Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 21:7
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set [him] thereon.
7. put on them their clothes ] Their upper garments, the abbas of modern Arabs. Cp. with this the throne extemporised for Jehu, 2Ki 9:13.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And put on them their clothes – This was done as a token of respect, 2Ki 9:13.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. And put on them their clothes] Thus acknowledging him to be their king, for this was a custom observed by the people when they found that God had appointed a man to the kingdom. When Jehu sat with the captains of the army, and Elisha the prophet came, by the order of God, to anoint him king over Israel, as soon as he came out of the inner chamber into which the prophet had taken him to anoint him, and they knew what was done, every man took his garment, and spread it under him on the top of the steps, and blew the trumpets, saying, “Jehu is king.” 2Kg 9:13.
And they set him thereon.] , and he sat upon them; but instead of , upon THEM, the Codex Bezae, seven copies of the Itala, some copies of the Vulgate, and some others, read ‘ , upon him, i.e. the colt. This is most likely to be the true reading; for we can scarcely suppose that he rode upon both by turns, – this would appear childish; or that he rode upon both at once, for this would be absurd. Some say he sat on both; for “the ass that was tied up was an emblem of the Jews bound under the yoke of the law; and the colt that had not been tied represented the Gentiles who were not under the law; and that Jesus Christ’s sitting on both represented his subjecting the Jews and the Gentiles to the sway of his evangelical sceptre.” He who can receive this saying, let him receive it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mark saith, Mar 11:7-10, And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. Luke hath it yet with more circumstances, Luk 19:35-40; And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as they went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. John also gives us some account of this, Joh 12:12,13; On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. They bring the ass and the colt to Jesus, who had no saddle, no costly furniture for him; they were glad to lay on the asss back some of their garments, and to set Christ upon the colt. And in a kind of a natural country triumph, made up without any kind of art, some threw their clothes in his way, some cut down boughs of trees, (palm trees, saith John), with these they bestrew the way. Christ at Bethany, in his journey, had done a famous miracle, raising up Lazarus from the dead. John saith, Joh 12:18, the fame of this made many that were in Jerusalem, who were come thither against the passover time, (for, Joh 12:1, it was but six days before the passover), go out to meet him; and, joined with those who came along with him from Bethany, they cried all along as they came, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David. Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. Many of these expressions, seem to be taken out of Psa 118:24-26. Their laying the garments upon the ass, and throwing them in the way, was a custom they used towards princes, as appears not only by many records out of profane authors, but from 2Ki 9:13, where the like was done to Jehu, upon his being anointed king over Israel. For the acclamations, they were also such as were usual to princes. Whether Hosanna signifieth, Save now, or, Help, we pray; or whether it was a term by which they expressed their desire of good success or prosperity to the person to whom they applied it; or whether it was the name of some song used in their festivals, or it signifies boughs, &c., is not much material: they by this acclamation acknowledged him a King, the Son of David; they blessed him, they wished him peace, honour, and glory. This was the acclamation of the multitude, who doubtless had but a small and imperfect knowledge of the Divine nature of Christ, but yet looked on him as the Son of David, as the Messiah. The Pharisees (some of which it seemeth had mixed themselves with this multitude) were troubled at the acclamation, and (as Luke tells us) speak to Christ to rebuke them; but he answereth, If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. It is a proverbial expression, the sense of which is alone to be attended. The sense is this: The time is come, set by my Father for the publication of my kingdom, and declaring what I am; and when Gods time is come the thing must come to pass, by one means or another. If these children of Abraham should hold their peace, God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham, and they should do the same thing, publish me as the Son of David, the King in Zion.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And brought the ass and the colt,…. To Jesus, as Mark and Luke add, and who only make mention of the colt: both were undoubtedly brought; the colt being unloosed and taken away, the ass, its dam, followed after:
and put on them their clothes; their loose upper garments, to be instead of saddles and trappings, and that Christ might sit thereon with ease and decency: the other evangelists say, that they cast their garments on the colt; and the Syriac version here reads, “they put their garments on the colt, and Jesus rode upon it”: but as both were brought, it is clear from hence, that their clothes were put upon both; not knowing which Christ would choose to ride on. And it should seem, that it was not unusual to put garments on asses to ride on; for the Targumist on Jud 5:10 represents the princes of Israel as riding upon asses, strewed or saddled with all kind
, of “painted garments”. The Persic version, without the least colour of authority from the original text, renders it, “and Jesus put his own garment on the colt, and sat thereon”; which is ridiculous, as well as contrary to truth:
and they sat him thereon, or “on them”: meaning either on the ass and colt, that is, on one of them, or both successively, or on the clothes they put upon them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And he sat thereon ( ), Mark (Mr 11:7) and Luke (Lu 19:35) show that Jesus rode the colt. Matthew does not contradict that, referring to the garments ( ) put on the colt by “them” (). not to the two asses. The construction is somewhat loose, but intelligible. The garments thrown on the animals were the outer garments (), Jesus “took his seat” (, ingressive aorist active) upon the garments.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Set him thereon. But the preferable reading is ejpekaqisen, he took his seat upon.
