ACC ~ Matthew 21 v1 - 17

OVERVIEW:

The children did not understand what they were saying. So Jesus enables their immature tongues to speak through the exercise of his power. Their voices were a prototype of the Gentiles’ lisping of the gospel. The children, although immature in their age, uttered things that had a clear meaning in accord with testimony from above. Regarding the events surrounding the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, it might have been possible for these things to have occurred earlier, but the time had not yet come for them. Many miracles now began to occur quickly, and many prophecies were being immediately fulfilled (CHRYSOSTOM). The sending of the two disciples outside of Jerusalem has a deeper spiritual meaning: Jesus is sending them to free the Gentiles who are bound and restricted by error (HILARY OF POITIERS). “Behold” is the expression of one who is showing. It says, “Don’t look with physical eyes alone, but look with spiritual intellect. Look upon his virtues, not the external outline of his appearance.” The garments are the divine teachings and spiritual grace. For just as the disgrace of nakedness is covered by the garment, so the evils of our flesh are covered by grace (INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW). The King is gentle. The palm leaves signify victory (SEVERUS).

21:1 | They Drew Near to Jerusalem

EARLIER VISITS DIFFERENT

CHRYSOSTOM: He had often entered Jerusalem before, but never with so much at stake. Why were earlier visits different? They came early in the dispensation, when he was not very well known. The time of his Passion had not drawn near. He mixed in without distinction, keeping his identity under wraps. Had he appeared in this mode earlier, he would not have been held in high esteem. He would only have excited them to greater anger. But by now he had given them sufficient proof of his miraculous power. The cross was at the door. He now makes himself more conspicuous. He does not hesitate to do things that were likely to inflame them. All this happens with dramatic impact. It might have been possible for these things to have been done earlier, but it was neither profitable or expedient. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 66. [1]

[1] PG 58:627; NPNF 1 10:405.

21:2 | Go into the Village Opposite

YOU WILL FIND AN ASS WITH A COLT

CHRYSOSTOM: Note carefully how many miracles occurred so quickly. Observe how many prophecies are fulfilled. For example, when he said, “You will find an ass” [1] he foretold that no man should hinder them but that all, when they heard, should hold their peace. … He had already persuaded many who had never known him before to give up their own property and follow him. The Jews of Jerusalem were hardly persuaded, however, even though some of them were present with him when he worked his miracles. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 66.1. [2]

[1] Cf. Zech 9:9.

[2] PG 58:627; NPNF 1 10:405.

21:3 | The Lord Has Need of Them

TWO COMPLEMENTARY VOCATIONS

HILARY OF POITIERS: Two disciples are sent to the village to loosen the ass tied up with its colt and to bring them to him. And should someone ask them why they are doing that, they are to respond that the Lord needs the animals, which must be released to him without delay.

From the previous sermons [1] we remember that the two sons of Zebedee symbolize the double vocation of Israel. Therefore, now it is fitting to interpret the two disciples sent to release the ass and the colt as the subsequent double vocation of the Gentiles. It applies first of all to the Samaritans, who abandoned the law after their dissent and lived in a state of dependence and servitude. Yet it also applies to the rebellious and ferocious Gentiles.

Therefore the two disciples are sent to loosen those who were bound and arrested by the bonds of error and ignorance. They are sent from Jerusalem, since these vocations originated in that city. On the other hand, it was on the way to Jerusalem that the Zebedees’ mother prayed to the Lord, since it is by the two vocations of the apostles and John, which proceeded from the law, that Israel is saved.

Similarly Samaria (which believed through Philip) [2] and Cornelius (who was brought to Christ by Peter) [3] are the first fruits of the Gentiles. The fact that the disciples are instructed to respond, should someone ask them, that the two animals are needed for the Lord and must be released immediately means that the two preachers of the faith according to the gospel have to give themselves to the Lord as his own nation. Therefore the prophecy that announced the Lord’s entering Jerusalem on the ass and colt is fulfilled. [4] ON MATTHEW 21.3. [5]

[1] As is his usual practice, Hilary connects the interpretations on contiguous Gospel pericopes one to another.

[2] Acts 7:5-12.

[3] Acts 10:1-48.

[4] Zech 9:9.

[5] SC 258:120-22.

SERVING THE CREATOR

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: “If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and he will send them immediately.” Do not say “your Lord” or “our Lord” or “the Lord of the beasts of burden,” so that they all may understand that I alone am the Lord, not only of animals or only of those who have been set under me but of all humanity, even of those who are against me. For even sinners are mine by right, even though they are the devil’s by their own will. “For the world is mine and all its fullness.” [1] Just say, “The Lord has need of them,” for it is entirely fitting that the brute creature should serve its own Creator. HOMILY 37. [2]

[1] Ps 24:1 (23:1 LXX).

