Matthew 21:4

Mat 21:4-5. All this was done, &c. — Ινα πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια του προφητου, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that is, not only hereby the words of the prophet were fulfilled, but our Lord directed this to be done, that they might be fulfilled. As the prophets looked forward to him, and all bore witness to him; so he looked back upon them, that all things which were written of the Messiah might be punctually accomplished in him. Tell ye the daughter of Zion — That is, Jerusalem, so called from mount Zion, which was in the city, and on which was erected a fortress for its defence. This poetical manner of personifying the cities and countries, to which they addressed themselves, was familiar to the prophets. The first words of the passage are cited from Isa 62:11, the rest from Zec 9:9. The ancient Jewish doctors were wont to apply these prophecies to the Messiah. On an ass — The Prince of peace did not take a horse, a warlike animal: but he will ride on that by and by, Rev 19:11. In the patriarchal ages, illustrious persons thought it no disgrace to make use of this animal: but it by no means appears that this opinion prevailed, or this custom continued, till the reign of Tiberius. Was it a mean attitude wherein our Lord then appeared? mean even to contempt? We grant it: we glory in it: it is for the comfort of our souls, for the honour of his humility, and for the utter confusion of all worldly pomp and grandeur. Upon an ass, and a colt, &c. — “From the other evangelists it would appear that our Lord rode only on the colt; from this passage we should be apt to think that both had been used. But it is not unusual with the sacred authors, when either the nature of the thing spoken of, or the attendant circumstances are sufficient for precluding mistakes, to employ the plural number for the singular.” — Campbell.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21:4-5 The Old Testament fulfillment here emphasizes the Messiah’s non-violent, humble, and saving work (see 11:28-30; Isa 62:11; Zech 9:9-10).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mat_21:4 f. Ἵνα πληρωθῇ] not accidental, but in accordance with the divine purpose of fulfilling, etc. This quotation, which is a free rendering, partly of the original Hebrew and partly of the Septuagint, combines Isa_62:11 (εἴπατε … Σιών) and Zec_9:9, where the riding of the ideal Messianic king upon an ass is simply a representation, not indeed of absolute humility (Hengstenberg, Christol. III. p. 360 f.), for such riding is a sign of πραΰτης, but of a peaceful disposition; comp. Ewald, Propheten, I. p. 256, ed. 2. He does not come upon a war-horse, not ἅρματα ἐλαύνων ὡς οἱ λοιποὶ βασιλεῖς, Chrysostom. The incident in which Jesus then realized the recognised fulfilment of the prophecy (Hengstenberg, Ewald, Keim) would suggest the strained interpretation of the figure, and quite properly, inasmuch as Christs riding into the city revealed the typical nature of the form in which the prophet embodied his prediction (Düsterdieck, de rei propheticae natura ethica, 1852, p. 78 f.). For the prophetic expression daughter of Zion (the locality of the town regarded as its mother), see Knobels note on Isa_1:8. Comp. Lam_1:6.

σοί] Dative of ethical reference, common likewise in classical Greek along with ἔρχεσθαι.

καὶ ἐπὶ πῶλον] See note on Mat_21:2. καί is epexegetical.

υἱὸν ὑποζυγ.] בֶּן־אֲתֹנוֹת. For ὑποζύγιον, beast of burden, a term more frequently used in the Septuagint to designate the ass, comp. Herod, ix. 24, 39, 41; Xen. Anab. i. 3. 1; Lucian, Cynic, x.; Polyb. iii. 51. 4; 3 Esdr. Mat_5:43; 2Pe_2:16.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 21:4 . ἵνα πληρωθῇ : is to be taken here as always in this Gospel, in its strictly final sense. Such is the view of the evangelist and the view he wishes his readers to take. But it does not follow from this that Christ’s whole action proceeded from a conscious intention to fulfil a prophecy. On the contrary, the less intention on His part the greater the apologetic value of the correspondence between prophecy and fact. Action with intention might show that He claimed to be, not that He was , the Messiah. On the other hand, His right to be regarded as the Messiah would have stood where it was though He had entered Jerusalem on foot. That right cannot stand or fall with any such purely external circumstance, which can at best possess only the value of a symbol of those spiritual qualities which constitute intrinsic fitness for Messiahship. But Jesus, while fully aware of its entirely subordinate importance, might quite conceivably be in the mood to give it the place of a symbol, all the more that the act was in harmony with His whole policy of avoiding display and discouraging vulgar Messianic ideas and hopes. There was no pretentiousness in riding into Jerusalem on the foal of an ass. It was rather the meek and lowly One entering in character , and in a character not welcome to the proud worldly-minded Jerusalemites. The symbolic act was of a piece with the use of the title “Son of Man,” shunning Messianic pretensions, yet making them in a deeper way.

