The Prophetic Ministry of Jesus Christ – Matthew 21

“Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, the Lord has need of them, and immediately he will send them.’ All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” Matthew 21:1-5

Jesus sent two disciples. I am so glad that Jesus calls and sends people to do His bidding and doesn’t just do it Himself. He gives us a wide array of opportunities to serve Him. When I resided in Hong Kong, I took Bibles into Christians living in China. They were free gifts. I, and others like me, humorously called ourselves, “donkeys for Jesus.” We carried Jesus on our backs in the sense that He is the Word of God.

Jesus called for the foal of a donkey, a specific kind of donkey, to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 that was spoken hundreds of years before this event.

Horses were kept by great men for war. In His state of humiliation, Jesus rides on a donkey colt. It was the custom in Israel for the judges to ride upon white donkeys (See Judges 5:10), and their sons on donkey colts (See Judges 12:14). Christ entered Jerusalem as the Judge of Israel.

Jesus borrowed the young donkey. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, “for our sakes Christ became poor.” He came in meekness, not in majesty.

“So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’ And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, ‘Who is this?’ So the multitudes said, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.’” Matthew 21:6-11

The disciples fetched the donkey and her colt. The owner willingly lent them. It is likely that the mother donkey was led to walk alongside her colt to keep it calm in the midst of the crowd.

Many people spread their clothes on the road before Jesus. We have a saying, “He would give you the shirt off your back” to refer to a very generous person. These people were willing to risk the loss of their clothing to make a statement. Others took the time to cut down branches from palm trees and lay them on the road. This was a grass roots movement. Not government officials dipping into public funds to honor one of their cronies! This was the so called common man and woman yielding time, energy and treasure to Jesus Christ. The crowds called Him the Son of David, a reference to Messiah. They quoted Psalm 118:26 from the Bible about Jesus.

They loudly praised Jesus! The entire city was moved with amazement! Jesus, the prophet, had arrived. The people of Jerusalem embraced the miracle worker of Galilee!

“Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, ‘It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’ Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ they were indignant and 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 babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise?’ Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.” Matthew 21:12-17




Jesus did not remain on the donkey colt. He did not receive honor without returning action. He turned the tables on greedy profiteers. He drove them out of God’s house.

Have modern day merchants turned humble Christ-events into a money making industry? How much is spent on merchandise that has nothing to do with the Son of God being born in a manger? How much paraphernalia is sold in connection to His death and resurrection? Have these celebrations degenerated from revelations of God’s glory into glut-fests for the flesh?

I John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

What happened after Jesus drove worldliness out of the temple? Miracles! Matthew 21:14 says, “The blind and the lame came to Him (Jesus) at the temple, and He healed them.”

Who was angry at Jesus? The chief priests and scribes were. They asked Jesus if He heard what the children were saying about Him? They had referred to Him as Messiah when they called Him the Son of David. Jesus asked the chief priests and scribes a question in return. He asked them if they had read Psalm 8:2 which prophesied of babes and nursing infants yielding perfect praise to God. Then, Jesus set a good example for us. He got away from these argumentative people.

Jesus lodged in Bethany. Bethany is two miles east of Jerusalem. It is likely that He stayed at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. This was where He raised Lazarus from the dead. It was where Jesus stayed during His final days before His death and resurrection.

“Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, ‘Let no fruit grow on you ever again.’ Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither away so soon?’ So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’” Matthew 21:18-22

Jesus cursed a fig tree and it immediately withered. The disciples wanted to know how Jesus did this miracle. He assured them that with faith in God they could do what He did to the fig tree and even do it on a grandeur scale such as removing a mountain into a sea. Whatever things they asked God in prayer, believing, they would receive.

The context of this passage is important to its interpretation. What was Jesus looking for when He entered the temple in Jerusalem? He was looking for a house of prayer for all nations. What did He find? He found secular-type merchandising happening and no prayer. His curse on the fig tree and its subsequent death was symbolic of what was going to happen to the temple in Jerusalem. Within a generation, 40-years, it would be totally destroyed and gone. The task Jesus prepared His disciples to do was to destroy false religion and build up authentic faith in God.

“Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?’ But Jesus answered and said to them, ‘I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: the baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men? And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘If we say, from heaven, He will say to us, why then did you not believe him? But if we say, from men, we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus and said, ‘We do not know.’ And He said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.’” Matthew 21:23-27

Jesus offended the traditions-based impersonal managers of religion in Jerusalem. Jesus walked with common people. He was a friend of sinners. He led adulterers to believe in God. He wept with people. He healed wounds. He multiplied food for the hungry. He served people expecting nothing in return. By what authority was Jesus doing deeds that did not line up with theirs?

Jesus promised to give them an answer if they answered His question first? Jesus wanted to know if they believed that John’s baptism was of God or not. He flipped the script on them. They engineered a question that could turn people against Him no matter how He answered it, so He gave them a similar question. That silenced them! But Jesus was not done them...

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said to Him, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.’” Matthew 21:28-32

Jesus convicted the religious leaders of being less repentant than tax collectors and harlots. They needed to adopt the humility of despised sinners who recognized their need for change, repented, and believed in Jesus, rather than relying on self-righteousness

“Hear another parable: there was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. ‘Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?’ They said to Him, ‘He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.’” Matthew 21:33-41

Jeremiah 25:30 says, “He [God] will give a shout, as those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.” In Isaiah 5:3-6, God says that He expected His Jerusalem vineyard “to bring forth good grapes,” but it brought forth wild grapes. Thus, He decided to take away its hedge, break down its wall, burn it and let it be trampled down. In Revelation 14:19, God uses the imagery of a grape harvest to symbolize His wrath. “The angel thrust his sickle into earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.”

In the Bible, God uses the imagery of rebellious vineyard keepers as a metaphor for people bound for wrath. Jesus prophesied to the religious leaders of what they would do to Him and what God would do to them. The difference is that Jesus would recover from murder, but they would not bounce back from God’s wrath.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.’ Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.” Matthew 21:42-46

Jesus quoted from Psalm 118:22-23 to them. His promise to the ill-religious religious leaders was that they would lose their positions, and people from another nation would take their place. 1 Peter 2:9 describes the people of the nation that would replace them: “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” This new nation consists of both Jews and Gentiles who profess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

“Whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” The choice before the religious leaders was the choice before every person. We can be broken before God and saved or be crushed into dust by Him in judgment. [1]

The chief priests and Pharisees would have arrested Jesus, but they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

In Mattew 21:11, the crowds said of Jesus, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.” In Matthew 16:13-14, when Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” They responded, saying, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” In Luke 24:19, two disciples spoke of Jesus as “A prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.”

Thus, to properly understand and proclaim Jesus Christ, we need to view Him from a prophetic perspective and understand that our role as we seek to serve and honor Him is also prophetic.

When Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20 to make disciples of all the nations, He meant for us to listen to Him and to proclaim from Him what we have learned to others. Be prophetic!

In 1 Corinthians 14:1, Paul wrote, “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” Speaking God’s Word under the unction and anointing of the Holy Spirit is what pleases God and helps reveal Him to people.

There’s a difference between speaking about God when one does not know God and speaking for God because you know Him and He moves you by His Holy Spirit to speak for Him. No one can properly represent God without having a personal relationship with Him.

Even when we know God through His Word and by His indwelling Spirit, it is best to humbly ask Him to help us accurately align our proclamation with His words in the Bible.

In Revelation 19:10; 22:18-19; 10:11, our Lord provides for us three guidelines for prophecy.

Revelation 19:10 says, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Point people to Jesus!

Revelation 22:18-19 says, “If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Deuteronomy 4:2 says the same thing about the books of Moses, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” In 1 Corinthians 14:32, Paul wrote, “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” True prophetic proclamations line up with Scripture.

2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” 2 Peter 1:20-21 says, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

The Bible is God’s inspired Word. It is the final, infallible, and absolute guide for faith and practice. The Bible is true for all areas of life, overriding culture, tradition, and personal feelings.

Revelation 10:11 says, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.” Bible prophecy must continue to be proclaimed to people everywhere.

How can we best help people? What is the most charitable act?

1 Corinthians 1:21 says, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” The proclamation of God’s Word yields eternal life for those who receive Him.

Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Psalm 119:130 says, “The entrance of Your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.”

Throughout history, great reforms and awakenings have occurred when people begin to testify for the Word of God boldly and gladly and do so for the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“Dear Heavenly Father, please send forth Your Word to and fro the earth very swiftly and please grant people everywhere ears to hear and hearts to receive it. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.”


[1] Enduring Word Commentary