Bullet Point Bible - Matthew 21

The Triumphal Entry

¹ Now when they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,² telling them, "Go to the village ahead of you. Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.³ If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once."⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:⁵ " Tell the people of Zion,⁵ ' Look, your king is coming to you,⁵ unassuming and seated on a donkey,⁵ and on a colt, the foal of a donkey .'"⁶ So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting, " Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"¹⁰ As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar, saying, "Who is this?"¹¹ And the crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee."

This event marks the beginning of Jesus' final week before crucifixion, often called Passion Week.
Jesus' instructions demonstrate his foreknowledge and authority ("The Lord needs them").
The specific choice of a donkey, particularly a colt, deliberately fulfills the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, highlighting Jesus' messianic claim.
Unlike a conquering king on a warhorse, the donkey symbolizes humility and peace, characterizing the nature of Jesus' kingship.
Spreading cloaks and branches was a way to honor royalty, echoing the welcome given to Jehu in 2 Kings 9:13.
The crowd's shouts "Hosanna" (meaning "Save now!") and "Son of David" are direct acknowledgments of Jesus as the Messiah, quoting from Psalm 118:25-26, a psalm associated with Passover and messianic expectation.
"Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord" is another direct quote from Psalm 118:26, affirming Jesus as God's chosen representative.
The city's question "Who is this?" indicates that while many pilgrims recognized Jesus, the Jerusalem establishment was perhaps less familiar or more skeptical.
The crowd identifies Jesus as "the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth," linking him to the expected prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15) but perhaps falling short of fully grasping his divine identity.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

¹² Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.¹³ And he said to them, "It is written, ' My house will be called a house of prayer, ' but you are turning it into a denof robbers !"¹⁴ The blind and lame came to him in the temple courts, and he healed them.¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the experts in the law saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they became indignant¹⁶ and said to him, "Do you hear what they are saying?" Jesus said to them, Yes. Have you never read, ' Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself '?"¹⁷ And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.

Jesus' action in the temple was a prophetic act of judgment against the corruption of the temple system. It occurred in the Court of the Gentiles, the outermost area.
Money changers exchanged Roman currency (considered idolatrous) for acceptable temple currency (Tyrian shekels) often at exorbitant rates. Selling doves was necessary for the poor's sacrifices, but likely involved price gouging.
Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7 ("house of prayer") and Jeremiah 7:11 ("den of robbers") to condemn the commercialization and exploitation happening in God's house, which should have been accessible for Gentile worship too.
This cleansing wasn't just about economics; it was about restoring the temple's true purpose as a place of worship for all nations and challenging the authority of the temple leadership.
In stark contrast to the commercial activity, Jesus performs acts of healing, demonstrating the true nature of God's kingdom – restoration and compassion – within the temple courts.
The religious leaders' indignation stemmed from Jesus' challenge to their authority, his messianic actions (cleansing, healing), and the children echoing the messianic acclamations ("Hosanna to the Son of David").
Jesus defends the children's praise by quoting Psalm 8:2, implying that God ordained this praise and that the leaders, unlike the children, failed to recognize God's work.
Jesus leaving the city for Bethany each night during this week likely provided safety and rest away from the growing hostility in Jerusalem.

The Cursed Fig Tree and the Lesson on Faith

¹⁸ Now early in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry.¹⁹ After noticing a fig tree by the road he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, "Never again will there be fruit from you!" And the fig tree withered at once.²⁰ When the disciples saw it they were amazed, saying, "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?"²¹ Jesus answered them, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen.²² And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, you will receive."

Fig trees normally produce small edible buds (taqsh) before the leaves appear, so a leafy tree should have had some sign of fruit. The absence of fruit despite the appearance of life makes it a symbol.
Jesus cursing the fig tree is a prophetic sign-act, symbolizing judgment against fruitless Israel, particularly its religious leadership, which had an outward appearance of piety (leaves) but lacked genuine righteousness (fruit). Compare with the vineyard parables later in the chapter.
The immediacy of the withering ("immediately," "so quickly") emphasizes the power of Jesus' word and the certainty of the judgment it represents.
The disciples focus on the miraculous power, prompting Jesus to teach about faith.
Jesus connects potent faith with the absence of doubt ("if you have faith and do not doubt"). This isn't about suppressing intellectual questions but about unwavering trust in God's power and willingness to act.
Moving mountains was a proverbial expression for accomplishing seemingly impossible tasks (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:2). Jesus uses hyperbole to stress the power available through faith.
The promise "whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, you will receive" is conditional upon praying according to God's will and with genuine faith, not a blank check for any request. It emphasizes reliance on God.
This incident serves as both a warning of judgment for spiritual barrenness and an encouragement to the disciples about the power accessible through faith as they face future challenges.