[2] PG 56:836.

21:4-5 | Your King Is Coming to You

BEHOLD, YOUR KING COMES GENTLE

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: Into the mystery of future nations, sitting upon an ass and its colt, he entered into the temple. In this way he joined together the nations with the Jews. But knowing as a prophet the wickedness of the Jews, that they would speak against Christ ascending into the temple, he therefore predicted that through this sign the Jews would recognize their own kingdom, saying, “Behold, your king comes to you gentle, sitting on an ass and its colt.” [1]

“Behold” is the word of the one showing. That is, don’t look at your King alone but examine the matter with spiritual intellect. Ponder the works of his virtues, not the external outline of his appearances. For if you look at his outline, you will be disappointed by human nature. If, however, you behold his work, you will be saved by God’s own goodness.

A prophet who stood much earlier, however, observing with spiritual vision him who had not yet been born, was saying “behold” in order to show that he, about whom it was spoken, already was before he was born. When therefore you see him in the temple, oh Jews, do not wish to act haughtily toward him, saying, “By what power do you do these things?” [2] Rather, “Behold, your king comes to you gentle, sitting on an ass.” Do not consider by what power he does them but only if he is able to do them. Believe. Do not put him to a test. “Behold, your king comes to you gentle, sitting on an ass.” Do not say, “We have no king but Caesar only.” [3] “Behold, your king comes to you gentle, sitting on an ass.” If you understand, he comes to you. If you do not understand, he will come against you. If you understand, he will come in order to save you and to set the nations under your feet, so that you may say with the prophet, “Since God is lofty, terrible and the great king over all the earth, he subjected the peoples to us and the nations under our feet.” [4] “He chose us for himself for his inheritance, the image of Jacob, whom he loved.” [5] If, however, you do not understand, he will come to destroy you and to expel you from the temple of holiness, and to take another wife more pure from the nations into his bed of holiness. [Then] you, cast forth and standing in the darkness, may say with Solomon, “Do not look at me, since I have been blackened, since the sun has despised me.” [6]

Do you wish to know the gentleness of the one who is coming? Consider the image of his arrival. He does not sit on a golden chariot, shining with priceless purple. Nor is he mounted upon a foaming horse, the lover of discord and quarreling, which has a chest filled with glory’s boasting, which sniffs out war from afar and rejoices at the sound of the war trumpet and, when it sees a bloody battle, says in its own heart, “It is well done.” Rather, he sits upon an ass of tranquility, a friend of peace. HOMILY 33. [7]

[1] Zech 9:9.

[2] Lk 20:2.

[3] Jn 19:15.

[4] Ps 47:2-4 (46:3-5 LXX).

[5] Ps 47:4 (46:5 LXX).

[6] Song 1:6.

[7] PG 56:836-37.

THE GENTLE KING

SEVERUS: It is again a prophecy, that of Zechariah, just as that also found in the book of Matthew, which informs us that a donkey’s foal was tied to its mother. For the prophecy reads, “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion, shout, daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation; he himself is humble and mounted on a donkey and on a newly born foal.” [1] Now who doesn’t, while waiting for a righteous king, immediately understand that the Christ is in view, who prefigured likewise the name of Melchizedek, whose name in translation evokes the “king of justice”? [2] So the prophet himself does not only say “king of justice,” but he added “and redeemer.” He did so in order to indicate, in an additional way through this means, the name of Jesus, which when translated means “salvation of God” and “healing.” And he added next, “He himself is humble and mounted on a donkey and on a newly born foal.” He does so to show in advance he who is written about in the Gospels: “Learn of me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.” [3] Now there was never any king, simultaneously just, a redeemer, gentle and seated on a donkey, who came to Jerusalem, unless this is he who alone is King of kings, God and Redeemer, Jesus. He is kind, gentle and abundant in mercy for all those who call upon him, [4] as it is written. CATHEDRAL SERMONS, HOMILY 20. [5]

[1] Zech 9:9.

[2] In a passage from Zechariah omitted by Matthew, the Messiah is also defined as just and salvific. Hence the connection with Melchizedek that Severus creates based on the etymology of the latter with “king of justice.”

[3] Mt 11:29.

[4] Ps 86:5 (85:5 LXX).