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

Verse 4. All this was done] The word all, in this clause, is omitted by some MSS., versions, and fathers.

Which was spoken] The Spirit of God, which predicted those things that concerned the Messiah, took care to have them literally fulfilled:

1. To show the truth of prophecy in general; and,

2. To designate Christ as the person intended by that prophecy.

See the note on Mt 2:23.

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

(4) All this was done.—The Evangelist returns to the formula of Mat_1:22. Literally, all this has come to pass. The words are his comment on the act. At the time (as we find from Joh_12:16) the disciples did not understand its significance as connected with the prophecy that follows. The purpose lay in the mind of their Master, not in theirs. It is significant of what St. John records that neither St. Mark nor St. Luke alludes to the prophecy.

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

4. that it might be fulfilled] See note ch. Mat_1:22.

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.

All this was done,.... The disciples were sent to the neighbouring village for the ass and colt, and they brought them, and Christ rode upon them; not because of the distance of the place from Jerusalem, for he was just at it; or because he was weary, or it would be very fatiguing to him to walk thither on foot; for he had been used to travelling, and had gone through most parts of Galilee and Judea; but

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: the Ethiopic version adds, Isaiah; for the former part of the following citation stands in Isa 62:11 as the latter does in Zac 9:9. It was usual with the Jews to cite Scripture in this manner, by taking a part from one writer, and another from anther, and joining them together: saying, the following words.

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

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

Ver. 4. All this was done that, &c.] Here is the mystery of the history; which would otherwise seem to some ridiculous and to little purpose. He hereby declared himself that King of his Church before promised by the prophets, however poor and despicable, as the world accounts it.

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.

All this was done ... - The prophecy here quoted is found in Zec 9:9. It was always, by the Jews, applied to the Messiah.

Daughter of Zion - That is, “Jerusalem.” “Zion” was one of the hills on which the city of Jerusalem was built. On this stood the city of David and some strong fortresses. The names “daughter and virgin” were given to it often, in accordance with the Oriental figurative manner of expression. See the notes at Isa 1:8. Compare Amo 5:2; Psa 45:13; Psa 137:8; Isa 47:1. It was given to them as an expression of their beauty or comeliness.

Meek - See the notes at Mat 5:5. The expression here rather denotes “peaceful, not warlike;” not with pomp, and state, and the ensigns of ambition. He came in the manner in which kings were accustomed to ride, but with none of their pride and ambitious feeling.

Sitting upon an ass ... - He rode on the colt (Mark and Luke). This expression in Matthew is one which is common with all writers. See Gen 19:29; Jdg 12:7.

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

The words are, Zec 9:9, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. The evangelist quotes no more of them than served for his purpose. John, in the short account he giveth of this our Saviour’s entrance, quotes them shorter, Joh 12:15. The former part of the words are found Isa 62:11. The Jews agree this prophecy to respect the Messiah, though they were so blinded as not to see it was fulfilled in Christ. Tell ye the daughter of Zion, prophesy you to the Jews, to the citizens and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: thy spiritual King, having salvation, the King promised and foretold, that shall bring salvation, cometh, that is, shall shortly come to thee for thy profit and advantage. And you shall know him by this; he shall come θκπ, poor, afflicted, meek, lowly, sitting upon an ass, an ass used to bear burdens, (so the word signifies), and a colt the foal of an ass: not upon both; they are exegetical of each other; the first denoted the species of the beast, the second its age. There was not any prophecy of Christ more plainly fulfilled than this. Asses were of old beasts that great persons used to ride on, Jdg 10:4; 12:14. But after Solomon’s time the Jews got a breed of horses; so as only poor people rode upon asses, mostly reserved for burdens. Whom could the Jews possibly expect to see coming riding into Jerusalem, under the notion of a King bringing them salvation, in so little state, upon the foal of an ass, but the person prophesied of by Zechariah, Zec 9:9, whom they themselves confess to be the Messiah? And had not there been a strange veil upon their hearts, Herod’s courtiers, and Pilate’s, might have understood his kingdom was not of this world, nor he such a King as threatened their grandeur.

