his voice, they pressed, they crowded, they trod upon one another to surround him. When he retired into the wilderness, they thought him another Moses, and would have made him a king. It was the finest thing they could think of. He, greater than the greatest monarch, despised worldly grandeur; but, to fulfil prophecy, sitting upon a borrowed ass's colt, rode into Jerusalem, the Son of the Highest, and allowed the transported multitude to strew the way with garments and branches, and to arouse the insensible metropolis by acclamations, the very children shouting Hosanna! - Hosanna in the highest! - Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord!" (Claude, vol. ii. Introd. p. xxxi.)

This sort of triumphant entry, a mixture of simplicity and grandeur, roused the whole population of the metropolis; "All the city was moved, saying, Who is this?" WHO? say you: Ask Moses, and he will tell you, "It is the seed of the woman, that shall break the serpent's head." Ask the patriarch Jacob, and he will reply, "The Shiloh of the tribe of Judah." Ask David, and he shall tell you, "The King of glory." Isaiah proclaims him, "The Prince of peace;" Jeremiah, "the righteous Branch;" Zechariah, "The King of Zion;" John the Baptist, "The Lamb of God;" and the multitude which followed him say, "This is Jesus, the Prophet of Galilee!"

It is evident, from comparing the gospel of John with the other evangelists, that beside the throng which accompanied Jesus from Jericho, another multitude, which had been assembled at Jerusalem from all parts of Judea, to celebrate the Passover, and many also which had witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus, came from Jerusalem to meet Jesus; so that he was surrounded with the greater part of the population of the country. "Let us (now) imagine," says the pious and amiable Doddridge, "that we see the Son of God and the King of Israel thus proceeding towards Jerusalem, and the people meeting him, and surrounding him with their acclamations: 'Hosanna! Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord!' Do not our hearts spring at the sound? Do we not, as it were, in spirit go forth with them, and join in that sublime, but simple song? Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord,' with divine authority, and divine blessings in his hands! and blessed be the kingdom he hath erected! May perpetual prosperity attend it!"

Ver. 9. Hosanna! Save now, I beseech-Psalm cxviii. 25. Blessed is he that cometh, &c. Campbell, "Blessed BE," &с. Вр. Chandler remarks, that the prophecy of Zechariah, here referred to, is twice explained in the Talmud, of Messiah. The same learned prelate quotes from a Rabbinical book (Seder Hagada Pesach) the following tradition: That at the Paschal feast a man, who personated the Messiah, bursting open a door, used to ride into the room upon an ass, another following with a horn, to proclaim and anoint him. Hence is supposed to

changers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,

16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? and Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ?

17 And he left them and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

[cursed.

18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

19 And 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.

20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, 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.

22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive. (X)

23 And when he was come into the

(X) Ver. 12-22. Jesus cleanses the temple; curses the barren fig-tree; and answers the demand of the chief priests and elders. When we read of Jesus and his apostles entering the temple, we are neither to understand it of the holy, or the most holy place, which none might enter but the priests; but of the courts of the temple, where only the other tribes were allowed to meet. In the first of these, entering by the east gate, were found there money changers, who supplied those who wanted to purchase sacrifices with change, smaller coin for large; Jewish money for foreign; and advanced money to persons of credit, on their own security. The tables (or counters) of these bankers, Jesus overthrew, and turned out those who sold doves for sacrifice; a class, perhaps, equal to our bird-catchers, or pigeon-fanciers; for they are said to have been men of infamous character, who thereby turned the house of God "into a den of thieves;" alluding, perhaps, to the caverns of Judea, which

were often occupied by thieves and freebooters.

That such trafficking was not suited to the house of God, is self-evident; and if they had been expelled and warned two or three years before, it made their offence the more criminal. (See Note, ver. 12.) The mixing up trade with religion, if we are not grossly misinformed, is still the Jewish practice, and bargains of every kind are mingled with their prayers even in some London synagogues; nor is it, alas! peculiar to the Jews, for we fear there is too much trafficking in some Christian synagogues, and that even on the sabbath day! Surely the pecuniary transactions of places of worship ought, as little as possible, to entrench upon the times of public devotion, and especially upon the day devoted to God's name and worship.

