Matthew 21:10

Mat 21:10. Λέγουσα, saying) sc. from amazement.—τίς, κ.τ.λ., who? etc.) The chief personage is not immediately seen in a large concourse; nor had the Jews been accustomed to see Jesus journeying except on foot.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 21:10 . ἐσείσθη : even Jerusalem, frozen with religious formalism and socially undemonstrative, was stirred by the popular enthusiasm as by a mighty wind or by an earthquake ( σεισμός ), and asked (Mat 21:11 ), τίς οὗτος ; ὁ προφήτης , etc.: a circumstantial answer specifying name, locality, and vocation; not a low-pitched answer as Chrys. (and after him Schanz) thought ( χαμαίζηλος ἦν αὐτῶν ἡ γνώμη , καὶ ταπεινὴ καὶ σεσυρμένη , Hom. lxvi.), as if they were ashamed of their recent outburst of enthusiasm. Rather spoken with pride = the man to whom we have accorded Messianic honours is a countryman of ours, Jesus, etc.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, all the men of Jerusalem were moved.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 10. All the city was moved] Or, the whole city was in motion. εσεισθη, was in a tumult - they saw and heard plainly that the multitude had proclaimed Christ king, and Messiah. Who is this? Who is accounted worthy of this honour?

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(10) All the city was moved.—It was the beginning of the Paschal week, and the city was therefore filled with pilgrims of many lands. To them this was a strange prelude to the usual order of the feast, and they asked what it meant. The answer fell short of the full meaning of the shouts of the people, but it expressed that aspect of the character of Jesus which was most intelligible to strangers. He was “the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. all the city was moved] By a census taken in the time of Nero it was ascertained that there were 2,700,000 Jews present at the Passover. We may picture the narrow streets of Jerusalem thronged with eager inquisitive crowds demanding, with Oriental vivacity, in many tongues and dialects, “who is this?”

was moved] The word in the original is forcible, “convulsed” or “stirred” as by an earthquake, or by a violent wind. Cp. ch. Mat_27:51, and Rev_6:13, where the same verb is used.

Monday, Nisan 10.

The events of this day extend to the end of ch. 25.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he was come into Jerusalem..... The metropolis of the nation, the seat of the ancient kings of Judah, and of his father David, entering into it in this very public manner; as he never did before; riding in the manner the ancient judges and kings of Israel did, attended with a numerous retinue, shouting as they went along, and singing their "Hosannas" to him:

all the city was moved; as Bethlehem was, when Naomi with Ruth returned thither; and of which the same phrase is used, as here, Rut 1:19.

all the city was moved about them; which the Chaldee paraphrase renders,

"all the inhabitants of the city were gathered in troops about them.''

And so here the sense is, that the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem were in general alarmed at the uncommon apparatus, and shouting, and ran in great numbers to inquire what was the matter:

saying, who is this? They knew him not; for though he had preached unto them, and wrought miracles among them, yet they had never seen him in any such pomp and state; and could not devise who he should be, that entered their city in such a manner, amidst the shouts and acclamations of so great a multitude: it seemed greatly to affect them, and fill them with concern, astonishment, and fear.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

Ver. 10. Who is this?] Why? could not they tell after so many miracles done among them? Were they such strangers at Jerusalem? Many live and die very sots, even in those places where they had "line upon line, precept upon precept," &c., and yet they are no wiser than the child newly weaned from the breast, Isa 28:9; their wits serve them not in spirituals, though otherwise shrewd enough.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved - There was great excitement. The sight of such a multitude, the shouts of the people, and the triumphant procession through the city, excited much attention and inquiry.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He entered by the golden gate which looks towards the east, and which was not far distant from the temple, where the procession terminated. There Jesus, as high priest, made his solemn entry into his Father’s house.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Such an unusual sight might well affect a great number in Jerusalem with admiration and astonishment, the people, especially, giving honour to him as a King, and calling him the Son of David; and certainly, but that the meanness of his appearance and meanness of his followers put uninterested men out of fear, and gave Herod and Pilate some security that there was no attempt on foot against the civil government, our Saviour and his followers would have been apprehended, as raisers of a sedition and rebellion. But the multitude now gave him no other title than that of Jesus the Prophet; which yet was enough to distinguish him from other prophets, for he was Jesus a Saviour, and the Prophet foretold, Deu 18:15,18,19.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. All the city was moved — The masses and the common people from Galilee, brought by the passover, who were upon his side, were moved with joy and gratulation. The Jewish rulers, especially of the party of the Pharisees, were moved with bitter opposition, but were held in check by the popular influences. Joh_12:19. The Romans saw nothing sufficiently alarming in the excitement to give it their attention.