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

4. All this… might be fulfilled — Our Saviour’s purpose in this entire performance was, as above said, to identify himself before the world as the Messiah predicted by Zechariah as a meek king.

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

All this was done; now (de) all this hath come to pass. Many manuscripts omit "all," but it is probably genuine, as in other similar passages; e.g. Mat_1:22 Mat_26:56. This observation of the evangelist is intended to convey the truth that Christ was acting consciously on the lines of old prophecy, working out the will of God declared beforehand by divinely inspired seers. The disciples acted in blind obedience to Christ"s command, not knowing that they were thus fulfilling prophecy, or having any such purpose in mind. The knowledge came afterwards. (see Joh_12:16) That it might be fulfilled (ina plhrwyh). The conjuction in this phrase is certainly used in its final, not in a consecutive or ecbatie sense; it denotes the purpose or design of the action of Christ, not the result. Not only the will of the Father, but the words of Scripture, had delineated the life of Christ, and in obeying that will he purposed to show that he fulfilled the prophecies which spake of him. Thus any who knew the Scriptures, and were open to conviction, might see that it was he alone to whom these ancient oracles pointed, and in him alone were their words accomplished. By (through, dia) the prophet. Zec_9:9, with a hint of Isa_62:11, a quotation being often woven from two or more passages. (see on Mat_27:9)

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

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."

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The prophecy fulfilled:

v. 4. All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

v. 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.

This, the entire occurrence, with all its single incidents, was done in just this way in order that the words of the prophet, Zec 9:9, might be fulfilled. See Isa 62:11. The quotation of the evangelist is a free one, embodying all that the Old Testament says of the meekness and lowliness of this King of kings. Christ here discouraged all carnal, vulgar Messianic ideas and hopes. Not in the manner of a conqueror-hero, as the worldly-minded Jerusalemites expected, but on an ass, and that the foal of an ass. He made His entry into the city which was soon to reject Him altogether. It was a last great day of mercy for the city, that all the inhabitants might know the Redeemer, but they did not consider what pertained to their peace. All the greater should be the impression which the coming of the King of Grace into the hearts of His believers should make upon them. "And this it is that the evangelist admonishes to preach when he says: ’Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek’; as though he would say: He comes for thy benefit, for thy peace, for the salvation and joy of thy heart; and since they did not believe that, he prophesies that it should be spoken and preached. Whosoever but believes that Christ comes in this way has Him thus. O what preaching, singular and at this time almost unknown! Mark well each single word. The word ’Behold’ is a word of joy and admonition, and refers to a thing which one has expected long and anxiously. ’Thy King,’ who destroys the tyrant of thy conscience, namely, the Law, and rules thee in peace and a pleasant manner, by giving thee forgiveness of sins and the power to perform the Law. ’Thy,’ that is, promised to thee, for whom thou hast waited, whom thou, laden with sin as thou wast, hast called, for whom thou hast sighed. ’He comes,’ voluntarily, without thy merit, out of great love, for thou hast not led Him hither nor hast thou ascended into heaven, thou hast not earned His advent, but He has left His property and has come to thee, the unworthy one, who under the compulsion and rule of the Law hast earned nothing but punishment with thy many sins. ’To thee’ He comes, that is; for thy benefit, in whatever thou hast need of Him. He comes to seek thine own, only to serve thee and to do thee good; He does not come for His own benefit, not to seek His own from thee, as the Law formerly did; since thou hast not what the Law demands, therefore He comes to give thee what is His, and expects nothing from thee, but that thou permit thy sins to be taken from thee and thyself to be saved. The evangelist uses only the word ’meek,’ and omits the words ’just and having salvation’; for in the Hebrew language the word ’poor’ is very closely related with the word ’meek’ or ’gentle,’ for the Hebrews call a person poor that is poor, humble, meek, restless, and downcast in spirit; as all Christian believers in general are called that way in Scriptures. For he is truly gentle and meek who does not consider the harm done to his neighbor in any other light but done to himself, takes it to heart accordingly, and has compassion on him. As such a person, that was poor and martyred for our sake, and truly meek, the evangelist describes Christ, who comes tortured with our evil and is ready to help us with the greatest of meekness and love.