"There is," says Bp. Hall, “ a reverence due to God's house for the Owner's sake; for the service's sake. Secular and profane actions are not (fit) for that sacred

Ver. 13. The house - Doddr. and others, "An house." Ver. 15. They were sore (i. e. greatly) displeased -Doddr. "Filled with indignation."

Ver. 16. Have ye never read. See Ps. viii. 9. Ver. 19. A fig-tree-Marg. "One fig tree." Ver. 21. If ye have faith.-See chap. xvii. 20. Ver. 23. The chief priests. See Note on ch. ii. 4. -And elders-probably the members of the Sanhedrim, or Jewish council. So Doddr.

....

[question Jesus. doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

24 And Jesus answered and said

roof. The fairest pretences cannot bear out a sin with God. Never could there be more plausible colours cast upon any act: the convenience, the necessity of provisions for sacrifice: yet through all these do the fiery eyes of our Saviour (Rev. i. 14) see the foul covetousness of the priests, the fraud of the money changers, and the intolerable abuse of the temple." (Contemp. bk. ii. con. 25.) To those who manage the secular concerns, either of churches or of chapels, would we particularly recommend these admonitions.

Let us attend, however, to the chief priests and scribes who saw "the wonderful things that Jesus did," and heard the wonderful things that the people said, and especially the Hosannas of the children, when pretending to be shocked at their profaneness, they said to him, "Hearest thou what these say?" as if they had been uttering blasphemy; and such, indeed, they construed it to be, for our Lord to ascribe to himself the prophecies respecting the Messiah, though they saw he did the works which none but God and his Christ could do. Instead of censuring his followers, and especially the children, Jesus refers the objectors to another Scripture, which speaks not only of praise, but of strong and perfect praise, as coming from the lips of babes. (Ps. viii. 2.) The simpler are our praises, the more acceptable are they in the sight of God.

"But the chief priests and scribes were sore displeased." Jesus taught the people, and healed them, at which every humane and benevolent person would have rejoiced. Jesus purified the temple from thieves and robbers, which the priests themselves ought to have done. The multitude, and especially the children, glorified God our Saviour for these displays of his grace and mercy; but with all this, these hypocritical priests and scribes were " sore displeased." One circumstance in this narrative has given great offence to infidels; namely, the animal on which Jesus rode-an ass. The riding upon this creature was characteristic, since patriarchs, judges, and kings of Israel, thus rode; and it was even for bidden to the Jews to cultivate the breed of horses. (See Deut. xvii. 16; Josh. xv.18; Judges v. 10; 2 Sam. xvi. 2.) This precept had been, however, so much neglected, that in the time of our Lord it was certainly a mark of meekness and humility, to ride on this much-injured and despised beast; as, indeed, is intimated in the prediction quoted from Zechariah.

Next morning occurred another circumstance, which has been very freely censured by those who have evidently not understood it. Jesus coming to town, from Bethany, in the morning, and being hungry, noticed a fig-tree, which, as it grew on the highway, was public property, and therefore went to it, to look for fruit, but found leaves only, and in consequence pronounced against it a sentence of perpetual barrenness, and it was immediately blight. ed, and withered away! This has been misrepresented, as done in a fit of spleen, or passion; but it was, in fact, a symbolic action, such as we frequently meet with in the ancient prophets. This tree was a type, or emblem of the Jewish nation, and particularly of the Scribes and Pharisees, who, with the greatest professions of religion (like the green foliage of this figtree) were utterly barren of good fruit. The malediction pronounced against it, represented the curse of God against the Jews, who, after the preaching both of John and of Christ, were still impious and impenitent; and growing worse and worse, were, in a few years afterwards, cut down by the Roman axe, and thrown into the fire.

All

The speedy withering of this fig-tree having attracted the admiration of the apostles, Jesus (ver. 22) re-inculcates his former doctrine, on the importance of prayer as well as faith, in working miracles. (See chap. xvii. 20; xviii. 19.) things, whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." A maxim, however, of such importance as to require some consideration before we proceed, and the more so, as commentators in general seem to pass it over very slightly.

