Bible Strands
Matthew 21:10
When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the moment Jesus enters Jerusalem while the crowds from the preceding verse follow Him. The entire city reacts to His arrival by asking, “Who is this?” The words — The aorist particulate εἰσελθόντος (eiselthontos) literally means “when was entering,” pinning the scene to the exact moment of arrival. The verb ἐσείσθη (eseisthē) translates to “was stirred,” describing the sudden commotion that gripped the population. The thread — A city being stirred by a significant arrival recurs in Ruth 1:19, where Bethlehem reacts to Naomi and Ruth, and 1 Samuel 16:4, where the elders tremble at Samuel’s presence. The open question “Who is this?” parallels the identity inquiry in Acts 9:5, where a persecuted figure must be explicitly named. Why it lands — The text reports the crowd’s immediate uncertainty despite their prior shouts, requiring the reader to note the gap between acclaim and clear identification. It demands waiting for the explicit answer in Matthew 21:11 rather than assuming the identity prematurely.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
Cross-references
- Acts 9:5 “Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.
- Ruth 1:19 So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women of the town exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
- 1 Samuel 16:4 So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”
- Song of Solomon 3:6 Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from all the spices of the merchant?
- Isaiah 63:1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.”
- Luke 5:21 But the scribes and Pharisees began thinking to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
- Luke 7:49 But those at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
- Luke 9:9 “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this man I hear such things about?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.
- John 12:16 At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him.
- Matthew 2:3 When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.