Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Matthew 21

Mat 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

nigh unto Jerusalem

Mat 21:1-9; Zec 9:9. Cf. 14:4-9. The two advents are in striking contrast.

Mat 21:3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

The Lord hath need of them

Psa 50:10.

Mat 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

that it might be fulfilled

The king's final and official offer of Himself according to Zec 9:9. Acclaimed by an unthinking multitude whose real belief is expressed in Mat 21:11, but with no welcome from the official representatives of the nation, He was soon to hear the multitude shout: "Crucify him."

Mat 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

thy King cometh

Christ (First Advent). Mat 21:42. (Gen 3:15; Acts 1:9.)

Kingdom (N.T.). Mat 21:1-11; Mat 21:33-43. (Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).

Mat 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he that cometh

Cf. Mat 27:22; Psa 118:26.

Lord

i.e. Jehovah.

Mat 21:11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

the multitude said [See also Mat 21:15.]

Cf. Mat 21:9.

Mat 21:12 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 moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple

Luk 19:45; Mar 11:15-18. Cf. Jhn 2:13-25, which introduced, as this cleansing closed, the offer of Christ to Israel as King.

Mat 21:13 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.

the house of prayer

Isa 56:7.

a den of thieves

Jer 7:11.

Mat 21:14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

the blind and the lame came to him

Cf. Luk 14:21; Act 3:1-10.

Mat 21:15 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,

Son of David

Scofield Matthew 20:30, refs.

Mat 21:16 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?

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings

Psa 8:2.

Mat 21:17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

he left them

Jhn 11:54.

Bethany

Jhn 11:1-2; Luk 10:39-42. Cf. Mar 11:1-11; Luk 19:29-35; Jhn 12:1-8. With no other place is the human Christ so tenderly associated, while it also was the place of manifestation of His divine power (Jhn 11:43-44).

Mat 21:18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

he hungered

Jhn 4:6; Mar 11:12-14.

Mat 21:19 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.

a fig tree

Literally a solitary fig tree. Luk 13:6-9. The withered fig tree is a parabolic miracle concerning Israel (Luk 13:6-9). Cf. Mat 24:32-33; a prophecy that Israel shall again bud.

the fig tree withered away

Miracles (N.T.). Mat 21:18-22, Mar 1:23-26. (Mat 8:2-3; Act 28:8-9.)

Mat 21:21 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.

If ye have faith, and doubt not

Mat 17:20; Mar 11:23; Luk 17:6; 1Co 13:2.

Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing

Mat 7:7-11; Jhn 15:7; 1Jo 5:14-15.

Mat 21:23 And 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, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

By what authority doest thou these things?

Mar 11:27-33; Luk 20:1-8.

Mat 21:25 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?

The baptism of John

Jhn 1:19-28.

Mat 21:26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

we fear the people

Cf. Mat 21:46. See Pro 29:25.

Mat 21:27 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.

Neither tell I you

Cf. Mat 21:32. See Mat 3:3.

Mat 21:28 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.

A certain man had two sons

Parables (N.T.). Mat 21:28-32; Mat 21:33-43; 22:2-14. (Mat 5:13-16; Luk 21:29-31).

vineyard [See also Mat 21:33.]

See Scofield Matthew 20:1, "vineyard," refs.

Mat 21:29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

repented

Cf. Luk 15:20, the other perfect illustration of repentance. See Scofield Acts 17:30, note.

Mat 21:30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

I go, sir: and went not

Mat 7:21-23; 15:8.

Mat 21:32 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.

righteousness

See Scofield Romans 10:10, "righteousness," note.

the publicans and the harlots believed him

Luk 3:12-13.

Mat 21:33 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:

husbandmen

Mat 23:2; Jhn 15:1; Jas 5:7-8.

Mat 21:34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

the time of the fruit drew near

Mar 11:13.

Mat 21:37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

he sent unto them his son

Jhn 3:16; Heb 1:2.

Mat 21:38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

This is the heir

Heb 1:2; Rom 8:16-17.

Mat 21:41 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.

will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen

Cf. 2Sa 12:5-9.

Mat 21:42 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?

read in the scriptures

Psa 118:22-23.

The stone

Christ (as Stone). Mat 21:42-44; Act 4:11. (Exo 17:6; 1Pe 2:8.)

which the builders rejected

Christ (First Advent). Mat 26:31. (Gen 3:15; Acts 1:9.)

Lord

Jehovah. Psa 118:23.

Mat 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

you

i.e. national Israel the barren vine. (Mat 21:33-41.) Cf. Isa 5:1-7.

kingdom of God

Note that Matthew here as in Mat 21:31 uses the larger word, kingdom of God. (Cf. Scofield Matthew 6:33, note.) The kingdom of heaven (Scofield Matthew 3:2, note; 1 Corinthians 15:24, summary) will yet be set up. Meantime the kingdom of God and his righteousness is taken from Israel nationally and given to the Gentiles (Rom 9:30-33).

Kingdom (N.T.). Mat 21:33-43; Mat 23:37-39. (Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).

Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Or, Whosoever falls on this stone shall be crushed together [i.e. the Jews, Isa 8:14; Rom 9:32-33; 1Co 1:23] but on whomsoever it may fall, he will be scattered as dust (Greek - "winnowed" i.e. the Gentile nations, Scofield Daniel 2:34, 35, 45, note.)

this stone

Christ as the "Stone" is revealed in a threefold way:

1. To Israel Christ, coming not as a splendid monarch but in the form of a servant, is a stumbling-stone and rock of offence (Isa 8:14-15; Rom 9:32-33; 1Co 1:23; 1Pe 2:8);
2. to the church, Christ is the foundation-stone and the head of the corner (1Co 3:11; Eph 2:20-22; 1Pe 2:4-5);
3. to the Gentile world-powers (see "Gentiles," Scofield Luk 21:24; Rev 16:19) He is to be the smiting-stone of destruction (Dan 2:34). Israel stumbled over Christ; the church is built upon Christ; Gentile world-dominion will be broken by Christ. (See "Armageddon" Scofield Rev 16:14; Rev 19:19.)

Mat 21:46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

they feared the multitude

Mat 14:5; 21:26, 46; Mar 11:18, 32.