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Matthew 21:4
ESV This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
NIV This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
NASB Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:
CSB This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
NLT This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,
KJV All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
NKJV All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

What does Matthew 21:4 mean?

Before entering Jerusalem, Jesus has sent two disciples to pick up a donkey and her colt form a nearby village. He has prearranged this and let the disciples know that the animals will be waiting for them there. Jesus will ride the colt into Jerusalem instead of walking (Matthew 21:1–3).

This was to fulfill a specific prophecy about the Messiah. The prophet in question is Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9), though a similar statement is also found in Isaiah (Isaiah 62:11). Matthew's reference could be attributed to either. Unlike most prophecies fulfilled by Jesus, Matthew is clear that Jesus orchestrated this one personally. Commentators refer to it as an "acted parable," meaning that Jesus is intentionally demonstrating to the crowds that He is the Messiah.

Prior to this moment, Jesus has been cautious about making His identity as Messiah widely known (Matthew 16:20; Mark 8:30). John, in his gospel, points out that this is because Jesus knows the time is not yet right for that news (John 2:4; 7:8). The people were likely to misunderstand (John 6:15). Now, however, it is time for Christ to openly claim His title (Matthew 21:9).
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Context Summary
Matthew 21:1–11 follows Jesus on His final, "triumphal" entry into Jerusalem. He rides on a donkey for the final mile or so to intentionally fulfill a prophecy from Zechariah about the king arriving in Jerusalem. The crowds praise Him as the Messiah, lining His path with branches and their cloaks. They shout out, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" as seen in Psalm 118. The event we now call Palm Sunday stirs up Jerusalem with many people asking who Jesus is.
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Chapter Summary
Jesus fulfills a prophecy from Zechariah about the coming of the king to Jerusalem by riding in on a donkey. The people celebrate and praise Him as the Messiah. Jesus drives the marketers and moneychangers out of the temple and heals some people. He curses a fig tree and tells the disciples nothing will be impossible for them with faith. Jesus forces cowardly and hypocritical religious leaders to back down with a question about John the Baptist. He then exposes their fraudulent spirituality with two parables about vineyards. Jesus applies to Himself a psalm about a rejected stone being made the cornerstone by the Lord.
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What is the Gospel?
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