[5] HE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST | MATTHEW 14:1-12

21:6-7 | The Disciples Did As Jesus Told Them

JESUS SAT THEREON

HILARY OF POITIERS: All of these circumstances surrounding his appearance point to the shape of the future. By means of parabolic signs and by the conditions of present things, the form of the future is here suggested. The Lord is taking possession of the nations! His brightness is approaching! He is occupying the minds of the nations—just as the rider of a beast. He is proclaimed by the entire army of his retinue of patriarchs, prophets and apostles. The patriarchs are spreading their garments, which signify their glory, under the Lord. By their generations, names and struggles, the Lord was prophesied. Going to him with all the ornaments of their own worthiness and scattering themselves under his seat, they will show that all their glory had been laid beneath him in preparation for his coming. The prophets are spreading their own garments under the route of the one who is coming. They predicted this path long ago. They knew that the nations would uphold God. Many had died and offered themselves to stoning. They, in a certain sense, stripped their very bodies and offered their garments upon this path. The apostles are scattering the branches from the cut trees after casting their garments. This is not simply an act of human piety. It might at first seem that the branches might impede the one who is proceeding and might make the journey of the one who is hastening more difficult and entangled. Yet even in this the reasoning of the prophets is preserved and the form of the future announced. These branches are the fruitless nations, or the fruits of the oftentimes faithless nations. These branches are scattered under the route of the Lord by the apostles. They are preparing for the entry of the Savior. ON MATTHEW 21.2. [1]

[1] SC 258:122-24.

21:8 | The Crowd Spread Garments and Branches

THEY SPREAD THEIR GARMENTS ON THE ROAD

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: The garments are the divine teachings and spiritual grace. For just a garment covers the disgrace of nakedness, so the teachings of divine grace cover the evils of our flesh. “We were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” [1] Even Adam therefore saw himself naked as a sinner, and so he covered his own nakedness with leaves from a fig tree; that is, with the commands of a harsh law. God is promising his own justice, that he will take his kindness away from the nation of Judea, just as the Lord had said through the prophet Hosea: “And I shall take away my garments and linens, I will show your disgrace to the nations.” [2] Therefore they placed their garments over them—that is, they placed over the Jews and Gentiles commands and kindnesses they received from Christ. For Christ would not have been able to rest among them if his commands had not been with them. HOMILY 37.7. [3]

[1] Eph 2:3.

[2] Cf. Hos 2:9 (2:11 LXX).

[3] PG 56:837-38.

THEY CUT BRANCHES FROM THE TREES

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: “Most of the crowd spread their garments; others, however, cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” Clearly these garments and trees would be trampled when he comes on the beast of burden. The garments are the commands, just as we said. The leaves, however, are the appearance of piety. Both the commands of the law and the appearances of the Jewish practice were ordered to be treaded upon by Christ on the road. So they spread them then under the feet of the beast of burden on the road. The apostles placed their garments over the beast of burden. The rest of the crowd placed them under the feet of the beast of burden. This means dated legalism is trampled, while the commands of the apostles are spread out… .

Yet an entirely different view of this passage is that those who deposited their garments upon the ass are the apostles and teachers. The garments, however, are the beauty and form of glory. Therefore the glory which Christ received from the Father, he gave to his disciples. The disciples, however, receiving it from Christ, gave it to the nations, so that Christ may pleasingly sit among us, just as he himself says: “And the glory which you gave to me I have given to them, so that they may be one, just as we also are one.” [1] The crowds, however, who spread their garments on the road, were trusting in circumcision and, upon seeing Christ, cast down the glory that they had from the law. [They are] humbling themselves and saying with the apostle Paul: “In accordance with the justice which is from the law, I was converted without complaint, but whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ, and I count it as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ as profit.” [2] HOMILY 37.8. [3]

[1] Jn 17:22.

[2] Phil 3:6-8.

[3] PG 56:838.

21:9 | Hosanna to the Son of David!

HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST

HILARY OF POITIERS: Is this the crowd who would applaud his crucifixion? How was their hatred earned from his grace? Even the words of their commendation pointed to the power of redemption. “Hosanna” in Hebrew signifies the redemption of the house of David. They are calling upon the Son of David. They are celebrating the inheritance of the eternal kingdom. They are proclaiming blessing in the name of the Lord. Soon their shouting of “Crucify him!” would be blasphemy. But at present, the deeds he was doing were exhibiting the form of the future. It is granted that the crowd was doing these things with very confused emotions. The things that would follow would be different. Nevertheless they were, inadvertently and without willing it, pointing to heavenly things unfolding. In this way the whole city of Jerusalem was stirred. ON MATTHEW 21.3. [1]

[1] SC 258:124-26.

