The Meaning of Matthew 20:31 Explained

Matthew 20:31

KJV: And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

YLT: And the multitude charged them that they might be silent, and they cried out the more, saying, 'Deal kindly with us sir -- Son of David.'

Darby: But the crowd rebuked them, that they might be silent. But they cried out the more, saying, Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David.

ASV: And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace: but they cried out the more, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the multitude  rebuked  them,  because  they should hold their peace:  but  they cried  the more,  saying,  Have mercy  on us,  O Lord,  [thou] Son  of David. 

What does Matthew 20:31 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 20:29-34 - The Great Healer And The Lowly King
The Lord is always saying: What will ye that I shall do? Let us not ask small things. We honor Him by making great demands. Our greatest requests come far short of His generosity and resources. It seems as though we are always giving Him pain by the meagerness of our expectation. Whatever people say, cry out so much the more! But remember it is not the outcry, but your need and your faith which will arrest His steps.
Our Lord entered the city in fulfillment of prophetic vision, but in great lowliness, along the road carpeted by the loving enthusiasm of the crowds. It was largely a Galilean and popular outburst. The upper classes kept aloof. Remember that ancient prediction quoted here, Isaiah 62:11, and especially Zechariah 9:9. The King comes having salvation. That is the divine order! We shall never know the full power of Christ's salvation until we have welcomed Him to our hearts as King. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 20

1  Jesus, by the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, shows that God is debtor unto no man;
17  foretells his passion;
20  by answering the mother of Zebedee's children, teaches his disciples to be humble;
29  and gives two blind men their sight

What do the individual words in Matthew 20:31 mean?

- And the crowd rebuked them that they should be silent - But all the more they cried out saying Lord have mercy on us Son of David
δὲ ὄχλος ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα σιωπήσωσιν οἱ δὲ μεῖζον ἔκραξαν λέγοντες Κύριε ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς» υἱὸς Δαυίδ

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ὄχλος  the  crowd 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὄχλος  
Sense: a crowd.
ἐπετίμησεν  rebuked 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπιτιμάω  
Sense: to show honour to, to honour.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
σιωπήσωσιν  they  should  be  silent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: σιωπάω  
Sense: to be silent, hold one’s peace.
οἱ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μεῖζον  all  the  more 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular, Comparative
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
ἔκραξαν  they  cried  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: κράζω  
Sense: to croak.
λέγοντες  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Κύριε  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
ἐλέησον  have  mercy  on 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἐλεέω 
Sense: to have mercy on.
ἡμᾶς»  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
υἱὸς  Son 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
Δαυίδ  of  David 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Δαβίδ 
Sense: second king of Israel, and ancestor of Jesus Christ.