April 13 2025 // Matthew 21:1-11
APPLICATION: Read & watch/listen to Matthew 21:1-11
Matthew 21:1-11
Revealed by Himself. Vs. 3
The “Lord” needs them.
Revealed by Scripture Vs. 4-5
Zechariah 9:9
Revealed by Truth. Vs. 6-7
Revealed by the People vs. 8-11
The word worship is a contraction of an old expression in the English language, “woerth-scipe,” denoting the ascription of reverence to an object of superlative worth. In short, worship is reverence, honor, praise, and service of God.
A more expanded theological definition of worship is given as follows: “An act by a redeemed man, the creature, toward God, his Creator, whereby his will, intellect and emotions gratefully respond to the revelation of God’s person expressed in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit illuminates the written Word to his heart.”
The hymn, “O Worship the King,” written and published in 1833 in a hymnal entitled Christian Psalmody, is one of the finest from the early nineteenth century Romantic Era. Some have referred to it as a model hymn for worship. It has few equals in expressive lyrics in the exaltation of the Almighty. Each of the epithets expressed in the hymn refer to God—King, Shield, Defender, Ancient of Days, Maker, Redeemer, and Friend.
When Jesus cleared the temple of the moneychangers, he was demonstrating his authority to do so. It was his place of worship, and the worship of God was being desecrated, taking a backseat to the greed and unethical dealings of men. Jesus made his own kind of change. He drove the moneychangers out of the temple.
To worship God is to recognize God’s authority and obey him. The Jewish leaders had refused to acknowledge Jesus’ authority as God’s Son. They were more concerned in being obedient to their legal system than worshiping God. The heart of Christian worship is the power of Christ’s presence. But here the leaders were allowing this corruption to take place in God’s place of worship.
Napoleon Bonaparte is credited with saying, “If Socrates would enter the room we should rise and do him honor. But if Jesus Christ came into the room we should fall down on our knees and worship him.”
In the life of faith, the believer must submit to the authority of Jesus and worship him. Does Jesus have a rightful place of worship in your heart?[2]
Digging Deeper:
A. Zechariah’s Prophecy (vv. 4–5)
Zechariah 9 begins an oracle predicting the destruction of all Israel’s enemies and the ensuing peace in Jerusalem. All of Israel’s chariots, war horses, and battle instruments would be taken away (Zech. 9:10), and Jerusalem’s king would enter peacefully, “righteous and having salvation” (Zech. 9:9). The king would be gentle, since there was no longer any need for war, and he would arrive by the humble means of a donkey and her foal (Zech. 9:9).
It was common practice for a king to ride a donkey rather than a war horse in times of peace (e.g., 1 Kgs. 1:33). In that same context, Yahweh told of “the blood of my covenant with you” providing the means for the freeing of Israel’s prisoners and their restoration to hope and prosperity (Zech. 9:11–12).
This Jesus was the deliverer of God’s people in a threefold way. He would ultimately rescue them from their national enemies. But in the meantime, he would rescue them from their sin and from the abuse of their evil shepherds (the religious leaders).
Jesus’ humility has been taught and displayed throughout Matthew 18–20, and now Matthew said that his humility showed him to be the king. This first coming as the sacrificial Son of Abraham (the Lamb of God) was on the back of a humble donkey. At his second coming, as the sovereign Son of David (Lion of Judah) he would ride a war horse (cf. Rev. 19:11).[3]
Questions to Consider:
Prayer Time:
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Zec 9:9.
[2] Stuart K. Weber, Matthew, vol. 1, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 361–362.
[3] Stuart K. Weber, Matthew, vol. 1, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 362.
Matthew 21:1-11
Revealed by Himself. Vs. 3
The “Lord” needs them.
Revealed by Scripture Vs. 4-5
Zechariah 9:9
9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey. [1]
Revealed by Truth. Vs. 6-7
Revealed by the People vs. 8-11
Prepared a Path
Shouted Praises
- Hosanna!