THE SPREADING OF PALM LEAVES AND CLOTHES

SEVERUS: Indeed, on the one hand, the fact that the donkey walks on the branches and leaves of palm trees would make it clearly known that not only he who was mounted upon it but also those who would believe in him were going to subdue all their enemies, trample them under their feet and win a glorious victory. For the branches and leaves of palm trees are the emblems of the victory. On the other hand, the fact that the people took off their coats and threw them on the ground was a proclamation—in an immediate and manifest fashion—to speak of what appeared in reality in the events that followed.

Indeed, when these believers were ridding themselves of all they possessed and even of their clothes, which is a sketch in miniature, they were following the gospel of grace. For it is written in the book of Acts that “all who were owners of land and houses, when they sold them, took the money from what had been sold and laid it at the feet of the apostles, and one gave to each according to his need.” [1] If this were not so, if there were not things mysteriously prefigured in what was coming to pass, the branches and the clothes would have even become an obstacle for the progress of this donkey, by impeding its feet like nets.

“And the crowd that went ahead of him and those that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David.’ ” This phrase (namely, “Hosanna to the Son of David”), in passing from the Hebrew language to the Greek language, is translated as “praise, or a psalm, to the Son of David.” As for Jesus, it does not suit a man to be honored or praised by a psalm. But such does suit him alone who is by nature God, as it is said: “He has placed in my mouth a new song, praise to our God” [2] and “I will sing to my God, as long as I live.” [3]

And those who were crying out still added this: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest.” And certainly it would have been necessary that those who were praising spoke according to custom: “You are the good one who has come.” He is like the one who came a first time, or like the ancients greeting the prophet Samuel, asking from the outset, “Do you come in peace, O seer?” [4]

For Jesus’ part, the fact that they were crying out “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest” (Luke as well added, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest”) [5] is the act of those who proclaim his second coming, by which he will come from the heavens with glory. After his coming “he will join by peace earthly things to heavenly things” when “he will likewise judge all the earth with justice,” [6] and he will bring into the kingdom of heaven those who have lived well. This is why indeed it was also very small children who were praising and crying out like this. They were those who entered into the temple with him, for Jesus himself says, “Truly, I say to you, unless you change and become like one of these little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” [7]

Consider still the branches as bearers of victory, by which those who were acclaiming him were honoring the one who was praised in a manner worthy of God. Therefore the Evangelists wrote that already, when he approached and was ready to descend from the Mount of Olives, the crowd began to welcome him and walk in front of him, to praise him and cut branches from the trees. The Evangelists clearly show that these branches were from olive trees. They had to be olive branches because they were growing on the mountain named the Mount of Olives.

Now the olive plant indicates the reconciliation of God and his loving advent to be with us. He accomplished this not because of our righteousness, which did not even exist, but because of his mercy. In the same way indeed it is a dove holding and carrying in its beak the leaves of an olive tree who likewise signaled the end of the flood in the days of Noah and the ceasing of wrath by the mercy of peace which comes from on high. [8] CATHEDRAL SERMONS, HOMILY 20. [9]

[1] Acts 2:45.

[2] Ps 40:3 (39:4 LXX).

[3] Ps 104:33 (103:33 LXX).

[4] 1 Sam 16:4.

[5] Lk 19:38.

[6] Ps 96:13 (95:13 LXX).

[7] Mt 18:3.

[8] Gen 8:11.

[9] PO 37:51-57.

21:10 | All Jerusalem Was Stirred

ALL THE CITY WAS STIRRED

CHRYSOSTOM: Even when the crowds grasped that something great was happening, their inward thoughts remained uninformed, lowly, unworthy and lacking in understanding. But Jesus did these things in their presence not to display pomp but as I have said, to fulfill prophecy, teach self-denial and to comfort his disciples, who were grieving for his death. He was showing them that he would suffer all these things willingly. Mark well the accuracy of the prophets, how they foretold all these things, some from David’s psalms, some from Zechariah. They had proclaimed them beforehand. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 66.3. [1]

[1] PG 58:629; NPNF 1 10:406.

21:11-13 | A House of Prayer, Not a Den of Robbers

MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER

CHRYSOSTOM: John’s Gospel also reported this, but at the beginning of his narrative. But now in Matthew we are coming to the end of the narrative. Thus it is probable that this was done twice and on different occasions. That there was a first cleansing of the temple and then a second is evident from many evidences. In John’s Gospel he came at the time of the Passover. Here it was before Passover. In John the Jews said, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” In Matthew they hold their peace, though reproved, because he was not marveled at among all the population.

