Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 21:16
And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise
16. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ] Rather, out of (or by) the mouths of children and sucklings hast thou founded strength. Psa 8:2. The ruling thought of the opening verses is the glory of God set forth in His works. The “scarcely articulate” cry of an infant proves, like the heaven and the stars, the power and providence of God. On all these God builds a stronghold against His adversaries, i. e. convinces them of His might. So also the children in the temple attest the truth of God. See Canon Perowne and Speaker’s Commentary on the passage quoted.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 16. Out of the mouth of babes] The eighth Psalm, out of which these words are quoted, is applied to Jesus Christ in three other places in the new covenant, 1Co 15:27; Eph 1:22; Heb 2:6. Which proves it to be merely a prophetic psalm, relating to the Messiah.
It was a common thing among the Jews for the children to be employed in public acclamations; and thus they were accustomed to hail their celebrated rabbins. This shouting of the children was therefore no strange thing in the land: only they were exasperated, because a person was celebrated against whom they had a rooted hatred. As to the prophecy that foretold this, they regarded it not. Some imagine that babes and sucklings in the prophecy have a much more extensive meaning, and refer also to the first preachers of the Gospel of Christ.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And said unto him, hearest thou what these say?…. Suggesting, that if he did, he ought to reprove them, or else he would be a very vain, as well as a weak man, to take such things to himself, which did not belong to him, and that from such poor, little, silly creatures, so void of knowledge and understanding:
and Jesus said unto them, yea: signifying he did hear, and well approved of what they said, and was ready to vindicate it; and did, by putting the following question to them,
have ye never read; that passage of Scripture in Ps 8:2
out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? in the original text it is, “thou hast ordained”, or “founded strength”; and which is rendered by the Septuagint, as it is by Matthew here; and glory and strength are mentioned together, as being to be given to God, Ps 29:1 and so “strength” and “praise” by the Targumist in Isa 13:3 by which is meant strong glory, or glory and praise expressed with a strong voice, or in a very vehement manner, as it was by these babes and sucklings; and this owing to God’s disposing them hereunto, putting it into their mouths, and strengthening them to declare it in a very strong and powerful manner; so that his strength was made perfect in their weakness, and his praise the more glorious. In the Psalm it is added, “because of thine enemies, that thou might still the enemy, and the avenger”: by whom are meant the high priests, the Scribes and Pharisees, the mortal enemies of Christ, who were full of enmity against him, and wanted to revenge themselves on him for spoiling their market at this time; but were stilled by the “Hosannas” of the children, and Christ’s defence of them. The Jews themselves seem to be conscious, that these words relate to the Messiah; for they say l, that
“babes and sucklings, , shall give strength to the king Messiah”
manifestly referring to this passage.
l Zohar in Exod. fol. 4. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Hearest thou (). In a rage at the desecration of the temple by the shouts of the boys they try to shame Jesus, as responsible for it.
Thou hast perfected (). The quotation is from Ps 8:3 (LXX text). See 4:21 where the same verb is used for mending nets. Here it is the timeless aorist middle indicative with the perfective use of –. It was a stinging rebuke.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Say [] . The Rev. is more graphic, are saying. While the songs and shouts are rising, the priests turn angrily to Christ with the question, “Hearest thou what these are saying?”
