“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,”
My Notes
What Does Matthew 21:15 Mean?
"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." Jesus has just cleansed the temple, healed the blind and lame within its courts, and children are spontaneously praising him as the messianic Son of David. The religious leaders see miracles and hear worship — and their response is anger.
The detail about children is significant. In the temple hierarchy, children had no status. They couldn't offer sacrifices, couldn't testify, couldn't participate in formal worship. Yet they're the ones who recognize Jesus correctly. The professionals — the chief priests and scribes who devoted their lives to studying the Messiah's coming — are "sore displeased" that he's actually here. Religious expertise became the very thing that blinded them.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Has your religious knowledge or experience ever made you less open to what God was doing?
- 2.Why do you think children recognized Jesus when trained theologians couldn't?
- 3.Is there an area of your life where you're more invested in your system than in recognizing God's actual movement?
- 4.When was the last time you responded to God with childlike openness rather than critical analysis?
Devotional
Miracles are happening. The blind see. The lame walk. Children are singing "Hosanna to the Son of David" in the temple courts. And the chief priests are furious.
Let that sink in. The people whose entire job was to prepare for the Messiah are angry that he showed up. Not because the evidence was unclear — blind people were seeing, lame people were walking, the temple was being restored to its purpose. The evidence was overwhelming. They were just angry that it didn't happen on their terms, through their systems, with their approval.
Meanwhile, children get it immediately. No theological training. No religious credentials. Just open hearts and clear eyes: "Hosanna to the Son of David." Sometimes the people with the least sophistication see the most clearly.
This pattern should make you examine yourself honestly. Is there an area where your religious knowledge or experience has actually made you less responsive to what God is doing? Where your expertise has become a barrier rather than a bridge? The chief priests weren't stupid. They were invested — in a system that Jesus was disrupting. And when your investment in how things should work becomes more important than recognizing God when he shows up, you end up "sore displeased" at the very miracles you prayed for.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And when the chief priests and Scribes,.... The inveterate enemies of Christ; who upon hearing the shouts of the people…
This paragraph contains the account of the barren fig-tree, and of the cleansing of the temple. See also Mar 11:12-19;…
The Children's Praise. Peculiar to St Matthew
15. the chief priests The heads of the twenty-four priestly courses, as…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture