Matthew 21:16 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Matthew 21:16

Comments

The chief priests and scribes are indignant. They have heard the multitude uttering the same words of praise on the previous day, when Christ came and cleansed the temple (Matthew 21:9-13). Then too, they had complained, one of them shouting out from the crowd, and demanded he prevent the crowds saying such things (Luke 19:39-40). Christ had told them that if the people kept silent, the very stones would cry out, for prophecy must be fulfilled and it was according to prophecy that he now entered Jerusalem as Israel’s King (Zechariah 9:9). But at the end of that day, he had gone to stay the night Bethany, presumably in the house of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and it was now the following day (Mark 11:11-12).This time the Lord Jesus replies by referring to Psalm 8: ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise’, and asks them scornfully if they have read it. Of course they have read it, but they have never reflected on it and have not understood how much it exposed their own hollow praise and worship. There is something deeply shameful about false worship. Here is a man claiming to be offering praise to God from his heart, but it is all a charade, a playact. Does he really want to be noticed for his piety? Yes, he does, but he does not want the observer to go further and see what is really in his heart, or what is missing from his heart – any true love for God. Without that, the whole thing becomes a detestable falsehood, all the more despicable because it is dressed up as the real thing.

Application

The guileless and wholehearted praise that comes out of the mouth of a believing child is a powerful corrective to that. The child may not have the profound doctrinal understanding of the mature believer, but the heart is not polluted with all the fabrication and pretence which the hypocrite has in his worship. That is of real value to God who searches the spirit of the worshipper to see what is in the heart. The religious leaders wanted to stifle the sound of the children’s praise, particularly because it was directed to the Lord Jesus, but the children were in this case the instructors of the adults, and had attained an honesty and a simplicity of spirit which was completely out of reach for these scribes and chief priests. In the children’s case, praise is perfected, because it is mixed with little else. There is not the same consideration of self; there is no thought given to the outward quality of the praise. All the focus is on the Lord and the worshiping child is taken up with him, and lost in wonder, love and praise. How perfectly appropriate was the selection of this text by the Lord as an answer to their criticism. There was so much for them to learn from it, if only they would apply themselves.

The child has genuine wonder and awe at the being of God. He does not restrain that wonder out of any self-consciousness. True worship takes over the whole mind, and causes a person to utter uninhibited appreciation of the living God. [At the same time, all is done in an orderly way, for ‘the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints’ (1 Corinthians 14:32-33).]

The Lord Jesus accepts the worship of children. This does not mean that every child is innocent, nor that every child has faith, but these children would not have been commended like this if there was no true understanding in them. Children can be converted at a young age, and adults must be ready to recognise the work of the Spirit in a young heart. God humbles the proud by correcting them through those they regard as inferior to them; it is his appropriate rebuke.

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Matthew 21:16 Commentary and Bible Study

The meaning of Matthew 21:16 explained