If this happened on two different occasions, this becomes a heavier charge against the Jewish leadership. He did it not only once but a second time, and still they continued their buying and selling and called him an adversary of God. They should have learned from the first cleansing to honor his Father and his own power. They could see his works agreeing with his words, and they could behold his miracles. They could hear the prophet pointing to him. They could see the children attesting him in a manner beyond their age. But all this did not persuade them. Instead, “they were indignant.” So he brings in Isaiah [1] as their accuser when he says, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 67.1. [2]

[1] Cf. Is 56:7.

[2] PG 58:631-33; NPNF 1 10:409.

21:14-17 | Perfect Praise from the Mouths of Children

EVEN INFANTS DELIGHTED IN CHRIST’S COMING

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: Columns of a temple that are installed in a perfectly upright manner actually grow more stable when more weight is placed on them, but columns which are at first slightly askew only move farther off center with greater weight. Likewise, if a man’s heart is upright, it will be strengthened in wisdom when he sees or hears about the good works of a just man. But the man who begins with a perverse heart will only be provoked to envy and greater perversity by the works of the righteous. In this way also, when the priests of the old covenant saw Christ healing the sick and heard children praising him, they did not thereby come to believe in Christ but were only hardened in their opposition to him, saying, “Do you hear what they are saying?” …

“But Jesus said to them, ‘Have you not read: out of the mouth of infants and sucklings you brought perfect praise?’ ” [1] It is as if he had asked rhetorically, “Am I to blame because the children cry out my praise, or is it my fault that the prophet foretold this event so many thousands of years ago?” If we bear in mind how the Gospel said above that “the crowds which preceded him and followed him were shouting,” [2] we can understand that they are called infants because of the simplicity of their hearts, not with respect to their age, for literal “infants and sucklings” can neither understand anything nor give praise. Similarly they were called sucklings because their cries of praise arose from the delight they took in Christ’s wondrous works, as though in the sweetest milk, for it is written, “I have lifted up my soul, like a child at its mother’s breast.” [3] Milk represents the working of miracles, but bread is the teaching of perfect justice, as the apostle says: “My preaching was not with persuasive words of wisdom but in the manifestation of the Spirit and power.” [4] And again: “I was not able to speak to you as spiritual persons but as people of the flesh; like the children in Christ you are, I gave you milk, not solid food.” [5] Every first introduction to the faith, consisting of simple doctrine, is called milk because it can be assimilated without a great deal of laborious chewing and because it tastes sweet, just like milk. Neither do miracles require much labor from those who witness them. Moreover they are sweet to behold and provide a winsome invitation to faith. Bread, on the other hand, signifies the teaching of that more perfect justice which no one can assimilate without exerting a great deal of mental effort on spiritual matters, for whoever hears it will need to meditate on it within himself and to analyze it, as though grinding it up with spiritual teeth. HOMILY 38. [6]

[1] Ps 8:2 (8:3 LXX).

[2] Mt 21:9.

[3] Ps 131:2 (130:2 LXX).

[4] 1 Cor 2:4.

[5] 1 Cor 3:1-2.

[6] PG 56:842-43.

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES

CHRYSOSTOM: Hearing even the children proclaiming, the disciples were ready to stifle them. They remarked, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes.” The children were singing to him as to God. Since the disciples were speaking against things being revealed, he applies his corrective more in the way of reproof: “Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and infants you have brought perfect praise’?” [1] For what the children were saying had not reached to their level of understanding. So of his power he gives articulation to their tongues, which are as yet immature.

Their voices were a prototype of the lisping of the Gentiles of the gospel. [2] They were sounding forth great things of faith. The apostles found consolation in this. For they had already been perplexed as to how even the unlearned should be able to publish the gospel. But now they were already finding that the children were anticipating them. The children removed all their anxiety, teaching them that God would grant them utterance, who made even these little ones to sing praises.

This showed that he is Creator of nature. The children, although of immature age, uttered things that had a clear meaning in accordance with testimony from above. But others thought them only to be teeming with frenzy and madness. For such is the nature of wickedness.

So his detractors found many things to provoke them: the multitude, the cleansing out of the buyers and sellers from the temple, the miracles, the children. He once again departs from them, giving room to their swelling frustration, not yet willing to begin seriously his own teaching, lest boiling with envy they should be all the more displeased at what he would say. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 67.1. [3]

[1] Cf. Ps 8:2 (8:3 LXX).

[2] This allegorical interpretation by Chrysostom is noteworthy, since he was of the Antiochene school and therefore preferred literal interpretation.

[3] PG 58:633; NPNF 1 10:409-10.