Audio Download

Matthew 21:1–22 Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem

[Study Aired September 15, 2025]

Our study for today is based on Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The study also highlights Jesus’ cleansing of the temple. Finally, the study ends with Jesus cursing the fig tree which produced no fruit. 

The Triumphal Entry

Mat 21:1  And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Mat 21:2  Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 
Mat 21:3  And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

Two cities are mentioned here in verse 1 – Jerusalem and Bethphage. Jerusalem here represents the church system of this world while Bethphage, which means house of figs, signifies the house of the Lord’s elect. 

Jer 24:1  The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
Jer 24:2  One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
Jer 24:3  Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

It is from the house or the assembly of the Lord’s elect, that the Lord is sending out His witnesses (the two disciples sent) to untie us (the ass and her colt) from our Babylonian captivity where we were in bondage to the flesh, to lead us to Christ. The ass and her colt represent the Lord’s elect in every generation. The coming of the two disciples is the coming of the Lord to us, His elect, to deliver us from our captivity to Babylon. We were the wild ass used to the wilderness of the church system of this world.

Jer 2:24  A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

Hos 8:9  For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.  

The loosing of the ass and his colt by the Lord’s disciples was to bring them to Christ. It is through the message of the elect to us when we were in captivity in Babylon or the churches of this world, that started the process of our being  released from our bondage to the flesh to meet the Lord. The reason we are being untied is because the Lord has need of us. My brothers and sisters, this is what the Lord is telling us today, that is, He has need of you and me!!  Are you weary or discouraged or depressed because of what you are going through? Then this is the message for you – the Lord has need of you in this age!! Let the Lord grant you the grace to avail yourself for Him. 

Mat 21:4  All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 
Mat 21:5  Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

Verse 5 is a quote from Zechariah 9:9. The daughter of Zion signifies the church of the Lord’s elect.  

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 

It is through the church of the Lord’s elect that the Lord is coming to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. The Lord sitting on an ass and a colt means that the Lord’s coming to us is through His elect (the ass and the colt), who are going about their master’s business in meekness. In the fullness of time, the Lord will come with His elect in a pageantry manner when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 
Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 
Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 
Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

What verse 5 implies is that because the Lord is coming to us through His elect in a meek or humble manner, it is very easy to miss out on His coming. Many have missed out on His coming. However, if you are called and chosen as His elect, you will surely hear the voice of the Shepherd through His elect.

Joh 10:25  Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 
Joh 10:26  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 
Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  

Mat 21:6  And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 
Mat 21:7  And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 

The Lord’s disciples in this age are those who are doing what He commands. In other words, as our expression of our love toward our Lord, we are given to obey Him in everything. On the other hand, as our Father, His love towards us is expressed through His giving. 

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; 

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

It is significant to note in verse 7 that the disciples put their clothes on the ass and the colt. The disciples who untied the ass and the colt represent the Lord’s elect. The clothes put on the ass and the colt symbolize the Lord’s righteousness which is given to us through faith in the Lord’s words spoken through His elect. 

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 
Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 

Mat 21:8  And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 
Mat 21:9  And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 

The very great multitude represents the people of this world including our brothers and sisters in Babylon. Their joyful celebration in welcoming Jesus and His disciples is a foretaste of the whole of creation who are waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God in the fullness of time. The multitude saying that blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord reflects the expectation of the people of the world that when the sons of God are manifested, they shall be delivered from their bondage to corruption. 

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 

The multitude spreading their garments in the way for Jesus and His disciples was an expression of their submission to Him and His disciples as shown in the story of Jehu’s coronation as king. All the captains with Jehu took their garments and put them under him to show their submission to Him when Jehu told them that the man who came to him told him that the Lord has anointed him as King.  In the fullness of time, when the kingdoms of this world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, the whole world would submit to us until the appointed time of their rebellion. 

2Ki 9:11  Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication. 
2Ki 9:12  And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. 
2Ki 9:13 Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king. 

Some of the multitude cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way, as observed during the feast of tabernacles. During the feast of booths or tabernacles, the people of Israel were to rejoice before the Lord for seven days with branches of palm trees, boughs of goodly trees, etc. The world shall celebrate our victory with the Lord when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. The seven days of celebration represent the complete period of our rulership, until the devil is released to deceive the world.

Lev 23:33  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Lev 23:34  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. 

Lev 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. 

Mat 21:10  And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 
Mat 21:11  And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. 

The Lord’s coming to us while we were in the church system of this world or Babylon is depicted by Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem. It is worth noting that the whole of the city was moved by Christ’s coming. This is to let us know that everything within us which can be moved, shall be moved by Christ’s coming. 

Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 
Heb 12:26  Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 
Heb 12:27  And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 

At that time, we were just like the multitude and could only see our Lord Jesus as a prophet just like the woman at the well who met Jesus. However, during her discussion with Christ, Jesus revealed Himself to her as the Messiah. In a similar vein, as we continue in Him, we shall know Him as He is.

Joh 4:19  The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 
Joh 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 
Joh 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

Mat 21:12  And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
Mat 21:13  And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 

Our body is the temple of God. Therefore, Jesus coming to us in Babylon with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness is to cleanse our temple, that is, our hearts and minds, so that we can communicate with Him in truth and in spirit. 

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

This cleansing of the temple by Jesus is recorded in all the four Gospels. Here in John’s version of the account, we are given more information regarding the cleansing process of our temple.  

Joh 2:13  And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 
Joh 2:14  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 
Joh 2:15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. 
Joh 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. 

Jesus used a scourge of small cords to drive out all that offend in our temple. This scourge of small cords represents the judgment of our old man or flesh, and it is the same as His coming to us with the spirit of His mouth. The coming of Jesus into our lives is to judge us so that our temple shall be cleansed by the destruction of our flesh. This is a process resulting in our bodies being offered as living sacrifice to the Lord.

