And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem— The multitude which attended our Lord in this journey, ch. Matthew 20:29 having increased prodigiously as he advanced towards Jerusalem, he did not now shun them, and enter the city privately, as he had always done on former occasions.The people were to honour him with the title of the Messiah, publicly, that he might have an opportunity of accepting that august name in the most avowed manner, before he ascended into heaven. Moreover, the chief priests who had issued out a proclamation against him, John 11:57 were to be awed, at least for a while, and restrained from offeringhim violence; for, as he had doctrines to teach, rebukes to give, and other things to do, which could not fail to incense those proud rulers, without doubt they would have put him to death prematurely, had not the people appeared on his side, or he himself interfered with divine and irresistible power. Accordingly, after the parable of the husbandman was spoken, Matthew 21:45-46 the priests sought to lay hands on him, but feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. Nay, the whole council was intimidated by them; for in their deliberation about putting Jesus to death, they said one to another, ch. Matthew 26:5. Not on the feast-day, lest there be an uproar among the people. Our Lord's driving the buyers and sellers out of the temple, his parables of the husbandmen and marriage-supper, representing the rejection of the Jewish nation, and the downfal of the state, with the woes denounced against the Pharisees in their own hearing, made part of the work that he had to do before he ascended, which would have brought instant destruction upon him, had not the great men's rage been restrained by the uncommon respect which the people generally shewed him: wherefore, the multitude being now very great, and Jesus having such good reasons not to shun them as formerly, he sent two of his disciples for an ass which never had been rode upon, but which by his simple volition he could tame; proposing according to the prophesy, Zechariah 9:9 to ride into the city amid the surrounding throng. Probably there were strait passes in the mount of Olives, through which the road lay, Luke 19:37 and, no doubt, narrow streets in the city also, by which he was to go to the temple. In these narrow passes and lanes Jesus might have been incommoded by the press, had he walked on foot; besides, the strangers who were now at Jerusalem would increase the crowd. It seems they knew of his coming, John 12:12 and perhaps expected that he was bringing Lazarus along with him, to shew him in public, as a trophy of his power. (Compare John 12:12 with Matthew 21:18.) For the sight of Lazarus in Bethany having already induced many to believe, they might naturally suppose that his appearingopenly would produce the same effect in Jerusalem; and as they were in full hopes that the Messiah's kingdom was to be erected at this passover, they could not but think it necessary, that all opposers should instantly be convinced, and obliged to acknowledge the Messiah's title to the throne of his illustrious ancestors.
St. Mark and St. Luke mention Bethphage and Bethany; whence it seems to follow, that travellers, in their way to Jerusalem from Jericho, arrived at Bethphage before they came to Bethany. These two villages were situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and the road to the city lay between them; only it was nearer to Bethphage than to Bethany; therefore, when Jesus, in travelling from Jericho, came to the foot of the mountain, he was but a little way from Bethphage, nevertheless, intending to lodge at Bethany with Lazarus, he went thither. Next day, returning to the road from Jericho, he sent the two disciples to Bethphage, with orders to bring the ass, Matthew 21:2. If the reader will view the several expressions used by the Evangelists in the light of this description, he will see the exact propriety of each of them. Jesus sent the disciples away, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, as St. Luke tells us; or as St. Mark expresses it, when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany; a phrase, which not only determines the place whence the disciples were sent away, but shews on what quarter Jesus and his train were approaching the town. Both the villages being situated at the foot of the mountain, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of about two miles only. Also he was come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, as St. Matthew expresses it, because, as we before observed, the road was nearer Bethphage than Bethany. And as Jesus was coming from Bethany, when he sent the disciples away, whither he sent them must have been directly opposite to them; hence it is termed the village over-against them;— απεναντι, κατεναντι,— being a little off from the road of the city. See Luke 19:37. Macknight, Lightfoot, and Whitby, on Mark 11:1.