Matthew 21:5, commentary and pictures

The verse belongs to Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem near the close of His ministry, shortly before His crucifixion and His cleansing of the temple. As He went up to the Passover He sent two disciples to bring the colt that had never been ridden, while the multitudes spread garments on the road, waved palm branches, and cried Hosanna to the Son of David, hailing Him as Messiah and King. He accepted this public homage and would not still the multitude, because prophecy must be fulfilled, even declaring that if they held their peace the stones would cry out. He comes as the promised Messiah and heir to David's throne, yet meek and lowly upon an ass without outward royal splendor or pomp, unlike the victories of earthly conquerors. The crowds took the ride as a sign He would take David's throne, drive out Rome, and establish a temporal kingdom, a hope shattered at the cross and understood in its prophetic purpose only after He rose, for His public entry as King directed attention to His coming voluntary death as the offering for the sins of the world and dimly foreshadowed His future coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory.

The Entry Into Jerusalem

The verse belongs to the triumphal entry into Jerusalem near the close of His ministry, shortly before His crucifixion and before His trial. It places that riding of the colt brought by two disciples just before His cleansing of the temple. His choice to enter the city riding fulfilled the prophecy of the King's coming and marked Him as the promised King.

As He went up to the Passover He who had usually traveled on foot sent two disciples to bring the colt for Him to ride. It was the foal of an ass that had never been ridden. The humble beast He rode was guided by Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

Many gathered because He had raised Lazarus, and people flocked from all the region about. Among them were trophies of His healing work, including the formerly crippled, blind, and leprous, and those raised from the dead. They spread their garments on the road, raised palm branches, bowed before Him, and welcomed Him by crying Hosanna to the Son of David and hailing Him as Messiah and King.

Jesus accepted this public homage. When the priests and elders asked Him to still the multitude He refused, because prophecy must be fulfilled, declaring that if they held their peace even the stones would cry out. The entry took place while the proud and apostate Jewish nation had lost the power to recognize its Redeemer. Amid the rejoicing Jesus wept over Jerusalem in His last pleadings of love and compassion, and the entry together with the cleansing of the temple and the fig tree pointed to the city's doom for rejecting Him.

The Meek Promised King

Tell ye the daughter of Sion speaks of Jesus coming to Zion and Jerusalem as the promised Messiah and King, the heir to David's throne, in fulfillment of the prophecy given more than five hundred years earlier. He had long refused royal honors, yet now He accepted the people's homage as Messiah and King, entering in keeping with prophecy and with the custom of royal entry. The crowd honored Him with garments spread on the road, palm branches, and joyful praise, hailing Him as Messiah and King. His arrival was marked by lowliness rather than royal display, for He came meekly and humbly, lowly and sitting upon an ass without outward royal splendor, pomp, or display.

Unlike the victories of earthly conquerors, His triumphal procession was made glorious by trophies of a different kind, for the people around Him were trophies of His loving work, praising God for deliverance and healing. The humble beast He rode was guided by Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. His disciples followed in travel-worn clothes and with bare feet, adding to the picture of travel-worn simplicity. That humble arrival stands in contrast with display of wealth, rank, power, and authority, showing the difference between Christ's character and the pride, arrogance, and ambition of those claiming to serve Him.

The disciples and crowds took the ride as a sign He was about to proclaim Himself King of the Jews, take David's throne in Jerusalem, display royal power, drive out Rome, and establish a temporal kingdom for political liberation and restoration of Israel as an independent nation. Jesus accepted this public homage, which His disciples took as a sign that their hope of His being acknowledged as Israel's King in Jerusalem would be fulfilled. That hope mistook the nature of His kingdom, and within days it was shattered when they saw Him suffer and die on the cross. They could understand the prophetic purpose of these events only after He rose from the dead, when disappointment revived into hope and consolation, for they lost their Saviour in death but found Him again.

His public entry as King directed attention to His coming voluntary death as the antitypical Passover Lamb, willingly set apart as an offering and sacrifice for the sins of the world. The joyful welcome and homage publicly identified Him as Messiah and drew the people's attention to Him before that sacrifice. The events surrounding the entry were meant to be remembered and examined alongside His trial and death, so that afterward the prophecies would confirm Him as Messiah and lead people to search and recognize Him. The procession also faintly prefigures His future coming as King. That ride was a dim foreshadowing of His future coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory, accompanied by angels and the rejoicing of the saints, when His words about being blessed when He comes in the Lord's name will be fulfilled.

Prophecy Fulfilled And Preached

The entry fulfills the prophecy of the King's coming given by Zechariah and Isaiah more than five hundred years earlier. The multitude unknowingly fulfilled that prophecy as they gathered to witness the entry, including people He had healed—the formerly crippled, blind, and leprous, and those raised from the dead—who joined the crowd in praise. His choice to enter riding the colt brought by two disciples marked Him as the promised King and heir to David's throne, though He had long refused royal honors. The prophetic details were fulfilled exactly, giving clear evidence that He was sent by God and is the center of Israel's kingdom. The people took the ride as a sign He would claim royal power, take David's throne, display royal display reversed into lowliness, and establish a temporal kingdom for political liberation from Rome and deliverance from oppressors. That hope was shattered within days when He suffered and died on the cross, and the disciples could understand its prophetic purpose only after He rose, when lost hope revived as they lost their Saviour in death but found Him again.

In the same chapter the pretentious fig tree represents professed servants of God who belong to the church but bear no fruit in their lives to God's glory. The picture of the King coming meekly to Jerusalem on His journey at the time of the triumphal entry stands in contrast with the longing to see the rejected Christ crowned and seated on His throne.

Preaching Christ's riding into Jerusalem exalts and lifts up Jesus, shows trust in Him rather than salvation by law, and moves hearers to baptism and uniting with the church. Such preaching calls hearers to let the word take hold upon their souls, to do their part well, and to stand acquitted in the day of final accounts when the judgment sits and the books are opened and everyone's account is balanced. It carries the solemn thought that speaker and hearers may never meet again until that day, with the searching question whether any in that congregation will be saved through the words spoken to them.

The verse shows Christ riding in as the Son of God come to this world to draw all men unto Him. His coming brings not peace but a sword. His followers must therefore walk in the light of His glorious example without questioning the cost in labor and trial and suffering, with a work for each one to maintain the truth in its purity and push the triumphs of His cross and extend His kingdom.