Matthew 21:15-17 15But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children calling out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were angry 16and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” 17And after leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.
It does not take long for opposition to rise up against Jesus. The chief priests and scribes protested the miracles Jesus was doing. It is interesting that Matthew does not say anything here about them protesting Jesus casting out the money changers. Perhaps they knew he was right and could not say anything about it. But why be against the miracles he was doing? This is the first time in Matthew that the high priests are mentioned, but they will be important characters in the following chapters. The opposition went right to the top leadership of the Jewish people.
Children were important to Jesus who took time in the chaos of the temple courts to defend them. They children saw the true identity of Jesus while the religious leaders were blinded to it. The blind and lame who came to Jesus found healing while the religious leaders remained blinded to the truth of Jesus. The children joined in the crowds continuing the praise to Jesus as the Son of David. The identity of Jesus will become a key factor in the following chapters. The chief priests and scribes tried to stop the praise of the children and became angry at the them. Their question accuses Jesus of not putting a stop to what the children were saying. Jesus heard what the children were saying and would not stop them because what they said was the truth.
Jesus quotes from Psalm 8:2 to counter the accusations of the Jewish leaders. Even the youngest and smallest of children (infants and nursing babies) can come praise to Jesus. This encounter is an opportunity for these leaders to join in this praise, but they refuse. This episode ends with the sad idea that Jesus left them. Their refusal to see the true identity of Jesus result in him walking away. The same choice confronts the readers of this story. What will we do with this Jesus of Nazareth?
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