Thou has perfected [] . The same word as at Mt 4:21, where it is used of adjusting or mending nets. Its secondary meaning is to furnish completely, equip; hence to perfect. Thou has provided the perfection of praise. The quotation from Psa 8:2, follows the Septuagint, and not the Hebrew, which is, “Thou hast founded strength.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
16. And have you never read? The scribes and priests seize on this as an opportunity of calumniating Christ, that he allows himself to be called a King by children; as it is always the custom of wicked people haughtily to despise the mean condition of the disciples of Christ. This malicious design Christ checks by a quotation from David, who makes even infants to be the heralds of the glory of God. Literally the words run,
Out of the mouth of infants and sucklings thou hast founded strength, (Psa 8:2😉
by which David means that, though every tongue were silent, (19) God needs no other orators to proclaim his power than mere infants, who are still hanging on their mothers’ breasts. In themselves, no doubt, they are silent; but the wonderful providence of God, which shines in them, serves the purpose of splendid and powerful eloquence. For he who considers with himself how the child is formed in the mother’s womb, is nourished there for nine months, afterwards comes into the world, and finds nourishment provided as soon as it is born, must not only acknowledge that God is the Creator of the world, but will be altogether carried away into admiration of Him. (20) Thus the sun and moon, though they are dumb creatures, are said to have a loud and distinct voice for singing the praises of God, (Psa 19:1.) But since the praises of God are heard from the tongue of infants, Christ infers from this, that it is not strange if He cause them to be uttered by children who have already acquired the use of speech.
(19) “ Quand toutes bouches seroyent closes, et toutes langues se tairoyent;” — “though every mouth were closed, and every tongue were silent.”
(20) “ Mais aussi il entrera en une grande admiration de sa puissance et sagesse infinie;” — “but also will greatly admire His infinite power and wisdom.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) Hearest thou what these say?The priests and scribes had probably remained in the Temple, and had not heard the Hosannas which were raised on the Mount of Olives. The shouts of the children were therefore a surprise to them, and they turned to the Teacher and asked whether He accepted them in the sense in which they were addressed to Him. Had He really entered the Temple claiming to be the expected Christ? Did He approve this interruption of the order and quiet of its courts?
Have ye never read?Better, did ye never read? The question was one which our Lord frequently asked in reasoning with the scribes who opposed Him (Mat. 12:3; Mat. 12:5; Mat. 19:4; Mat. 21:42; Mat. 22:31). It expressed very forcibly the estimate which He formed of their character as interpreters. They spent their lives in the study of the Law, and yet they perverted its meaning, and could not see its bearing on the events that passed around them. In this instance He cites the words of Psa. 8:2, the primary meaning of which appears to be that the childs wonder at the marvels of Creation is the truest worship. As applied by our Lord their lesson was the same. The cries of the children were the utterance of a truth which the priests and scribes rejected. To Him, to whom the innocent brightness of childhood was a delight, they were more acceptable than the half-hearted, self-seeking homage of older worshippers. The words are quoted from the LXX. translation.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Hearest thou Dost thou hear how they call thee Son of David the king by descent the Messiah by title? Dost thou note that they are mere children that do this? Jesus shows them that even of old, the praises of children were the subject of his own father David’s psalms, and so no fit subject for present contempt and prohibition. Psa 8:2.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus says to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have perfected praise?’ ” ’
So they sharply drew His attention to the situation. ‘Do you not hear what these are saying? They are calling you the Son of David.’ They knew that such a connection of the Son of David with the Temple could bring down the wrath of the Romans on them, and even possibly the wrath of God. And besides it was unseemly. In the Temple any acclamation should be directed towards God. It should be God Who was being acclaimed. And consider what a noise they were making! It was disturbing everybody.
Jesus’ reply was simple. He pointed them again to the Scriptures (Psa 8:2). There was only One Who brought such praise from the mouths of the young and innocent, and that was God, for their young hearts often saw straight through to what was really important. And in what they were saying they were more right than they knew. It was always those whose hearts were still open to truth, who would discern it.
The quotation is from LXX. Matthew was equally at home with the Greek and Hebrew texts of Scripture, and would sometimes apparently himself translate from the Hebrew, would sometimes quote another translation, and would sometimes make use of LXX, usually when using Mark.
