12 And Jesus entered the temple1 and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise’?”
17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.
18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.
20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the 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 also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Section Overview
Matthew organizes the events of Jesus’ final week in Jerusalem in several blocks. After Jesus enters Jerusalem to thunderous acclaim, he inspects the temple. By driving out the merchants and toppling their tables, he judges the temple. Then he declares its proper purpose as a “house of prayer” (Matt. 21:12–13). This act of judgment prompts the blind and lame to enter the temple, where he heals them (v. 14). This makes the chief priests and scribes “indignant” (v. 15). They object to the children’s calling Jesus “Son of David” and praising him enthusiastically (v. 15). They also ask “by what authority” he does these things (v. 23). Jesus responds in three ways. First, he accepts and approves of the children’s praise (v. 16). Second, he curses a fig tree. Since the fig tree is a symbol of Israel, especially in its fruitlessness, this amplifies the judgment of the temple and its guardians (vv. 18–19). Third, he refuses to answer the question about his authority, effectively denying that Israel’s priests and elders have the standing to question him (vv. 23–27).
Section Outline
VII.A. The Entry into Jerusalem and Its Consequences (21:1–27) . . .
3. Cleansing and Judgment for the Temple (21:12–17)
4. The Cursing of the Fig Tree (21:18–22)
5. The Authority of Jesus Questioned (21:23–27)
Jesus enters the temple and expels its merchants (21:12), then explains himself: the temple is a “house of prayer,” not a house of commerce (v. 13). By juxtaposing events, Matthew implies that this liberates the temple for its proper use. The blind and lame come to Jesus, who heals them in the temple (v. 14). Moreover, the children in the temple praise him as the Son of David (v. 15). The chief priests and scribes react to both, especially the children, and imply that Jesus should silence them. He refuses and departs from the city (vv. 16–17).
When he returns the next morning, hungry, he sees a leafy but fruitless fig tree. He curses it, and it withers. Curiously, the disciples do not ask why Jesus curses the tree, but how. Jesus’ reply answers the question the disciples should have asked (vv. 18–22). When the authorities question Jesus, they also ask the wrong question, focusing not on his reasons but on their procedures: Where does he get the authority to act in the temple? But Jesus refuses to answer (vv. 23–27).
Response
Matthew 21:12–27 calls for a faithful priest, a leader who understands God’s global mission and dedicates himself to it rather than to his own position or self-preservation. But each short episode suggests its own responses to events.
The temple action (vv. 12–14) presents Jesus’ response to the corrupt temple, especially its exclusion of Gentiles. Faithful listeners see that the church, which succeeds the temple, must welcome every race, tongue, culture, and social class. Disciples will assess their prejudices and customs to see how they might lead to exclusion and will take steps to welcome everyone.
The children’s praise (vv. 15–16) shows the beauty of sincere worship. A child’s worship is innocent and perhaps shallow, but it is pure, without doubts or concerns about theological conundrums (the problem of evil or predestination and free agency). When children sing the doxology or “Jesus Loves Me” joyfully and without reserve, they teach adults how to praise Jesus. It is blessed to teach little ones to sing praise to God.
The cursing of the fig tree (vv. 18–19) shows that however healthy things or people appear to be, without fruit they are useless. Believers bear fruit the Spirit grants, and spiritual life must express itself (7:17–20). Whatever the appearances, Jerusalem’s dead orthodoxy (and Rome’s polytheistic atheism) had to fall, and the church had to rise in its place and bear the fruit God seeks (21:43). True disciples are fruitful. Therefore, they remove impediments to fruitfulness: bad company, futile habits, lack of training, fearfulness, love of ease. Then they seek the productive life God desires. Many people, churches, and religious movements are like the fig tree Jesus curses: they have forms without substance. Jesus will examine all people and religious organizations. By the faith that brings union with Christ, one can enjoy a prolific Christian life.
The disciples’ flawed question (vv. 20–22)—not why but how did Jesus curse the tree—shows that Jesus often refuses to answer questions as asked and also redirects others. Here he answers the questions people should have asked. He ignores a question about the power to curse and describes the power of faith. Methodologically, this gives teachers an example of one who rejects, redirects, or refines questions for the good of pupils. Objectively, Christ commends faithful prayer, which can accomplish great things (vv. 21–22).
When the temple priests (vv. 23–27) object to Jesus’ action, their protest takes a common form. They ask about turf, not mission; about credentials, not justice. They think in formal categories, of authority, qualifications, and duties, not of service to their people. When those with a stake in an issue oppose an action, they often shift from the issue itself to procedural questions. They object to the speed of decisions or the mode of implementation. They want to consult. They ask who has the right to say this, be here, do that. They shift from what is right to who has the right, from truth and justice to proper procedure. In fact, Matthew has revealed the source of Jesus’ authority: he is the King of Israel and true priest. He has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (28:18–20).