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Matthew 21

46 verses

TL;DR

Jesus enters Jerusalem as a humble king, cleanses the Temple, and teaches through parables, warning the religious leaders of judgment.

Summary

The chapter begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling prophetic expectation, as crowds proclaim Him the Messiah. He then enters the Temple and drives out merchants, condemning its corruption. Following this, He performs a miracle with a fig tree, illustrating the power of faith, and teaches about prayer. He then engages the chief priests and Pharisees in a dialogue about authority, revealing Jesus’ divine mission through parables about the vineyard and the stone. The chapter ends with the religious leaders’ recognition of Jesus as a prophet but fear the crowds, thwarting their attempt to arrest Him.

Outline
  1. Triumphal entry into Jerusalem and cleansing of the Temple (v. 1‑13)
  2. Miracle of the fig tree, teaching on faith and prayer (v. 18‑22)
  3. Parables on authority and judgment of the religious leaders (v. 23‑46)
Themes
Messianic fulfillment and humilityJudgment of corrupt religious authorityFaith, prayer, and divine authority
Keywords
HosannaMessiahTempleAuthorityFaithPrayerParableVineyardKingdom of GodProphet
People
JesusDisciplesJohn the BaptistChief PriestsScribesEldersPhariseesPublicansHarlots
Places
JerusalemBethphageMount of OlivesBethanyTemple of God
Things
AssColtFig treeMountainPrayerParablesVineyardStone
Key Verses
  • Matthew 21:12: Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple illustrates His authority and condemns corruption.
  • Matthew 21:18: The fig‑tree miracle demonstrates the power of faith and the judgment of unbelief.
  • Matthew 21:23: Jesus confronts the religious leaders about His authority, setting the stage for the parables.
  • Matthew 21:42: Parable of the rejected stone foreshadows Jesus’ role and the judgment of the religious elite.
Questions
  • How does Jesus’ humble entry on a donkey fulfill Old‑Testament prophecy, and what does it reveal about His identity?
  • What is the significance of Jesus driving out merchants from the Temple, and how does this action relate to His mission?
  • In what ways does the fig‑tree miracle serve as a teaching tool for faith and divine judgment?
  • How do the parables of the vineyard and the stone reflect Jesus’ critique of the religious leaders and His claim to divine authority?
  • What can believers learn from the reaction of the crowd and the priests to Jesus’ actions in this chapter?
Sentiment

mixed
Joyful triumphal entry juxtaposed with righteous judgment and conflict.