It will be noted that we have here the first mention of the chief priests as publicly active against Jesus, something true in all the Gospels except John. Until His ministry began to impact on the Temple itself they had taken little public notice of Him, and thus the Apostles as a whole had not been aware of them, but now that He was publicly challenging their own patch, they could not publicly ignore Him. For the Temple was their responsibility. John, of course, had inside knowledge of what went on in high priestly circles and knew a lot more therefore about what went on behind the scenes. He knew that they had regularly been consulted by the leading Pharisees whenever Jesus visited Jerusalem and had plotted with them against Him (Joh 7:32; Joh 7:45; Joh 11:47; Joh 11:57; Joh 12:10).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
DISCOURSE: 1385
CHILDREN VINDICATED
Mat 21:16. Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
THE wisdom of our Lord was very conspicuous in the answers he returned to cavilers. He was thoroughly conversant with every part of the sacred writings; and to them he appealed on every occasion. In his conflicts with Satan, he invariably had recourse to them [Note: Mat 4:4; Mat 4:7; Mat 4:10.]: and when assaulted by men, he fought with no weapon which was not brought from that divine arsenal [Note: Compare Mat 26:51-54. with Joh 5:39.]: and every passage which he adduced was as an arrow from a well-directed bow. This is well exemplified in the words before us.
Our Lord had just driven the traders and moneychangers out of the temple; and had healed multitudes of persons, who flocked around him for a cure. The children that were present, being struck with wonder both at his authority and benevolence, surrounded him with acclamations and hosannahs, and welcomed him as the Messiah promised to their nation. The chief priests and scribes, on the contrary, were filled with indignation; and remonstrated with our Lord, for suffering them to express such sentiments in his hearing: Hearest thou what these say? It is a disgrace to thee to be pleased with the acclamations of weak, silly children; or of an ignorant and infatuated mob [Note: The word may probably mean servants and followers, rather than mere children.]. Yes, these, who should have been the foremost to encourage early piety, were the very first to repress it. But our Lord repelled their objection by an unanswerable appeal to Scripture: Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise [Note: The words used by David are, Thou hast ordained strength. See Psa 8:2. But our Lord quoted, as the Apostles after him frequently did, from the Septuagint Translation, and not from the Hebrew. The meaning, however, is the same in both: God manifests his strength, and glorifies his name, in using weak instruments to effect his purposes.]?
Now, from these words I shall take occasion to shew,
I.
That the Scriptures are the standard by which every thing must be tried
[By them must all our sentiments be formed, and all our conduct regulated. The Apostles continually, in support of their doctrines, refer to them. It is a frequent expression of St. Paul, But what saith the Scripture? And to that must our appeal also be made, on every occasion. Then, if our views or actions be blamed, we have at least a rule whereby they may be judged: and if they be in accordance with that rule, we need feel no concern, even though they be condemned by the whole world. There are in the Christian system, and in the Christian life too, many things which, by an ungodly world, are accounted foolishness; and we must expect that those things will be disapproved in us. But, when blamed on account of those things, we should mildly reply, Have ye never read such or such declarations in Holy Writ? You think my views of mans fall are too gloomy: but have ye never read, The carnal mind is enmity with God? You think that I carry my religious zeal too far: but have you never read, The love of Christ constraineth us to live to Him who died for us, and rose again? Thus always bring both yourselves and others to the Scriptures, as the only test of truth: for so hath God directed us: To the word and to the testimony: if men speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them [Note: Isa 8:20.].]
In this way you will be able to shew,
II.
That devotion, by whomsoever condemned, will be found conformable to that standard
[The hosannahs of the children were most probably regarded as the effusions of weak and uninformed minds. And this is the construction which is still put on the conduct of those who endeavour to exalt the Saviour, and who are, on this account, derided as enthusiasts. But look into the Scripture, and see the state of Davids mind. Can any one read the Psalms, and not wish to be in the same frame of mind with him, when he said, Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless his holy name? In the New Testament it is written, Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice. In fact, there should not be an hour in the day, in which our souls should not be tuned for praise. And though we are not called to express our admiration and love in the same public manner as the children in the temple were, there should be in us the same disposition; yes, and in our secret chamber, too, the same exercise of it as we have seen in them. Nor, if a public testimony of our love to the Saviour be called for, should we be either ashamed or afraid to give it. It is by praise that God is glorified [Note: Psa 50:23.]. In heaven, the saints and angels have no other employment: and it is our privilege, and duty too, to begin our heaven upon earth.]
