They began the journey from Galilee in Matt. 19:1. They were on the way in Matt. 20:17 and passed through Jericho in Matt. 20:29. Now they came to the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem.

This indicates that the Lord is omniscient.

This indicates that Christ is the Lord of all.

This clause differs from the corresponding clause in Mark 11:3b.

Denoting the people of Jerusalem (cf. Psa. 137:8; 45:12).

Signifying the humble and lowly state in which the King of the heavenly kingdom was willing to remain.

Garments signify the human virtues in people's conduct. The disciples honored the lowly King by putting their garments on the donkey and the colt for Him to ride on, and the crowd honored Him by spreading their garments in the road for Him to pass through (v. 8).

The branches of the palm tree (John 12:13), which signify the victorious life (Rev. 7:9) and the satisfaction of enjoying the rich produce of that life, as typified by the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15). The crowd used both their garments and the palm tree branches to celebrate the lowly King's coming.

A Hebrew word meaning save now (Psa. 118:25).

The royal title of the lowly King.

The stubborn chief priests and scribes were indignant, even after they saw the wonders the lowly King performed. Their indignation was due to their pride and jealousy, which blinded them from seeing any vision concerning the heavenly King.

In His last visit to Jerusalem the Lord remained there only during the day for His ministry. Every evening He departed to lodge in Bethany, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives (Mark 11:19; Luke 21:37), where the house of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus and the house of Simon were (John 11:1; Matt. 26:6). In Jerusalem He was rejected by the leaders of Judaism, but in Bethany He was welcomed by His lovers.

This signified that the Lord was hungry for fruit from the children of Israel, that God might be satisfied.

The fig tree here is a symbol of the nation of Israel (Jer. 24:2, 5, 8). This tree was full of leaves but fruitless, signifying that at that time the nation of Israel was full of outward show but had nothing that could satisfy God.

This signifies the curse on the nation of Israel.

From that time the nation of Israel was truly dried up.

Lit., word.

This was a lie.

This indicated that the Lord knew that the Jewish leaders would not tell Him what they knew; hence, neither would He tell them what they asked. They lied to the Lord in saying, "We do not know." But the Lord spoke the truth wisely to them, exposing their lie and avoiding their question.

In Luke 15:1-2, 11-32, the Lord likened the leaders of Judaism to the firstborn son, and the tax collectors and sinners to the second son; but here the Lord likened them in the opposite order. This indicates that the Jews were the firstborn of God (Exo. 4:22) and had the birthright. However, because of their unbelief the birthright was shifted to the church, which has become God's firstborn (Heb. 12:23).

The Gospel of Matthew, as the book on the kingdom, stresses the matter of righteousness, for the kingdom life is one of strict righteousness, which we must seek (Matt. 5:20, Matt. 5:6; 6:33). John the Baptist came in the way of such righteousness, and the Lord Jesus was willing to be baptized by John to fulfill such righteousness (Matt. 3:15).

The householder is God, the vineyard is the city of Jerusalem (Isa. 5:1), and the vinedressers are the leaders of the Israelites (v. 45).

These were the prophets sent by God (2 Chron. 24:19; 36:15).

This was the persecution suffered by the Old Testament prophets (Jer. 37:15; Neh. 9:26; 2 Chron. 24:21).

This is Christ.

This statement indicates that the Jewish leaders, wanting to maintain their false position, envied Christ because of His rights.

Christ was killed outside the city of Jerusalem (Heb. 13:12).

This was fulfilled when the Roman prince Titus and his army destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

These were the apostles.

The stone is Christ, who is for God's building (Isa. 28:16; Zech. 3:9; 1 Pet. 2:4), and the builders are the Jewish leaders, who should have been working on God's building.

Christ is not only the foundation stone (Isa. 28:16) and the topstone (Zech. 4:7) but also the cornerstone.

The kingdom of God was already there among the Israelites, but the kingdom of the heavens had only drawn near (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). This proves that the kingdom of the heavens is different from the kingdom of God. (See note Matt. 5:3^4b.)

This is the church.

This is a person who stumbles on Christ; referring in particular to the unbelieving Israelites (Isa. 8:15; Rom. 9:32).

These are the nations, the Gentiles, that Christ will smite and break into pieces at His coming back (Dan. 2:34-35). To the believers Christ is the foundation stone, the One in whom they trust (Isa. 28:16); to the unbelieving Jews He is the stone of stumbling (Isa. 8:14; Rom. 9:33); and to the nations He will be the smiting stone.