Matthew 21:16

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these are saying? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea, did ye never read; Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? And he left them, and went forth out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there.

Again Jesus appealed to the Scriptures (see Psalms 8:2). The praise of the children Jesus did not reject. It was indeed fulfillment of prophecy and should have been recognized by the Pharisees as additional proof of the identity of the Holy One among them. The fulfillment of God's purpose is seen in the action of the children. Since those who should have praised him refused to do so, the very children took up the cry; and the temple rang with the praises of its true Head and authority. God's will be done!

These events took place on Monday, although Matthew's account leaves an impression that it occurred on Sunday. Matthew did not pay much attention to strict chronological sequence but arranged much of his material topically.

Bethany, the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, became Christ's base of operations for the crucial events of Passion week. Bethany was located on the farther side of the Mount of Olives and was about two miles distant from Jerusalem on the road to Jericho.