For your comfort, also, will you find,
III.
That the weaker the instruments by whom his glory is advanced, the more is God glorified
[We should have been ready to think that the praises of the Chief Priests would have been more to the honour of our blessed Lord: and at this time we are apt to imagine that the services of the rich and learned more exalt God than those of the poor and ignorant. But the very reverse of this is more consistent with truth. For, if the wise and noble were most forward to honour the Saviour, we should impute their conduct to natural principles: we should conclude that reason and education were the chief means of their conversion. But, when we see babes and sucklings well instructed in the things that are hid from the wise and prudent, we are constrained to ascribe the effect to grace alone [Note: Mat 11:25-26.]. Let none, therefore, think that they are incapable of glorifying God; or that God will despise the day of small things: for the prayer of the Publican and the mite of the widow were more acceptable to God than many longer prayers and richer offerings: and if only we serve God with what we have, it shall be accepted of him [Note: 2Co 8:12.]. Four times does God tell his poorer worshippers to serve him with such as they can get [Note: Lev 14:21; Lev 14:30-32.]. In truth, the weaker we are in ourselves, the more is his strength perfected in our weakness [Note: 2Co 12:9.].]
Application
1.
Let parents labour to bring their children to Christ
[Parents are apt to neglect their children, under an idea that their minds are not sufficiently expanded to receive divine knowledge. But we read of many who were sanctified from their earliest infancy [Note: Samuel, Abijah, Josiah, Timothy, John the Baptist.]: and the instance before us is sufficient to encourage our most laborious exertions [Note: Here shew the importance of the Institution of Sunday, or Infant, or Charity Schools.] Happy the parents of such children as those! and happy the children whose earliest years are thus devoted to the Lord! Let religious parents, in particular, look to it, that they spare no pains in instructing their children, and praying both with them and for them: for so has God commanded [Note: Eph 6:4.]: and they have his promise, that in due season he will prosper their efforts [Note: Pro 22:6.].]
2.
Let us, who are instructed in the Gospel, abound in praises to our blessed Lord
[Those children had to oppose the example and authority of the Priests; and, of course, were very imperfectly acquainted with the character of our Lord and Saviour: yet they praised and adored him with all their power. But we see Jesus as our incarnate God: we know the true end of his death as an atonement for our sins: we behold him risen, and exalted to the right hand of God, and ever living to make intercession for us. We, too, are urged by all possible motives to serve and glorify him. How culpable, then, shall we be, if we neglect to honour him! and how will those children rise up in judgment against us, to condemn us, if we do not glorify him before the whole world! I call on all of you, then, to get your minds impressed with the glory and excellency of your Saviour; and from henceforth, both in public and in private, to adore and magnify him with your most grateful acclamations.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
Ver. 16. Thou hast perfected praise ] , thou hast given it all its parts and proportions, a thou hast completed and accomplished it. The Hebrew saith, fundasti, thou hast founded praise, and well bottomed it. Quae enim perfecta, sunt firmissima. For those who are perfected are grounded. Now there is no mouth so weak into which God cannot put words of praise. And how often doth he choose the silly simpletons of the world to confound the wise and learned? See Trapp on “ Psa 8:2 “ And here it is observable that our Saviour answers warily to the captious question; so as he may neither offend Caesar, by taking upon him to be a king, nor stumble the people, who took him for no less, and he was well pleased therewith. Let our dove-like simplicity be mixed with serpentine subtilty, that we run not ourselves heedlessly into unnecessary dangers.
a est quod constat omnibus membris.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 21:16 . , etc.: the holy men attack the least objectionable phenomenon because they could do so safely; not the enthusiasm of the crowd, the Messianic homage, the act of zeal, all deeply offensive to them, but the innocent shouts of children echoing the cry of seniors. They were forsooth unseemly in such a place! Hypocrites and cowards! No fault found with the desecration of the sacred precincts by an unhallowed traffic. , yes, of course : cheery, hearty, yea, not without enjoyment of the ridiculous distress of the sanctimonious guardians of the temple. . as in Mat 19:4 : felicitous citation from Psa 8:3 , not to be prosaically interpreted as if children in arms three or four years old, still being suckled according to the custom of Hebrew mothers, were among the shouting juniors. These prompt happy citations show how familiar Jesus was with the O. T.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
say = are saying.
have ye never read . . . ? See App-143.
