His House!
Matthew 21:1-22

I. MATTHEW 21:1-11 – The Triumphal Entry
A. Observations
1. Bethphage (verse 1) – “house of unripe figs”
2. “The Lord” (verse 3) – The King has dominion, authority above all authorities.
3. “Donkey tied, and a colt with her” (verse 2) – Humility is in view. Horses are usually for
military, donkeys are used for heavy labor.
4. Jesus rides the colt – future generation
5. Jesus riding the colt might allude to Genesis 49:11. Jesus is the vine! “tied” is the covenant,
the colt is future Israel.
6. Zechariah 9:9 – 500 b.c
7. Isaiah 62:11 – possible written around 740 b.c
8. This Passover crowd was composed of at least three groups: the jews who lived in
Jerusalem, the crowd from Galilee, and the people who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the
dead (John 12:17-18).
9. “Hosanna” (verse9) – “Save now!” they were quoting Psalm 118:25-26.
B. Application – Spiritual Blindness
1. The cries of “Hosanna” were soon to be Cries of “Crucify him!”
2. They cried out to their own concept what a savior is. They thought they had before them a
military hero that would save them from the rule of Rome. They cried out to another Jesus.
3. John 1:11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
4. Sometimes we have our own concept of who Jesus is and not the Jesus of the bible. Many
times the Jesus of the bible becomes distasteful. We want a Jesus that agrees with
everything that we want to do and everything we think we need. We’re not really worshipping
the Jesus of the bible but really only whipping ourselves.

II. MATTHEW 21:12-17 – Jesus Cleanses The Temple
A. Observations
1. The temple served as the central place of worship for the Jewish people for centuries.
2. This is what set them apart amongst the nations was their worship to Yahweh in this temple.
3. The Temple started as a tabernacle, then Solomons temple was built, then destroyed by the
babylonians, after the Babylonian exile the Jews returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt their
second temple then destroyed by the Romans in 70 a.d.
4. It was a missionary work to make it convenient for outsiders to know and worship Yahweh the
God of the Jews by selling a particular sacrificial animal. This turned into a religious market
and turned the outsiders away.
5. “den of robbers” – Thieves hide in a den, these religious people hid behind this religious
market to cover up their sin.
6. “My house” – Jesus says that he is God without saying that he is God.
7. “House of prayer” – prayer is an evidence of our dependence on God.
B. Application – Hypocrisy part 1
1. 2 Peter 2:5 We collectively for a spiritual temple
2. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Paul says you and I are God’s temple.
3. The building is not the temple but us collectively and individually.
4. What is going on in our temple collectively and individually?
5. Sometimes we get so into all the elements (serving at church, Christian music, bible
knowledge) that christians can be busy with and never have a relationship with Jesus. This
turns away people looking an answer to their life.

His House!
Matthew 21:1-22
III. MATTHEW 21:18-22 – Jesus Curses The Fig Tree
A. Observations
1. The fig tree symbolized the nation of Israel (Jer. 8:13, Hos. 9:10,16, Luke 13:6-9).
2. Just as this tree had leaves but no fruit, so Israel had a show of religion and no signs of faith
in their God Yahweh.
3. The presence of leaves usually indicate the presence of fruit.
4. It is possible that this curse alludes to the destruction of the temple in 70 a.d.
B. Application – Hypocrisy part 2
1. God wants to produce fruit in the lives of his people.
2. Jesus used this event to teach his disciples a practical lesson about faith and prayer. The
temple was supposed to be a house of prayer and the nation was to be a believing people.
But both of these essentials were missing. We too must beware of the dangers of
fruitlessness.
IV. Conclusion
A. In Matthew chapter 21 we see our Lord Jesus showed up in triumph and humility, inaugurating
the new covenant which would be complete a week later. The people praised him hoping he was
what they wanted but he was what they needed. Jesus points out their inward corruption and
outward fruitlessness by cleansing the temple and cursing the fig tree. We do the same thing
today. We honor him with our lips and reject him with our actions. This change must begin
internal where He wants to dwell in His house!.