Afterwards (chap. 21), disposing of all that belonged to His willing
people, He makes His entry into Jerusalem as King and Lord, according to
the testimony of Zechariah. But although entering as King-the last
testimony to the beloved city, which (to their ruin) was going to reject
Him-He comes as a meek and lowly King. The power of God influences the
heart of the multitudes, and they salute Him as King, as Son of David,
making use of the language supplied by Psalm 118,
[see note #62] which celebrates
the millennial sabbath brought in by the Messiah, then to be acknowledged
by the people. The multitude spread their garments to prepare the way for
their meek, though glorious King; they cut down branches from the trees to
bear Him testimony; and He is conducted in triumph to Jerusalem, while the
people cry, "Hosanna [Save now] to the Son of David: Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!" Happy for them if
their hearts had been changed to retain this testimony in the Spirit. But
God sovereignly disposed their hearts to bear this testimony; He could not
allow His Son to be rejected without receiving it.
And now the King is going to review everything, still maintaining His
position of humility and of testimony. Apparently the different classes
come to judge Him, or to perplex Him; but in fact they all present
themselves before Him to receive at His hands, one after another, the
judgment of God respecting them. It is a striking scene that opens before
us-the true Judge, the everlasting King, presenting Himself for the last
time to His rebellious people with the fullest testimony to His rights and
to His power; and they, coming to harass and condemn Him, led by their very
malice to pass before Him one after another, laying open their real
condition, to receive their judgment from His lips, without His forsaking
for a moment (unless in cleansing the temple, before this scene commenced)
the position of Faithful and True Witness in all meekness on the earth.
The difference between the two parts of this history is distinguishable.
The first presents the Lord in His character of Messiah and Jehovah. As
Lord, He commands the ass to be brought. He enters the city, according to
the prophecy, as King. He cleanses the temple with authority. In answer to
the priests' objection He quotes Psalm 8, which speaks of the manner in
which Jehovah caused Himself to be glorified, and perfected the praises due
to Him out of the mouth of babes. In the temple also He heals Israel. He
then leaves them, no longer lodging in the city, which He could no longer
own, but with the remnant outside. The next day, in a remarkable figure He
exhibits the curse about to fall upon the nation. Israel was the fig-tree
of Jehovah; but it cumbered the ground. It was covered with leaves, but
there was no fruit. The fig-tree, condemned by the Lord, presently withers
away. It is a figure of this unhappy nation, of man in the flesh with every
advantage, which bore no fruit for the Husbandman.
Israel in fact possessed all the outward forms of religion, and were
zealous for the law and the ordinances, but they bore no fruit unto God. So
far as placed under responsibility to bring forth fruit, that is to say,
under the old covenant, they will never do so. Their rejection of Jesus put
an end to all hope. God will act in grace under the new covenant; but this
is not the question here. The fig-tree is Israel as they were, man
cultivated by God, but in vain. All was over. That which He said to the
disciples of the mountain's removing, while it is a great general
principle, refers also, I doubt not, to that which should take place in
Israel by means of their ministry. Looked at corporately on the earth as a
nation, Israel should disappear, and be lost among the Gentiles. The
disciples were those whom God accepted according to their faith.
We see the Lord entering Jerusalem as a king-Jehovah, the King of
Israel-and judgment pronounced on the nation. Then follow the details of
judgment on the different classes of which it was composed. First come the
chief priests and elders, who should have guided the people; they draw near
to the Lord and question His authority. Thus addressing Him, they took the
place of heads of the nation, and assumed to be judges, capable of
pronouncing on the validity of any claims that might be made; if not, why
concern themselves with Jesus?
The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, puts a question to them which tests their
capability and by their own confession they were incapable. How then judge
Him?
[see note #63] To tell them the foundation of His authority, was useless. It
was too late now to tell them. They would have stoned Him, if He had
alleged its true source. He replies, Decide on John the Baptist's mission.
If they could not do this, why inquire respecting His? They cannot do it.
If they acknowledged John to have been sent of God it would be
acknowledging Christ. To deny it would be to lose their influence with the
people. Of conscience there was no question with them. They confess their
inability. Jesus then declines their competency as leaders and guardians of
the faith of the people. They had judged themselves; and the Lord proceeds
to set their conduct, and the Lord's dealings with them, plainly before
their eyes, from verse 28 to chapter 22: 14.
First, while professing to do the will of God, they did it not; while the
openly wicked had repented and done His will. They, seeing this, were still
hardened. Again, not only had natural conscience remained untouched,
whether by the testimony of John, or by the sight of repentance in others,
but, although God had used every means to make them bring forth fruit
worthy of His culture, He had found nothing in them but perversity and
rebellion. The prophets had been rejected, and His Son would be so
likewise. They desired to have His inheritance for themselves. They could
not but acknowledge that in such case the consequence must necessarily be
the destruction of those wicked men, and the bestowal of the vineyard on
others. Jesus applies the parable to themselves, by quoting Psalm 118,
which announces that the stone rejected by the builders should become the
head-stone of the corner; moreover, that whosoever should fall on this
stone-as the nation was at that moment doing-should be broken; but that on
whomsoever it should fall-and this would be the lot of the rebellious
nation in the last days-it should grind them to powder. The chief priests
and the Pharisees understood that He spoke of them, but they dared not lay
hands on Him, because the multitude took Him for a prophet. This is the
history of Israel, as under responsibility, even till the last days.
Jehovah was seeking fruit in His vineyard.