Who is this? — This question was perhaps put by the home population of Jerusalem, and was answered by the new comers from Galilee and other places where our Lord had taught and wrought miracles.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Was come into Jerusalem. Those who consider that the day of this event was the tenth of Nisan see a peculiar fitness in the entry occurring on this day. On the tenth of this month the Paschal lamb was selected and taken up preparatory to its sacrifice four days after. (Exo_12:3, Exo_12:6) So the true Paschal Lamb now is escorted to the place where alone the Passover could be sacrificed. Taking A.D. 30 to be the date of the Crucifixion, astronomers inform us that in that year the first day of Nisan fell on March 24. Consequently, the tenth would be on Sunday, April 2, and the fourteenth was reckoned item sunset of Thursday, April 6, to the sunset of Friday, April 7 (see on ver. 1, and preliminary note ch. 26.). Was moved (eseisyh); was shaken, as by an earthquake. St. Matthew alone mentions this commotion, though St. John (Joh_12:19) makes allusion to it, when he reports the vindictive exclamation of the Pharisees, "Behold, the world is gone after him!" Jerusalem had been stirred and troubled once before, when the Wise Men walked through the streets, inquiring, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?". (Mat_2:2, Mat_2:3) But the excitement was far greater now, more general, composed of many different elements. The Romans expected some public rising; the Pharisaical party was aroused to new envy and malice; the Herodians dreaded a possible usurper; but the populace entertained for the moment the idea that their hopes were now fulfilled, that the long desired Messiah had at last appeared, and would lead them to victory. Who is this? The question may have been put by the strangers who came from all parts of the world to celebrate the Passover at Jerusalem, or by the crowds in the streets, when they beheld the unusual procession that was advancing.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Reception in Jerusalem:

v. 10. And when He was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

v. 11. And the multitude said, This is Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

The demonstration before Jesus continued all the way down the western slope of the Mount of Olives, across the Valley of the Kidron, and into the very city of Jerusalem itself. As usual under the circumstances, the excitement spread rapidly and carried many with it that knew nothing of the actual reason. Even the city of Jerusalem, with its multitudes of festival pilgrims, was most violently moved, as by an earthquake. The popular enthusiasm was transmitted to all classes of people. Every one began to question as to the identity of the man who thus came into the city. The inhabitants of Jerusalem had had plenty of opportunity to know Him, but many had forgotten the great miracles done in their midst, others had come from a distance, and had never come into contact with His glorious work and message. Everywhere it was openly heralded before Him that He was Jesus, the Prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. Their knowledge was not at all clear, and those that had a clear-cut understanding hesitated about making such a public profession of the same. To proclaim and confess Him as the Messiah was a dangerous undertaking in the chief city of the Jews, since the high priests and members of the council had openly threatened such confessors with excommunication. Thus even today many that are willing enough to proclaim Christ in the midst of a great multitude, are unwilling to stand up for Jesus when the individual confession might cause them unpleasantness and persecution.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This is not the first or only time that Jerusalem was moved and troubled at the appearance of Christ; at his birth, Mat 2:3 we read all Jerusalem was troubled, together with Herod; and now that he rides into Jerusalem, though in so mean a port, yet there is a new commotion. Jerusalem, instead of being thankful for his company, is troubled at his presence.

Thence learn, That such persons and places as have the greatest helps and privileges afforded to them, are not always the most answerable in their returns of thankfulness. It is not Christ’s presence with us, but his welcome to us, that makes us happy. Christ is daily taught in our synagogues, and preached in our streets; yet alas! multitudes are ignorant of him, and say, with the men of Jerusalem, when Christ was before their eyes, Who is this?

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. All the city was moved. The procession burst into full view of Jerusalem as it appeared on the Mount of Olives, two hundred feet higher than the temple mount. There, as the city appeared in all its splendor, according to Luke, he stopped and wept over its coming sorrows. As the procession descended, it was in plain view of all Jerusalem, and its magnitude, shouts and songs excited the wonder of the whole city.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

10. From two passages of Josephus (B. J. II. 14. 3 and VI. 9. 3) it appears that 2,900,000, or even a greater number, were present at the passover, numbers encamping in the vicinity of the holy city. We may picture the narrow streets of Jerusalem thronged with eager inquisitive crowds demanding, with Oriental vivacity, in many tongues and dialects, ‘Who is this?’

ἐσείσθη, was ‘convulsed’ or ‘stirred’ as by an earthquake, or by a violent wind.

(Monday, Nisan 10.)

The events of this day extend to Mat 21:23 of this Chapter.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(M) 10. And when He entered into Jerusalem.] Mk. has: “And He entered into Jerusalem.” Mt. now inserts, All the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitudes said, This is the prophet Jesus, who is from Nazara of Galilee.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Was moved [εσεισθη] . Moved is hardly strong enough. It is shaken as by an earthquake. Rev., stirred. As Morison happily observes, "a profounder ground - swell of feeling."

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.