Mal 3:1  “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 
Mal 3:2  But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 
Mal 3:3  He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. 
Mal 3:4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. 

One of the deeds of the flesh highlighted by the cleansing is our propensity to peddle the word of the Lord which we see in the church system of this world, which we were part of when the Lord came to us. Indeed, we were a den of thieves as described by the Lord when He came to us to start the cleansing process of our hearts and minds through His judgement.

2Co 2:17  For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. (ESV) 

1Ti 6:3  If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 
1Ti 6:4  he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 
1Ti 6:5  and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 
1Ti 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain, 

Prayer is our communication channel with the Lord. It is a two-way channel where we speak to the Lord, and He also speaks to us through His word. That is why the Lord’s coming is not only with the spirit of His mouth which speaks of His judgment, but His brightness, as He illuminates His word for us to understand. It is therefore important that our hearts and minds are cleansed so that the communication link with the Lord will be established. 

Mat 21:14  And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 

The blind and the lame coming to Jesus in the temple is another of saying that when the Lord came to us, we were blind and lame. That is to say that we were spiritually blind to the things of the Lord and that our walk was not pleasing to Him. The Lord healing the blind and the lame means that it is when the Lord comes to sit in our temple that we are given to see and walk in a way that pleases Him. 

Mat 13:11  And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. 

Mat 21:15  And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, 
Mat 21:16  And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? 
Mat 21:17  And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there. 

The chief priests and the scribes symbolize our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world. We were part of this church system at a stage of our walk with Christ. The chief priests and the scribes were jealous and envious of the wonderful work that Jesus did and the children crying out hosanna to the son of David. We know that jealousy and envy constitute some of the works of the flesh. This implies that during our walk in the churches of this world, we were ruled by our flesh.

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 
Gal 5:20  idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 
Gal 5:21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

It is important to interrogate Jesus’ statement that out of the mouth of infants and babies, you have perfected praise. This verse was quoted from Psalm 8:2 as follows:

Psa 8:2  Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 

In previous studies, we realized that the children of whom Jesus said that the kingdom of Heaven belongs to them refer to the Lord’s elect. It is the humility of children which the Lord references when He said we should be like children. One of the key characteristics of the Lord’s elect is that they are humble and therefore represent children. That is why the kingdom of Heaven belongs to them. 

Mat 18:2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 
Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 
Mat 18:5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Babies and sucklings refer to children and therefore the Lord’s elect. The statement that out of the mouth of babies and sucklings you have perfected praise means that it is the Lord’s elect who have perfected praise. According to Strong’s Dictionary, perfected in verse 16 means to complete. Therefore it is the Lord’s elect who complete praise. In the Bible, there is one thing that we are to complete. As we suffer in this age through the Lord’s judgment, we are completing what remains of Christ’s suffering.  

Col 1:24  And now I am happy about my sufferings for you, for by means of my physical sufferings I am helping to complete what still remains of Christ’s sufferings on behalf of his body, the church. (GNB)

Praise is a form of worship and therefore when we offer our bodies as living sacrifice to the Lord through the judgment of our old man or flesh, we are perfecting our worship of the Lord, and it is this form of worship which silences the adversary.

Psa 8:2  Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 

In verse 17, Jesus left Jerusalem and lodged in Bethany. According to Thayer’s Dictionary, Bethany means house of dates or house of misery. As He is, so are we. We must leave Babylon (Jerusalem) and suffer with Christ in the assembly of His elect.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

Mat 21:18  Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. 
Mat 21:19  And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away. 
Mat 21:20  And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! 

In the Bible, trees represent people, as shown in the following verses:

Jer 7:20  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched. 

Mar 8:24  And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 

There are some specific trees that are used in the Bible to refer to the Lord’s people. Some of these trees are cedars of Lebanon, palm trees, vine trees, fig trees, etc. as shown in the following verses:

Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 

Eze 15:6  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 

Joe 1:7  He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white. 

Based on these verses, we can say that the fig tree Jesus saw on His way to Jerusalem, represents the Lord’s people who had gone astray. Specifically, we are talking about the church system of this world or Babylon. Babylon is like the fig tree, having leaves, which to a casual observer may seem to be doing well. However, they are not producing fruit. In other words, it is impossible for our brothers and sisters in Babylon to produce the fruits of the spirit. This fruit of the spirit is produced through the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh. At a certain stage of our walk with Christ, we were like this fig tree. We were not able to produce the fruits of the spirit, until Christ came into our lives with His judgment.

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  

The Lord cursing the fig tree that it bears no fruit implies that the church system of this world shall never bear fruits. That means that our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world shall never bear the fruits of the spirit as long as they continue to worship in Babylon. 

Psa 137:1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psa 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 
Psa 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. 
Psa 137:4 How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land? 

It is instructive to note that after Jesus cursed the fig tree, it withered. What this means is that we become worse off in Babylon. As shown in verse 20, it was only the disciples who were able to see that the tree which was cursed had withered. Those within the church system of this world are not able to see their nakedness. It is the Lord’s elect who are given to see our deplorable state in Babylon. 

2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.   

Mat 21:21  Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 
Mat 21:22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. 

Jesus used the withering of the fig tree to show His disciples how to walk by faith. It is not about how big our faith is. It is about applying the faith that the Lord has given to us. The more we apply our faith, the more our faith grows. In verse 22, we must understand that it is the sum of the Lord’s words that gives us direction. We know from the word of the Lord that whatever we ask must be in accordance with His will. In other words, if we ask believing, according to His will, we shall surely receive. 

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 

Psa 119:160  The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. (ESV)

May His name be praised. Amen!!