A very great multitude [ ] . The A. V. is wrong. The reference is not to the size, but to the proportionate part of the multitude which followed him. Hence Rev., correctly, The most part of the multitude.
Their garments [] . Lit., “their own garments.” The disciples spread their garments on the beasts; the multitude strewed their own garments in the way. Dr. Edward Robinson, cited by Dr. Morison, speaking of the inhabitants of Bethlehem who had participated in the rebellion of 1834, says : “At that time, when some of the inhabitants were already imprisoned, and all were in deep distress, Mr. Farrar, then English consul at Damascus, was on a visit to Jerusalem, and had rode out with Mr. Nicolayson to Solomon ‘s Pools. On their return, as they rose the ascent to enter Bethlehem, hundreds of people, male and female, met them, imploring the consul to interfere in their behalf, and afford them his protection; and all at once, by a sort of simultaneous movement, they spread their garments in the way before the horses.”
The variation of tenses is not preserved in the English versions. Spread their garments, aorist tense, denoting one definite act. Cut down, spread in the way, imperfects, denoting continued action. As Jesus advanced, they kept cutting branches and spreading them, and the multitude kept crying.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
(7) They set him thereoni.e., on the garments which served as a saddle. Our Lord rode on the colt, and the ass followed, or went along by His side. St. Mark and St. Luke mention the colt only.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Put on them their clothes The clothes were put by the disciples on the beasts by way of a saddle. Both beasts were brought, not because our Lord was expected literally to ride both in the course of a journey of two miles’ length, but to exhibit the appearance of a regal relay. Set him thereon From which cavillers have objected that the language makes him seated on both animals at once. To obviate this, some have made the word them refer to the clothes. But this is an unnatural evasion of an imaginary difficulty.
He was literally seated on one at a time, but virtually mounted upon both, as they were both his riding equipment. They were a common conveyance upon which he was borne.
Mark describes the colt as one whereon never man sat. This was not, we think, as Hengstenberg maintains, to indicate humility, but sacredness. So Luk 23:53. Our Lord was “laid in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man was laid before.” And so our Lord was born of a pure virgin. His birth, his triumph, his tomb, were thus alike. His appearance, his history, and his departure are thus indicated to be above the level of ordinary humanity.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mat 21:7. And brought the ass The exact knowledge which our Lord shewed of so many minute and most fortuitous particulars, must surely impress the minds of these messengers greatly, and establish the faith of his followers. It is observable,that many such things occurred before his death, which, considered in this view, have a peculiar beauty. Compare Mat 26:31-35. Mar 14:15-16 and Luk 22:10-13. The and, [ ], like the particle vau in the Hebrew, is here used, as it is frequently, to signify even, or that is,upon an ass, even a colt, &c. They set him thereon, means on their clothes, which they had placed upon the ass. All the Evangelists, except St. Matthew, speak expressly of his riding on the colt.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 21:7 . They spread their outer garments upon both animals, being uncertain which of them Jesus intended to mount.