- Son of David
- Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
- Called him prophet –
- Called him King
Life Application:
His Rightful PlaceThe word worship is a contraction of an old expression in the English language, “woerth-scipe,” denoting the ascription of reverence to an object of superlative worth. In short, worship is reverence, honor, praise, and service of God.
A more expanded theological definition of worship is given as follows: “An act by a redeemed man, the creature, toward God, his Creator, whereby his will, intellect and emotions gratefully respond to the revelation of God’s person expressed in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit illuminates the written Word to his heart.”
The hymn, “O Worship the King,” written and published in 1833 in a hymnal entitled Christian Psalmody, is one of the finest from the early nineteenth century Romantic Era. Some have referred to it as a model hymn for worship. It has few equals in expressive lyrics in the exaltation of the Almighty. Each of the epithets expressed in the hymn refer to God—King, Shield, Defender, Ancient of Days, Maker, Redeemer, and Friend.
When Jesus cleared the temple of the moneychangers, he was demonstrating his authority to do so. It was his place of worship, and the worship of God was being desecrated, taking a backseat to the greed and unethical dealings of men. Jesus made his own kind of change. He drove the moneychangers out of the temple.
To worship God is to recognize God’s authority and obey him. The Jewish leaders had refused to acknowledge Jesus’ authority as God’s Son. They were more concerned in being obedient to their legal system than worshiping God. The heart of Christian worship is the power of Christ’s presence. But here the leaders were allowing this corruption to take place in God’s place of worship.
Napoleon Bonaparte is credited with saying, “If Socrates would enter the room we should rise and do him honor. But if Jesus Christ came into the room we should fall down on our knees and worship him.”
In the life of faith, the believer must submit to the authority of Jesus and worship him. Does Jesus have a rightful place of worship in your heart?[2]
Digging Deeper:
A. Zechariah’s Prophecy (vv. 4–5)
Zechariah 9 begins an oracle predicting the destruction of all Israel’s enemies and the ensuing peace in Jerusalem. All of Israel’s chariots, war horses, and battle instruments would be taken away (Zech. 9:10), and Jerusalem’s king would enter peacefully, “righteous and having salvation” (Zech. 9:9). The king would be gentle, since there was no longer any need for war, and he would arrive by the humble means of a donkey and her foal (Zech. 9:9).
It was common practice for a king to ride a donkey rather than a war horse in times of peace (e.g., 1 Kgs. 1:33). In that same context, Yahweh told of “the blood of my covenant with you” providing the means for the freeing of Israel’s prisoners and their restoration to hope and prosperity (Zech. 9:11–12).
This Jesus was the deliverer of God’s people in a threefold way. He would ultimately rescue them from their national enemies. But in the meantime, he would rescue them from their sin and from the abuse of their evil shepherds (the religious leaders).
Jesus’ humility has been taught and displayed throughout Matthew 18–20, and now Matthew said that his humility showed him to be the king. This first coming as the sacrificial Son of Abraham (the Lamb of God) was on the back of a humble donkey. At his second coming, as the sovereign Son of David (Lion of Judah) he would ride a war horse (cf. Rev. 19:11).[3]
Questions to Consider:
- Jesus knows he is going to his death in Jerusalem (see Matt 20:17-19). From Matt 21:1-6, how does Jesus demonstrate his control over the situation and his willingness to die for people?
- Read the prophecy in Zechariah 9:1-17. What might the people have expected to happen when God’s chosen King came?
- How does Jesus go on to fulfil or subvert these expectations in an unexpected way?
- When might our expectations of what Jesus will do for people be wrong?
- How can we celebrate Jesus as the King who came to die for sinful people this Easter?
Prayer Time:
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Zec 9:9.
[2] Stuart K. Weber, Matthew, vol. 1, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 361–362.
[3] Stuart K. Weber, Matthew, vol. 1, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 362.