Mateo 21:1-17

B. Jesus’ presentation of Himself to Israel as her King 21:1-17

Jesus came to Jerusalem to present Himself formally to the leaders of Israel as the nation’s Messiah. He did this when He entered Jerusalem as Isaiah and Zechariah predicted Messiah would appear.

"Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time in a manner which showed that He was none other than the Messiah, the Son of David, who was coming to Sion to claim the city as His own." [Note: Tasker, p.197.]

The events Matthew recorded in chapters 21-28 happened within six days. John recorded that Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before Passover, evidently the Saturday evening before Passion Week (John 12:1-10). Jesus had previously traveled from Jericho eventually arriving in a town called Ephraim from which He then went to Bethany (cf. Luke 19:1-28; John 11:55-57). Jesus apparently stayed in Bethany until Monday when He entered Jerusalem. [Note: Hoehner, Chronological Aspects . . ., p. 91.] After that, He seems to have gone back and forth between Bethany and Jerusalem throughout the week (Matthew 21:17).

Matthew continued to tell his story by presenting groups of three, as he did in previous chapters: three symbolic actions (Matthew 21:1-22), three polemical parables (Matthew 21:28 to Matthew 22:14), and three hostile questions and responses (Matthew 22:15-40).