So far as the passage relates to the faith of working miracles, we have already considered it; but the expression is here so strong and general, that we cannot confine our interpretation to this extraordinary gift: we feel it necessary, however, to guard the passage from abuse. 1. It does not warrant our presumption on things trifling and ridiculous; nor does it warrant us to attempt what we know is impossible to us. The pious author of "The Pilgrim's Progress," when young and inexperienced, was tempted to work a miracle to prove his faith. He states in his own Life, that one day, walking between Elstow and Bedford, it was strongly suggested to him to say to some puddles in the horse road, "Be dry;" and to say to the dry places, "Be puddles." But just as he was about to speak, the

unto them, 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.

25 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?

26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

27 And 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 sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and

went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them,

[the priests.

Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came unto you in the way 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.

33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country :

34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did uuto them likewise.

37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

thought came into his mind to go under the hedge to pray that God would enable him. On the other hand it occurred to him, that if he tried and could not effect it, it would discourage and sink him into deep despair: for this reason he prudently declined it, concluding that he was not warranted to put his faith to such a test.

2. We are warranted to ask nothing in prayer, but with a deference to the will of God. Our Lord himself has taught us this, who, with unlimited miraculous powers, and having more than twelve legions of angels at his command, thus prayed (chap. xxvi. 39), "Father, if it be

Ver.32. In the way of righteousness-Campbell, "Sanctity;" who adds, "There can be no doubt but this is spoken principally in allusion to the austerities of John's manner of living in the desert.

Ver. 33. Digged a wine press-that is, a place for a wine-fat (or vat), over which the press was placed. See Mark xii. 2. These circumstances respecting the press and the tower, only signify that every thing had been done that was necessary for a vineyard. Isa. v. 2-4.

Ver. 35. Stoned-properly, " pelted with stones." Ver. 37. They will reverence my son-this is

the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

41 They 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.

42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

43 Therefore say I unto you, The

[of the vineyard.

(Y) Ver. 23-46. Jesus attacked by the priests and elders, answers them by another question, and warns them in parables.While Jesus was teaching and working miracles in the temple, the priests and elders demanded by what authority he did these things. An absurd demand, because miracles carry with them their own authority: Jesus, however, instead of a direct reply, answers them by another question, which much embarrassed them; because, had they admitted John the Baptist to be a prophet, they must have admitted Jesus to be the Messiah, for he "bare witness of him:" and they dared not say any thing against the former, for "all men held Johu to be a prophet." They were therefore silent, and Jesus avoided their ensnaring questions. But he answered them by parables.

"A certain man had two sons." These sons, we think, do not so properly represent the Jews and Gentiles, as they do the two great classes among the Jews. Those who had made little or no profession of religion, as the publicans and harlots, who yet repented at the preaching of John and of Jesus; and those who made high professions of religion, as did the Scribes and Pharisees, but were in fact hypocrites in heart, and did nothing.

The parable of the vineyard plainly re

fers to the Jewish church, which had been designated by Isaiah and other prophets under the same image. (See Ps. lxxx. 15; Isa. v. 1; xxvii. 2, &c.) The husbandmen to whom this vineyard was let out, were the Jewish rulers, who, instead of listening to the messages of the prophets, evil entreated, and killed them. (Chap. v. 12; xxiii. 34-37.) At length, "God sent forth his Son," as if he thought they would pay more regard to him, instead of which, they treated him more despitefully than the rest; at which he is represented as justly exasperated, so as to destroy them, and place his vineyard in other hands, the hands of Gentiles.

To bring this home closer to their consciences, our Lord cites a passage from the 118th Psalm, part of which they had heard chaunted by the multitude, but a few hours before, and then warns them, that the consequence of their refusing the corner stone, on which God had determined to build his church, would be their utter destruction; they should be crushed to atoms; which was fully accomplished by the Romans.

Upon this, "the chief priests and Pharisees perceived that Jesus spake of them;" they wanted therefore to lay hands on him, but "they feared the multitude."

Ver. 41. He will miserably destroy, &c.-Doddr. "Wretchedly destroy those wretches." Those who gave this answer, seem not to have understood that