Jesus Leaves Jerusalem - Matthew 21:17

Matthew the apostle wrote, “when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that” Jesus “did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Do you Hear what these say? And Jesus said unto them, Yes; have you never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have perfected praise?”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse seventeen of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus, “left them, and went out of the city into Bethany” where we read:

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

The verse reads, “And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany;” Matthew began with the words, “and he left them” or “and Jesus departed from the chief priests and scribes”, “and went” which means “left and departed” “out of the city” or “away from the habitation of Jerusalem” “into Bethany” which means “the house of dates or misery” and was “a village at the Mount of Olives about two miles (three kilometers) from Jerusalem which was on or near the normal road to Jericho”. Matthew shared how Jesus departed from the “chief priests and scribes” who were in Jerusalem and traveled to the little village of “Bethany”.

The verse continues, “ and he lodged there.” Matthew added the words, “and he lodged” or “and Jesus passed the night and abode” “there” which refers to “Bethany”. Matthew wrote how Jesus abode in “Bethany” after arriving there.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus did not stay in Jerusalem with the questioning religious leaders, but rather retreated to the small village of “Bethany”. “Bethany” was the location of the home of “Mary, Martha and Lazarus”, and Jesus often went there to abide with them. God wants all people to invite Him into their lives through His Son Jesus, and when they submit their lives to Him and repent of their sins, Jesus will come into their lives and “abide” with them “and He with them”. (See John 15:7)

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus was, “hungry”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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