Big Idea: After mercifully healing two blind men, Jesus enters Jerusalem as a peaceable and humble king in concert with Zechariah’s vision of Israel’s king who comes to bring salvation.

Understanding the Text

This passage, which narrates Jesus healing two blind men outside Jericho (20:29–34) and thereafter entering Jerusalem in kingly fashion (21:1–11), introduces a new section of Matthew focused on Jesus’ ministry to crowds and confrontations with Jewish leaders in Jerusalem (chaps. 21–23). Matthew ties the healing account and Jerusalem entry stories together by emphasizing Jesus as the “Son of David” in both (20:30–31; 21:9). After an extended section featuring Jesus and his disciples (16:21–20:28), the crowds reappear in these two passages (20:29; 21:9, 11; though see 19:2). Matthew d…