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Mat_21:2 f. Εἰς τὴν κώμην , κ . τ . λ .] Bethphage.
εὐθέως ] essentially appropriate to the specific character of the instructions: immediately, after you have entered.
The mention of two animals made by Matthew, though seemingly at variance with Mar_11:2, Luk_19:30, Joh_12:14, represents the matter more correctly than the other evangelists, and is neither to be explained symbolically (of Judaism and heathenism, Justin Martyr), nor to be regarded as a reduplication on the part of Matthew (Ewald, Holtzmann), nor to be traced to a misapprehension of the words of the prophet (de Wette, Neander, Strauss, Hilgenfeld), who intends åÀòÇì òÇéÄø as an epexegetical parallel to òÇìÎçÂîÉø ; for just in the same way are we to understand καὶ ἐπὶ πῶλον , Mat_21:5, so that, according to Matthew as well, Jesus rides upon, the foal, though accompanied by the mother, a detail which the other evangelists fail to notice. Moreover, it is simply arbitrary to assign a mythical character to the prediction of Jesus on the strength of Gen_49:11 (Strauss; on the other hand, Bleek).
ὅτι ] recitative.
ἀποστέλλει ] so far from refusing, He sends them away. The present represents as already taking place what will immediately and certainly be realized. Comp. Mar_4:29. In εὐθέως δέ , but at once, observe Jesus’ marvellous knowledge, not merely of the fact that the animals would undoubtedly be found awaiting them exactly as He said they would be, but of the further fact that the people of the place are so loyal to Him as perfectly to understand the meaning of the ὁ κύριος , κ . τ . λ ., and to find in those words sufficient reason for at once complying with His request. Comp. Mat_26:18. The idea of a magical virtue attaching to the use of the name Jesus (Strauss) is foreign to the text; while, on the other hand, we fail to satisfy the requirements of the three accounts of this incident by resolving it into a mere case of borrowing (Paulus) or requisition (Keim).
The simple account of John does not affect the credibility of the synoptic narrative (also in answer to Bleek). See note on Joh_12:14 f.