He rides into Jerusalem on a donkey
11
📚And when they came near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives he sent off two of his disciples, 2 📚and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you. And as soon as you get into it, you will find a colt tied up, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 📚And if any one says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say that the Lord needs it. And immediately he will send it here”.4 📚And they went their way and found the colt tied by a door outside in the street and untied him. 5 And some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them just as Jesus had commanded, and they let them go.
7 📚And they brought the colt to Jesus, and threw their cloaks over it. And he sat on it. 8 📚And many spread their cloaks in the road. And others cut branches off the trees, and spread them in the road. 9 📚And those who went in front, and those who followed, cried out, saying, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 📚Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
11:10 God promised the kingdom to David and to his descendants forever. See 2 Sam 7:11-14; Matt 1:1; Luke 1:32, 69.⚜
He curses the barren fig tree
11 📚And Jesus came into Jerusalem and into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, since the hour was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve 📖.
12 📚And the next day, after they had left Bethany, he became hungry. 13 📚And seeing at a distance a fig tree that had leaves, he went to find out if there was anything on it. And when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not yet the season for figs.
14 📚And Jesus responded and said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again”. And his disciples were listening.
He drives the merchants from the temple
15 📚And they came to Jerusalem, and Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple. And he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And he would not let anyone carry utensils through the temple.
17 📚And he taught them, saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?’ But you have made it a den of thieves”.
18 📚And the scribes and chief priests heard this and began looking for a way to destroy him, for they were afraid of him, because all the people were astonished at his teaching.
11:18 These priests loved their position, authority, and honor, and they were afraid Jesus was going to change all that.⚜
19 📚And when evening came, he went out of the city. 20 📚And in the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
11:20 Matthew makes it clear that the previous day the fig tree withered to some extent. But now it was completely withered – “from the roots”.⚜
21 📚And Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away”.
He teaches about the power of faith
22 📚And Jesus in answer said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 📚For truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed, and thrown into the sea’, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will take place, he will have whatever he says. 24 📚Therefore I say to you, whatever you ask for when you pray, believe that you will receive it, and you will have it.
11:24 Again the Lord Jesus emphasizes the power of faith (Mark 2:5; 5:34; 6:5; 10:52; Matt 9:22). If we really believe that God has answered our prayer He will infallibly give what we asked. How is this faith possible? Not by trying to talk ourselves into thinking God has heard us when we believe He has not. True faith is our response to the Word of God, and a result of the Holy Spirit working in our heart. Compare Rom 8:26; 1 John 5:14-15. See Matt 9:22.⚜
25 📚“And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive, so that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
11:25 Notice the words “stand praying”. The Bible does not say that one posture in prayer is better than another.⚜
26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses 📖”.
He stands against the religious leaders
27 📚And they returned to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders came to him, 28 📚and said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you the authority to do these things?”
29 📚And Jesus answered and said to them, “I will also ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 📚The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me”.
31 📚And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven’, he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 📚But if we say, ‘From men.’ They were afraid of the people, for everyone held that John was, in fact, a prophet.
33 📚And they answered and said to Jesus, “We cannot tell”. And Jesus, answering, said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things”.