Out of the mouth, &c. Quoted from Psa 8:2. perfected = prepared. Greek. katartizo = to perfect by preparing See App-126.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 21:16. , …, dost Thou hear? etc.) Every thing which is not commonplace and traditional, is too much for hypocrites.[920]-, sucklings) who might be as much as three years old.[921] See 2Ma 7:27.
[920] ) They who to the world seem still infants, may notwithstanding have their mouths opened to utterance by Divine power. We may suppose that the little children in this instance caught up the words of those of riper age (with which view, comp. Mat 21:9): and yet that circumstance was not without being valued in the sight of God. Only let one not be wanting to his fellow in setting a good example: the Lord will take care of the rest, nay, indeed He will take care of all things.-V. g.
[921] The passage in Maccabees runs thus:-O my son, have pity upon me that bare thee nine months in my womb, and gave thee suck three years, and nourished thee, and brought thee up unto this age. The same practice still prevails in the East. In Persia, male children are often kept at the breast till three years of age, and are never taken from it till two years and two months. In India the period is precisely three years. In 2Ch 31:16, no provision is assigned for the children of Priests and Levites until after three years of age, which gives additional weight to the supposition that they were not weaned till that time. Amongst the ancient Greeks, also, it appears that mothers suckled their children till a comparatively late period.-(I. B.)
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Hearest: Luk 19:39, Luk 19:40, Joh 11:47, Joh 11:48, Act 4:16-18
have: Mat 12:3, Mat 19:4, Mat 22:31, Mar 2:25
Out: Mat 11:25, Psa 8:2
Reciprocal: Psa 119:139 – because Psa 148:12 – young men Isa 28:9 – weaned Mat 4:7 – It Mat 21:42 – Did Mar 12:10 – have Luk 6:3 – Have Luk 10:21 – revealed 1Co 1:27 – General Heb 12:3 – contradiction
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:16These envious men called the attention of Jesus to the cries of the children as if to suggest that he stop the disturbance, but in reality as an expression of their displeasure caused by their envy. The quotation Jesus made is in Psalms 8:2, and in both places the words babes and suck-lings have about the same meaning. Both mean small children but the first denotes those who are somewhat the older of the two. The simple, childlike trust that a little one shows in the existence and goodness of God is one of the sweetest things that can be seen in this world. Even those still young enough to be feeding at the breast will manifest characteristics that can be explained only by the fact that they are the handiwork of a gracious Creator.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 21:16. Hearest thou what these are saying? They seem to complain that children express a religious sentiment, and contemptuously hint that only children call Him Messiah. Bigotry can always find some trifle on which to ground its objections.
Did ye new read? A pointed rebuke, for He quotes from the Book it was their business to read.
Out of the month of babes, etc. From Psa 8:2, which speaks of the great God being glorified by His insignificant creatures, although we find in it a typical reference to the Messiah. Lange: 1. The praise of the Messiah is the praise of God. 2. The praise of children is a praise which God Himself has prepared for Himself, the miraculous energy of His Spirit. 3. The scribes might fill up the rest: Thou hast prepared praiseon account of Thine adversaries to bring to silence the enemy and the accuser.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
21:16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast {h} perfected praise?
(h) You have made most perfect. We read in David, “Thou hast established” or “grounded”, and if the matter is considered well, the evangelist says here the same thing, for that which is most perfect is stable and sure.