Matthew 21

Christ makes his entrance into Jerusalem, sitting upon an Ass,1. Drives the buyer and seller out of the Temple,12. and there healeth blind and cripple,14. Defends the crying of the children against the grudging of the Chiefs Priests,15. Curseth a fig – tree, which thereupon withreth immediatly, 18 Shews the power of faith, 21. Answereth the question of the chief Priest and Ruler of the people, by what authority he did thus, by another question converning the baptism of John, 23. Convinceth of their disobedience by a similitude of two sons, 28. and threatens their ruine by another similitude of the Lord of a Vineyard, whose servants and son, were abused and slain by the husband – men,33.

1. And when they now drew near to Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage [Mark chap.11 verse1 and Luke chap 19. 29. adds hereto Bethany, which were two village or place, lying one by another at the mount of Olives, about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem: as it to be seen, John 11. verse 18.] at the Olives mount. [Gr. mount og Olives, which was situated East – wards from Jerusalem, a sabbath – days – journey; Acts 1. verse.12] then Jesus sent two disciples, saying unto them,

2. Go into the village that (lyeth) over gainst you, and ye shall straight away find a she – ass bound, and a foal with her : loose them and bring them to me. [O – thwrw. lead them]

3. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, that the Lord hath need of them, and hhe shall straightway send them. [Others, send them back again: So that thse should be the words of Christ, which he bid his Disciples to say to the owner of the she – ass]

4. Now all this was done, that that might be fulfilled which is spoken (of) by the Prophet, saying,

5. Tell the daughter of Sion : [that is, the inhabitants of the City of Jerusalem; which were called, because part of Jerusalem was built on Mout Sion, 2 Kings 19:21. And hereby is also understood theChurch of God; whereof Jerusalem and Sion were types] behold thy Kingdome] cometh (unto) thee, meek, and set upon a she – ass, [Christ properly sate upon the foal, as appears out of Mark 11 verse 7. Luke 19:30. but this she – ass is joined here, to shew that it was a foal that followed his damme, yet so that none had ever sate thereon, like as the other Evangelists testifie] and foal, being a young (one) [Gr. a Son] of a yoak – bearing (she – ass)

6. And the Disciples being gone, and having done as Jesus had commanded them,

7. Bought the she – ass and foal, and laid their cloaths on the same, and set (him) thereon. [Namely, on the cloaths]

8. And the greatest multitude spread their garments on the way, [Namely, in token of joy and hounor which men were wont to shew great Lords and Kings thereby see 2 Kings 9. verse 13. and Maccah. 13.51.] and other cut branches from the treets, and spread them on the away.

9. And the multitudes which went before, and they that followed, cryed saying Hosanna to the Son of David: [The word Hosanna, taken out of Psalm 118. ver.25 is an Hebrew word of two made one, and signifies so much as Save we pray, or give we pray happiness and prosperity] Blessed (is) he [or be he] which cometh in the name of the Lord: [that is, sent by the Lord according to his promises to accomplish his work] Hosanna in the highest Heavens

10. And when he came into Jerusalem, the whole City was moved, saying Who is this?

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

12. And Jesus went unto the Temple of God, and drove out [Gr. cast ot] all that bought and sold in the Temple, and overturned the Tables of the Changers, and the seats of them that sold doves. [These changers and sellers, where permitted by the chief Priest in the Temple, without Gods command, under the presence of confurthering the worship of God, but in truth out of convetousness, that the people might always have fit mony, and beasts for the sacrifies whereof they had their share and profit]

13. And he said unto them, It is written, My house shall he called an house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of murderers.[or robbers, high – way – men, For like as the robbers used to have their dens in the rock, whither they bougt and divided their prey, so likewise did the Priests in the Temple. And these words are taken out of Jer.7. verse 11]

14. And there came (the) blinde and criples to him in the Temple, and he healed them.

15. Now whhen the chief Priest and Scribes saw the wonders which he did, [Gr. wonderful , namely, deeds] and the children crying in the Temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they took that very ill.

16. And said unto him, Dost thou hear what these say? [This is they say by way of proof, that he did not cause the children to hold their peace] And Jesus said unto them, yea. Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of young children and suckling, hast thou prepared (thee) praise [or perfected]

17. And leaving them, he went thence, out of the City towards Bethany, [Or Bethany see the Annotation on the first verse] and tarried there all night.[or ledged there, and took up his Inne there]

18. And early in the morning as he returned to the City, he hungred.

19. And seeing a fig tree by the way, he went unto it, and found nothing on the same, but leaves only; and said unto it: Let thhere be no fruit of thee any more for ever. And immediatly the fig – tree withred.

20. And the Disciples seeing (that) they marvelled, saying, How is the fig – tree (so) presently withered?

21. And Jesus answering , said unto them, Verily i say unto you, if you had faith [of this faith see before, chap 17. verse 20] and doubted not, ye should not only do that which is (hapned) to the fig – tree, but if ye also said to this Mountain, Be thou lifted up, and cast into the sea, it should be done.

