And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
And on the morrow. The Triumphal Entry being on the First day of the week, this following day was Monday.
When they were come from Bethany ["in the morning" (Matthew 21:18 )] he was hungry. How was that? Had He stolen forth from that dear roof at Bethany to the "mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God?" (Luke 6:12); or, "in the morning," as on a former occasion, "risen up a great while before day, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (Mark 1:35); not breaking His fast thereafter, but bending His steps straight for the city, that He might "work the works of Him that sent Him` while it was day"? (John 9:4). We know not, though one lingers upon and loves to trace out the every movement of that life of wonder. One thing, however, we are sure of-it was real bodily hunger which He now sought to allay by the fruit of this fig tree, "if haply He might find any thing thereon;" not a mere scene for the purpose of teaching a lesson, as some early heretics maintained, and some still seem virtually to hold.