And they said unto them ,.... The very express words, even as Jesus had commanded : not that these were the words they said, but "the Lord hath need of him": upon which they said no more, were satisfied and contented, that they should untie the colt, and take it with them: and they let them go ; and the colt with them, very freely; See Gill on Matthew 21:6 . read more
And they brought the colt to Jesus ,.... Where he was, and cast their garments on him ; their clothes to be instead of a saddle, for Christ to sit upon: and he sat upon him ; or "Jesus rode on him", as the Syriac version renders it. The Ethiopic version reads, "they made him to mount him"; that is, the disciples assisted him in getting upon it, and having mounted it, he sat on it without any trouble, though it had never been backed before, and rode on his way to Jerusalem; See Gill... read more
And many spread their garments in the way ,.... Instead of carpets to ride on, and in honour to him as a king: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way ; in token of joy, as at the feast of tabernacles; See Gill on Matthew 21:8 . read more
And they that went before, and they that followed ,.... They that came from Jerusalem to meet him, and they that followed him from Jericho and other parts; which two bodies, the one went before him, and the other followed after him: and cried, saying, Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ; See Gill on Matthew 21:9 . read more
Blessed be the kingdom of our father David ,.... It was more usual with the Jews to call Abraham their father; but, because the Messiah was David's son, therefore, with respect to him, they here call him their father: and their meaning is, let the kingdom promised to our father David, and to his seed for ever, that cometh in the name of the Lord ; which is now coming, and appears in the auspicious reign and government of his son, the Messiah, who is clothed with majesty and authority; be... read more
And Jesus entered into Jerusalem ,.... this public manner, riding upon an ass, with the multitude attending hin, some going before, and others after, crying, "Hosanna" to him: and into the temple ; which he rode up directly to; the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions, leave out the copulative "and"; his great concern being there; and having dismounted, and dismissed the colt, and sent it by proper persons to the owner of it, he went into the temple, into the court of the... read more
And on the morrow ,.... The next day early in the morning, when they were come from Bethany ; Christ, and his twelve disciples. The Syriac and Persic versions read, "when he came out of Bethany"; though not alone, but with the twelve disciples, who went with him there, and returned with him, as appears from Mark 11:14 , as he and they came out of that place early in the morning, having ate nothing, before they came from thence, he was hungry ; See Gill on Matthew 21:18 . read more
And seeing a fig tree afar off ,.... By the wayside, at some distance from him: having leaves ; very large and spreading, which made a great show, as if there might be fruit on it: he came ; unto it; either he went out of his way to it, or having seen it before him a good way off, at length came up to it if haply he might find any thing thereon ; that is, any fruit; for he saw at a distance, there were leaves upon it; and which was the more remarkable, since it was the time of... read more
And Jesus answered and said unto it ,.... The fig tree; a Jewish way of speaking, often used when nothing before is said; the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions, leave out the word "answered", as they do also the word "Jesus"; and which is likewise omitted by the Vulgate Latin, though the other is retained: no man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever ; which is all one, as if he had said, as the other evangelist does, let no fruit grow on thee; for where no fruit is, none can be had, or... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 11:5
And certain of them that stood there ,.... The Ethiopic version reads, who walked there; who were either standing hard by, or walking about the place, being inhabitants of it; and either the owners of the colt, or their servants, or both: said unto them, what do ye loosing the colt ? What do ye mean by it? do you intend to take the colt away? what business have you with it? what right have you to do so? and what is your end in it? read more