22. And what soever ye shall desire in prayer, beliving ye shall receive.

23. And when he was come into the Temple, while he taught, there came unto him the chief Priest, and the Elders of the people, saying, By [Gr. in] what power [or authority] dost thou these things? [namely, which are before set down] and who gave thee this power?

24. And Jesus answering unto them, i will also ask you one word, [that is, thing] which if ye shall tell me, then will i also tell you by what power i do these things.

25. The Baptism of John from whence was (that?) [that is, the doctrine of John, confirmed by his Baptism. By this question Christ answers the question of the chief Priest, seeing that John, whose doctrine was from Heaven, had born witness of him that he was the true Messiahh: as also God the Father himslef, when Christ was baptised by John] out of Heaven [that is, from God, Luke 15 verse 18] or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, [or amaongst one another] and said, if we say, out of Heaven, he will say to us, Why then did ye not believe him?

26. And if we say, of men, then we fear the multitude: for they all hold John for a Prophet.

27. And they answering Jesus, said, We know not. And he said unto them, Then neither do i tell you, by what power i do this.

28. But what think ye? A man had sons, [Gr. children] and going to the first, [By the first son, are understood notorious sinner, who being converted are obedient of the Gospel] said, son, Go work to day in my Vineyard.

29. But he answered and said, i will not: and afterwards repenting he went.

30. And going to the second, [By the second, [By the second son are understood those who make prosession to serve God; and notwithstanding in truth do not so] he said the like. And the same answered and said, i (go) Sir, and he went not.

31. Which of these two did the will of the Father? They said unto him the first; Jesus said unto them, verily i say unto you, thst the publicans and the harlots [Namely, being converted] go before you into the Kingdome og God. [that is, they repent and embrace the Gospel, whereas ye being and abiding impenitent, reject the same: and consequently they shall enter into Heaven, whereas ye shall be excluded. see Matth.25. 12.]

32. For John came unto you in the way of righteosness, [That is, teaching the right way of salvation, and walking in the same] and ye believd him not: but the publicans and harlots believed him; yet ye seeing (this) repented not afterwards for to believe him.

33. Hear another similitude. There was an househholder [Gr. a man that was a Master of a family] which planetd a Vineyard, and set a fence about it, [or mound, hedge] and digged a wine – press – trough therein, [namely, whereinto the wine runneth, and is gathered together under the press] and built a Towre, [namely, from thence to over – took the whole Vineyard, and to watch the same] and let it out to husband – men, [or gave it out] and travelled out of (the land)

34. Now when the time of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, to receive his fruits [In this parable or similitude, God the Father is compared to a father of a family, the Church of the Jews to a Vineyard, the Priests and Scribes to husbandmen, the Prophhets and faithful Teachers, to servants; Christ to the Son, of the father of the family, and faith & obidience to fruits: which seeing they did not bring forth, therefore their ruine by the Romanes is threatned, and the calling of the Gentiles in their room foretold. See the like similitude, Psal.80.9. Isa.6.1. Jer.12.10.]

35. And the husbandmen taking his servants, beat the one, and killed another, stoned a third: [See hereof, Hebr. chapter 11 verse 36,37.]

36. Again he sent other servants, more (in number) then the first, and they did unto them like manner.

37. And the last he sent unto them his son, saying , they will respect my son.

38. But the husbandmen seeing the Son, said amongst themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and keep his inharitance (to our selves)

39. And taking him they cast ?(him) out, without the Vineyard, and killed (him)

40. When therefore the Lord of the Vineyard shall come, what shall he do to those husbandmen?

41. They said unto him,He shall put those wicked (men) to an evil death, and shall let out the Vineyard to other husbandmen, which shall give him the fruits in their seasons.

42. Jesus said unto them, Have ye never read in the Scripture, The stone [This is Christ 1 Pet.2. 4. which the builders, that is, the Scribes and Pharisees rejected] which the builders rejected, [Gr. disapproved] this is become the head (or to a head) of the corner: [that is, the outmost corner – stone, on which two walls stand fast, and are joined one to another, namely, the Church collected of Jews and Gentiles. See Ephes.2.13,20. and 1 Pet 2.7,8.] of the Lord this done, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

43. Therefore i say unto you, that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a people that bring forth the fruits thereof. [Namely, of the Kingdome of Heaven; that is, which become the Kingdome]

44. And he that falleth on this stone, [Namely, by contempt or unbelief, Pet. 2..8.] he shall be broken, and on whom it falleth, [namely, Christ by the weight of his judgement, or of his punishment] hhe shhall break him to pieces. [Gr. winnow; that is, grinde him so small, that might be winnowed or sisted, Psalms 2:9.]

45. And when the chief Preist and Pharisees these his similitudes, they understood that he spake of them.

46. And seeking to take hhim, they feared the multitudes, seeing these him for a Prophet.