Jesus' Authority Challenged

²³ Now after Jesus entered the temple courts, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"²⁴ Jesus answered them, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.²⁵ Where did John's baptism come from? From heaven or from people?" They discussed this among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?'²⁶ But if we say, 'From people,' we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet."²⁷ So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then he said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The "chief priests and the elders" represented the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews, who felt their authority directly threatened by Jesus' actions (cleansing the temple, teaching).
Their question "By what authority...?" was a direct challenge, demanding Jesus declare the source of his power – was it from God, from himself, or from demonic forces?
Jesus counters with a question about John the Baptist's authority, putting the leaders in a dilemma. This was a masterful move, as John had testified about Jesus.
Acknowledging John's authority as "from heaven" would implicitly validate John's testimony about Jesus and condemn their own unbelief.
Denying John's authority ("from people") risked alienating the populace, who widely revered John as a prophet sent by God.
Their calculated response, "We don't know," was an admission of cowardice and political maneuvering rather than a genuine lack of conviction. It exposed their lack of spiritual discernment and fear of man over fear of God.
Because they refused to answer honestly or take a stand regarding God's previous messenger (John), Jesus refused to answer their question directly, highlighting their unwillingness to engage with the truth. His authority was evident to those with eyes to see (like the children praising him).

Parable of the Two Sons

²⁸ "What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'²⁹ The boy answered, 'I will not.' But later he had a change of heart and went.³⁰ The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, 'I will, sir,' but did not go.³¹ Which of the two did his father's will?" They said, "The first. Jesus said to them, I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.

This parable directly addresses the hypocrisy of the religious leaders following their refusal to answer Jesus' question about John.
The vineyard represents the sphere of God's work or the nation of Israel itself. The father represents God.
The first son initially refuses but repents and obeys. This represents the "sinners" (tax collectors, prostitutes) who initially rejected God's ways but repented at John's message and followed Jesus.
The second son gives lip service ("I will, sir") but ultimately disobeys. This represents the religious leaders who outwardly professed allegiance to God but rejected his messengers (John and Jesus) and failed to do His will.
The leaders correctly identify that the first son did the father's will, thus condemning themselves by the parable's logic.
Jesus' shocking statement ("tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before you") highlights that repentance and actual obedience, not outward religious status, are the keys to the kingdom.
Jesus explicitly connects the parable to their rejection of John the Baptist, whose "way of righteousness" they ignored, while those they despised embraced it.
Their ultimate failure was not just initial rejection, but their refusal to repent ("did not change your minds") even after witnessing the evidence of John's ministry and the repentance of others.

Parable of the Tenants

³³ "Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey.³⁴ When the harvest time was near, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his portion of the crop.³⁵ But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.³⁶ Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way.³⁷ Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'³⁸ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and get his inheritance!'³⁹ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.⁴⁰ Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"⁴¹ They said to him, "He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest."⁴² Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures:⁴² ' The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone .⁴² This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes '?⁴³ For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.⁴⁴ The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed."⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them.⁴⁶ They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds regarded him as a prophet.

This parable builds on the vineyard imagery from Isaiah 5:1-7, where the vineyard represents Israel and the landowner is God. The detailed setup (fence, winepress, tower) shows God's care for Israel.
The tenant farmers represent the religious leaders of Israel who were entrusted with the care of God's people.
The landowner's slaves represent the prophets sent by God throughout Israel's history, who were often rejected, persecuted, and killed by the nation's leaders (cf. Jeremiah 7:25-26, Matthew 23:34-37).
Sending more slaves shows God's persistent patience and desire for his people to bear fruit.
The sending of the "son" is a clear reference to Jesus himself, God's ultimate messenger and heir.
The tenants' plot to kill the son to seize the inheritance reflects the leaders' desire to maintain their own power and reject God's chosen Messiah. Throwing him "out of the vineyard" before killing him may allude to Jesus being crucified outside Jerusalem.
Jesus forces the leaders to pronounce judgment on the tenants (and thus themselves) with his question in Matthew 21:40. Their answer (Matthew 21:41) acknowledges the justice of severe punishment and the transfer of responsibility.
Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23 (the same psalm used in the Triumphal Entry), applying the "rejected stone" to himself and the "builders" to the Jewish leaders. He is the cornerstone of God's new community.
The explicit statement in Matthew 21:43 declares the consequence: the stewardship of the Kingdom of God will be transferred from the unfaithful leaders to a new community (the Church, composed of Jews and Gentiles) that will "produce its fruit."
Verse 44 (drawing imagery perhaps from Isaiah 8:14-15 and Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45) describes the dual nature of encountering Christ (the stone): stumbling over him leads to being broken (perhaps implying potential repentance), but resisting him leads to utter destruction (judgment). Note: Some manuscripts omit verse 44, but it is well attested.
The leaders understood the parable was directed at them (Matthew 21:45), yet instead of repenting, their desire to arrest Jesus intensified, restrained only by their fear of the crowds (Matthew 21:46).

The Bullet Point Bible

Matthew 21