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

Here the reason is assigned why Christ rode upon the ass into Jerusalem; it was to fulfil an ancient prophecy, that the Messiah, or King of the Jews, should come riding upon that beast into Jerusalem. There was not any prophecy of Christ more plainly fulfilled than this. The prophecy alluded to, is Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass; and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Zep 3:20

Where note, The character given of the Messiah; he is the Supreme King and Governor of his church, thy King cometh. The errand that he comes upon, bringing salvation; and the entertainment which his church was to give him; namely, to receive him with triumphs of joy, and universal acclamations. Rejoice, O daughter of Zion; and shout, O Jerusalem, for joy.

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

4, 5. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet. See Isa. 62:11, and Zech. 9:9. The prophet here describes him as riding upon one of the humblest of animals, and in the fulfillment we find, (1) that the animal was borrowed; (2) that he rode without a saddle on borrowed garments; (3) that it was a colt on which no man had ever before rode. Only animals hitherto unused were regarded fit for sacred uses. See Num. 19:2; Deut. 21:3; 1 Sam. 6:7. This is the only instance reported in which the Lord ever rode on any animal.

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.

General Information:

Here the author quotes the prophet Zechariah to show that Jesus fulfilled prophecy by riding a donkey into Jerusalem.

Now

This word is used here to mark a break in the main story line. Here Matthew explains how Jesus' actions fulfill scripture.

this came about that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled

This can be stated in active form. AT: "this happened so that Jesus would fulfill what God spoke through the prophet long ago" (See: Active or Passive)

through the prophet

There were many prophets. Matthew was speaking of Zechariah. AT: "the prophet Zechariah" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

the daughter of Zion

The "daughter" of a city means the people of the city. AT: "the people of Zion" or "the people who live in Zion"

Zion

This is another name for Jerusalem.

on a donkey—on a colt, the foal of a donkey

The phrase "on a colt, the foal of a donkey" is explaining that the donkey is a young animal. AT: "on a young, male donkey"

translationWords

prophet

fulfill

daughter of Zion

king

humble

donkey

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

4. γέγονεν. ‘Is come to pass:’ the Evangelist speaks of an event still recent. Bp. Lightfoot points out (On a Fresh Revision of the N.T. p. 91) that for γέγονεν of the earlier and contemporary evangelist we find ἐγένετο in a similar expression in the later fourth Gospel.

ἵνα πληρωθῇ. See note ch. Mat 1:22.

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.

4.] A formula of our Evangelist’s (see ch. 1:22), spoken with reference to the divine counsels, but not to the intention of the doers of the act; for this application of prophecy is in Joh 12:16 distinctly said not to have occurred to the disciples at the time, but after Jesus was glorified.

6,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(O) 4, 5. And this has come to pass, in order that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of a yoke-bearer.]

τοῦτο δὲ γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ] For the formula, see Introduction, p. lxiv. The quotation for which the editor has prepared, by inserting ὄνον—μετʼ αὐτῆς in v. 2, comes in the main from Zec 9:9.—εἴπατε τῇ θυγατρὶ Σιών] seems to be a reminiscence of Isa 62:11 LXX. The rest of the quotation agrees with the LXX. of Zec. except in the last seven words, for which the LXX. has: ἐπὶ ὑποζύγιον καὶ πῶλον νέον. Mt.’s ἐπὶ ὄνον καὶ ἐπὶ πῶλον υἱὸν ὑποζυγίου looks like a translation of the Heb., with adaptation of the words of the LXX. For ὑποζύγιον = ass, see Deissm. Bib. Stud. p. 160 f.

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