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 repr