The (second) must necessarily be referred, with Theophylact, Euthymius Zigabenus, Castalio, Beza, Homberg, Fritzsche, Winer, p. 165 [E. T. 219], to the garments , in which case it is clear from Mat 21:5 that Jesus sat upon the foal . Were we to refer to the animals , the result would be the absurd idea (which Strauss, B. Bauer, Volkmar make use of against Matthew) that Jesus mounted both of them at once , not one after the other (Fritzsche, Fleck), seeing that . . denotes the instantaneous, finished act which followed the spreading of the garments. To suppose (Ebrard, Olshausen), by way of justifying the reference to the animals, that we have here a loose form of speech, corresponding to the German phrase: he leaps from the horses, and such like, is out of the question, for the simple reason that no such can be assumed in the case of Mat 21:5 , all the less so that, from this verse, it would appear that it was the dam on which Jesus rode, with the foal walking by her side.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
Ver. 7. And put on them their clothes ] Teaching us to honour God with the best of our substance, and to dedicate ourselves wholly to the Lord our God. Jonathan stripped himself, for his friend David, of the robe that was upon him, and his garments, even to his sword and his belt, 1Sa 18:4 . Christ suspended his glory for a season, laid aside his rich and royal robes, borrowed humanity of us, that he might clothe us with his righteousness. And shall we think much to clothe him in his naked members, to part with anything for his sake and service?
And they set him thereon ] They that make religion dance attendance to policy (saith one) these set the ass upon Christ, not Christ upon the ass. Thus did Jehu, and before him Jeroboam, cui gravior iactura regionis, quam religionis. to whom it was more serious to lose the kingdom than religion. Thus do all our Machiavellians and the world’s wizards, whose rule is, Philosophandum sed paucis; Religiosum oportet esse, sed non religentem, &c. But what saith the father? Deum siquis parum metuit, valde contemnit. And one thing, said Luther, that will be the ruin of religion is worldly policy, that would have all well however, and seeks to procure the public peace, by impious and unlawful counsels and courses, Quae vult omnia redigere in ordinem, et publicae tranquillitati impiis consiliis mederi.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 21:7-11 . : that both were brought is carefully specified in view of the prophetic oracle as understood by the evangelist to refer to two animals, not to one under two parallel names. : the two disciples spread their upper garments on the two beasts, to make a seat for their Master. . : if the second be taken to have the same reference as the first the meaning will be that Jesus sat upon both beasts (alternately). But this would require the imperfect of the verb instead of the aorist. It seems best, with many ancient and modern interpreters, to refer the second to the garments, though on this view there is a certain looseness in the expression, as, strictly speaking, Jesus would sit on only one of the mantles, if He rode only on one animal. Fritzsche, while taking the second . as referring to , thinks the evangelist means to represent Jesus as riding on both alternately.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
brought = led.
put on . . . clothes. Compare 2Ki 9:13 (a mark of respect).
clothes = outer garments.
they set Him. “He took His seat”, Greek. epikathizo. Occurs only here.
thereon = upon them: i.e. the garments.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 21:7. ,[911] He sat upon) becomingly; His disciples attending on Him;[912] see Luk 19:35. The Persian kings were rather placed by others, than themselves got on horseback. See Brisson.- , on them) though, strictly speaking, on the foal; see Mar 11:2-3; Joh 12:14-15.
[911] BC Origen read, as Beng., , He sat: abcd also have sedebat: D has . Vulg. has imposuerunt; and so Rec. Text , they set Him thereon. This last plainly comes through Harmonists from Luk 19:35, , they set Jesus thereon.-ED.
[912] That is, His disciples helped Him to mount, which harmonises the statements, that He sat upon the colt, in Matt., and that His disciples set Him on, in Luke.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
brought: Mar 11:4-8, Luk 19:32-35
put: 2Ki 9:13
Reciprocal: Eze 12:7 – I did so Mar 11:7 – and cast Luk 19:35 – they cast
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mat 21:7. Put on them their garments. Upper garments, to serve as a saddle.
And he sat thereon, lit., on them, the animals, not the clothes. He rode on the colt (Mark and Luke), but the plural here is justified by the usage of the Greek language. It suggests moreover that this unbroken colt remained quiet because the mother was with it, thus affording an incidental evidence of truthfulness. Some suppose that the mother represents the Old Theocracy running idly by the side of the young Church, but this analogy is forced, since the mother went along to keep the colt quiet.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
21:7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their {c} clothes, and they set [him] {d} thereon.
(c) Their uppermost garment.
(d) Upon their garments, not upon the ass and the colt.