The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications of the Holy Gospel of the First Sunday of Advent (Ad Te Levavi), Matthew 21:1–11, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.
I. The advent of Christ to Jerusalem. (v. 1–11)
Annotated Text
1. When * they (Christ and His disciples together with the people that followed Him) now drew near to Jerusalem, and came to (opposite of) Bethphage (and Bethany, Luke 19:29) to the Mount of Olives, 1 Jesus sent two disciples,
* Mark 11:1; John 12:12
1 Greek: “And when” [Καὶ ὅτε]
2. and He said to them, “Go into the town which lies before you (into the market which lies opposite you, Luke 19:30) and immediately (when you come into it) you will find a donkey tied up and a colt with it (also bound, on which no man has yet sat, Luke 19:30); loose it and bring it to Me. (For what purpose the Lord Christ intended to use this beast of burden He had not yet indicated to the disciples; but He was intent to hold His royal entry into the city of Jerusalem previously proclaimed by the Prophet.)
3. And if someone should say something to you (and ask: ‘Why are you doing this?’ Mark 11:3; ‘Why do you loose the donkey and the colt?’ Luke 9:31), then say: ‘The Lord has need of it (for His service); and immediately he will allow it (to follow) you (and send them).”
4. Now all this happened that it would be fulfilled what had been said through the prophet (Zechariah), when he said:
5. “Say * to the daughter (the inhabitants) of Zion (of the city of Jerusalem, whose highest part was built upon Mount Zion; however, thereby is understood the Israelite Church): ‘Behold, your (heavenly soul-) † King comes to you (that He might have mercy on you and help you; thus, be for your good before others) meek (humble and lowly), and riding upon a donkey and upon a colt, the load-bearing donkey.” (Christ first rode upon the donkey and afterwards He sat Himself on the colt upon which He rode into the city. By the donkey is signified the Jews, the burden-bearing people; by the untamed colt, the Gentiles.)
* Zechariah 9:9ff.; John 12:15
† Psalm 24:8 (Isaiah 62:11)
6. The disciples went out (from willing obedience, and they found it as He had said; for they found the colt tied at the door, outside at the crossroads, and they loosed it. But as they were loosing the colt, certain ones who were standing there said to them, “What are you doing, that you are loosing the colt?” Mark 11:4–5. And its lords said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?” Luke 19:33. But they said to them as Jesus had commanded them, “The Lord has need of it,” and they allowed it, Mark 11:6.) and (those who were sent) did, as Jesus had commanded them.
7. And they brought the donkey and colt (to Jesus), and laid their * garments thereupon (so that He might ride all the more gently) and set Him thereupon (They cast their garments upon the colt, and He sat upon it, Mark 11:7. But such, what had been prophesied by Zechariah and what otherwise happened here, His disciples did not understood beforehand, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that such has been written concerning Him and that they had done such things to Him, John 12:16).
* 2 Kings 9:13; Mark 11:7–8
8. Now many people1 spread their garments on the way (Such they did out of reverence toward this new King, as the like happened to Jehu, 2 Kings 9:13.); others2 cut down branches (green boughs) from the trees and strew them on the way (to adorn Him, to bear witness to their joy, and to confess Christ as a peace-rich and victory-rich king. And many people who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus had come to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet Him, John 12:12–13. And as He came near and descended the Mount of Olives, the whole heap of His disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice on account of all the deeds they had seen, Luke 19:37.).
(1 Maccabees 13:51)
1 Greek: “most of the people” (who partly came along from Jericho, Matthew 20:29, partly had already come to Jerusalem for the feast and who went out to meet Him out of amazement concerning the raising of Lazarus).
2 Greek: “but” [δὲ]
9. But the (remaining common) people, who went before and followed after, cried out and said, “Hosanna (Luther: “In German, ‘Hosanna’ means ‘Ah, help!’ or ‘Ah, give good fortune and salvation!’—that is what we wish for.”) to the Son of David (to this new King, born of the lineage of David. The Jews had taught their children that when the Messiah would someday present Himself, they should receive Him with these words of the kingly prophet David; thus, because they heard that Jesus of Nazareth wanted to have His entry as the promised Messiah and the King of His Church, they had received Him in such a form)!1 Blessèd is He who comes (as a King) in the name of the Lord (sent by God to His people, that He should be a King of Israel, John 12:13; “Blessed be the kingdom of our father David!” Mark 11:10.)! Hosanna in the highest! (You Son of David who are in the highest, that is, a heavenly King and true God, help us. “Peace be in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:38. And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Master, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I say to you, if these should be silent, then the stones would cry out,” Luke 19:39–40.)
(Matthew 23:39)
1 † Ordinarily, this formula from Psalm 118:25 was used at the Feast of Tabernacles. But the Jews also spoke it at other times on joyful occasions. See 1 Maccabees 13:51; 2 Maccabees 10:6; etc.
10. And when He had entered into Jerusalem, the entire city was stirred up (frightened and became distressed) and said (all the inhabitants of that city were frightened and said), “Who is this (who comes riding into the city with such a multitude of people and to whom one wishes good fortune as to a king)?”
11. But the People said, “This is the (famous) Jesus, * the prophet from Nazareth (who was conceived and raised up in Nazareth, Matthew 2:23; Luke 2:51) of Galilee (which city of Nazareth lies in Galilee. But the Pharisees said among one another, “You see that you are achieving nothing. Behold, all the world is running after Him,” John 12:19.).
* Luke 7:16; John 1:45
Useful Applications
I. DOCTRINE: That all things which happened at the time of the revelation of Christ in His received humanity were preached beforehand by all the prophets of the Old Testament, shown here by the citation of the prophet Zechariah concerning the entry of Christ into Jerusalem upon a donkey and a colt. (v. 4–5)
PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS 