aWhen they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and bBethany near cthe Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples, Matt 21:1-9; Luke 19:29-38; John 12:12-15Mark 11:1-10: <IT>Matt 21:1-9; Luke 19:29-38</IT>Matt 21:17Matt 21:1 2 saying to them, “Go into the 1village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a donkey’s 2colt tied, which has never been ridden by anyone; untie it and bring it here.Probably Bethphage.A colt that had not been used was considered holy by the Jews and was fit to carry a king. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it’; and immediately he will send it here.” 4 So they went away to the village and found a colt tied outside at a gate in the street, and they untied it. 5 Some of the people who were standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They replied to them just as Jesus had directed, and they allowed them to go. 7 aThey brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it, and He sat on it.Mark 11:7-10: <IT>Matt 21:4-9; Luke 19:35-38; John 12:12-15</IT> 8 And many of the people spread their coats on the road as an act of tribute and homage before a new king, and others scattered a layer of leafy branches which they had cut from the fields honoring Him as Messiah. 2+@Kin 9:13 9 Those who went in front and those who were following Him were shouting in joy and praise,“Hosanna !aBLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD! Ps 118:26Or Save now.Ps 118:26; Matt 21:9
11 aJesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple enclosure; and after looking around at everything, bHe left for Bethany with the twelve disciples, because it was already late in the day.Matt 21:12Matt 21:17
12 aOn the next day, when they had left Bethany, He was hungry. Matt 21:18-22Mark 11:12-14, 20-24: <IT>Matt 21:18-22</IT> 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if He would find anything on it. But He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening to what He said.
15 aThen they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple grounds and began driving out with force the people who were 1selling and buying animals for sacrifice in the temple area, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers who made a profit exchanging foreign money for temple coinage and the seats of those who were selling doves; Matt 21:12-16; Luke 19:45-47; John 2:13-16These vendors could charge pilgrims inflated prices for animals designated for sacrifice because OT law forbade the use of animals with blemishes or defects (Deut 17:1 etc.), and the religious leaders had dictated even more stringent requirements. For example, they ruled that a blemish on an eyelid disqualified an animal for sacrifice (according to the Talmud).Mark 11:15-18: <IT>Matt 21:12-16; Luke 19:45-47; </IT> John 2:13-16 16 and He would not permit anyone to carry 1merchandise or household wares through the temple grounds, using the temple area irreverently as a shortcut.Lit a vessel. The Mishnah declared that one should not enter the temple mount with his staff (walking stick) or wallet, or with his shoes on, or with dust on his feet (according to the Talmud). Carrying merchandise through the temple showed even greater disrespect. 17 He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘aMY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? bBut you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.” Is 56:7; Jer 7:11Is 56:7Jer 7:11 18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this and abegan searching for a way to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, since bthe entire crowd was struck with astonishment at His teaching.Matt 21:46; Mark 12:12; Luke 20:19; John 7:1Matt 7:28
19 aWhen evening came, Jesus and His disciples would leave the city.Matt 21:17; Mark 11:11; Luke 21:37
20 aIn the morning, as they were passing by, the disciples saw that the fig tree had withered away from the roots up.Mark 11:12-14, 20-24: <IT>Matt 21:19-22</IT> 21 And remembering, Peter said to Him, “aRabbi , look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered!”Matt 23:7 22 Jesus replied, “aHave faith in God constantly.Matt 17:20; 21:21f 23 aI assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and 1does not doubt in his heart in God’s unlimited power, but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him in accordance with God’s will. Matt 17:20; Luke 17:6; 1+@John 5:14Jesus used this moment to emphasize to the disciples that a person’s confident, abiding faith combined with God’s power can produce absolutely amazing results, if the request is in harmony with God’s will. God is fully capable of doing that which man regards as impossible (cf 14:36; James 4:3).Matt 17:20; 1 Cor 13:2 24 For this reason I am telling you, awhatever things you ask for in prayer in accordance with God’s will, believe with confident trust that you have received them, and they will be given to you.Matt 7:7f 25 Whenever you 1astand praying, if you have anything against anyone, bforgive him drop the issue, let it go, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings against Him and others.Standing was a common posture for prayer among the Jews (see Matt 6:5).Matt 6:5Matt 6:14 26 [1aBut if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]Early mss do not contain this verse.Matt 6:15; 18:35
27 They came again to Jerusalem. aAnd as Jesus was walking in the courts and porches of the temple, the 1chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him, Matt 21:23-27; Luke 20:1-8These three groups composed the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Court.Mark 11:27-33: <IT>Matt 21:23-27; Luke 20:1-8</IT> 28 and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John the Baptist from heaven that is, ordained by God or from men? Answer Me.” 31 They began discussing it with each other, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 But 1shall we say, ‘From men?’”—they were afraid to answer because of the crowd, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet.Or if we say. 33 So they replied to Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”