Geneva Study Bible And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, And {1} when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
(1) Christ by his humility, triumphing over the pride of this world, ascends to true glory by the shame of the cross. 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. 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.
And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway {a} he will send them.
(a) He that will say anything to you will let them go, that is, the ass and the colt. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
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. Tell ye the {b} daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
(b) The city of Sion. This is a Hebrew idiom, common in the Lamentations of Jeremiah. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their {c} clothes, and they set him {d} thereon.
(c) Their uppermost garment. (d) Upon their garments, not upon the ass and the colt. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
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. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, {e} Hosanna to the Son of David: {f} Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
(e) This was an ancient kind of cry, which they voiced in the feast of Tabernacles, when they carried boughs according as God commanded; Le 23:40. And the word is corruptly made of two, for we should say, Hoshiang-na, which is as much as to say, Save I pray thee. (f) Well is it to him that comes in the Name of the Lord, that is to say, whom the Lord has given us for our King. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And when he was come into Jerusalem, {g} all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
(g) That is, all the men of Jerusalem were moved. And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
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, 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,
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. 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.
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
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, {2} 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,
(2) Those that should be masters of godliness are the ones that envy most the glory of Christ: but in vain. 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? 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 {h} perfected praise?
(h) You have made most perfect. We read in David, Thou hast established or grounded, and if the matter is considered well, the evangelist says here the same thing, for that which is most perfect is stable and sure. And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there. {3} And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
(3) Christ does in this way forsake the wicked, for he has a consideration and regard for his Church. Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. {4} Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
(4) Hypocrites will at length have their masks discovered, and any false faces taken away. 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 for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. 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 for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
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. {5} Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and {i} 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.
(5) How great the force of faith is. (i) The Greek word signifies a fixing or wavering of mind, so that we cannot tell which way to take. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? {6} And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what {k} authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
(6) Against those who neglect the doctrine and bind the calling and vocation to an ordinary succession, going about by that false pretext, to stop Christ's mouth. (k) Or by what power. And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you {l} one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
(l) One thing, that is to say, I will ask you one thing first before I answer your questions. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? The {m} baptism of John, whence was it? from {n} heaven, or of men? And they {o} reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
(m) The preaching of John is called by the figure baptism because he preached the baptism of repentance, etc.; Mr 1:4 Ac 19:3. (n) From God, and so it is plainly seen how these are set one against another. (o) Beat their heads about it, and mused, or laid their heads together. But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.
And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots {p} go into the kingdom of God before you.
(p) They hurry to the kingdom of God and you go slowly, so that you should at least have followed their example. Mark then that this word, go into, is improperly taken in this place because none of them followed Christ. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. For John came unto you in the {q} way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
(q) Living uprightly, being of good and honest behaviour; For the Hebrews use this word way for life and manners. Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: {8} Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a {r} tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
(8) Those men are often the cruellest enemies of the Church, to whose faithfulness it is committed: But the vocation of God is neither tied to time, place, nor person. (r) Made the place strong: for a tower is the strongest place of a wall. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us {s} seize on his inheritance.
(s) Literally, let us hold it fast. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. They say unto him, He will {t} miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
(t) A kind of proverb, showing what punishment the wicked are worthy of. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the {u} builders rejected, the same is {x} become the {y} head of the corner: {z} this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
(u) Master builders, who are chief builders of the house, that is of the Church. (x) Began to be. (y) The chiefest stone in the corner is called the head of the corner: which bears up the couplings or joints of the whole building. (z) That matter (in that the stone which was cast away is made the head) is the Lord's doing which we behold and greatly marvel at. Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the {a} fruits thereof.
(a) They bring forth the fruits of the kingdom of God, who bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, and not of the flesh, Ga 5:16-26. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will {b} grind him to powder.
(b) As chaff used to be scattered with the wind, for he uses a word which properly signifies separating the chaff from the corn with winnowing, and to scatter it abroad. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. {9} But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. (9) The wicked can do nothing but what God wills. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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