The Meaning of Matthew 21:14 Explained

Matthew 21:14

KJV: And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

YLT: And there came to him blind and lame men in the temple, and he healed them,

Darby: And blind and lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.

ASV: And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the blind  and  the lame  came  to him  in  the temple;  and  he healed  them. 

What does Matthew 21:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This is the last reference to Jesus" healing ministry in Matthew"s Gospel. The healing probably happened in the Court of the Gentiles. Some of these blind and lame people could not participate fully in worship activities at the temple (cf. 2 Samuel 5:6-8, where David excluded the blind and lame). However, Jesus made it possible for them to do so by healing them (cf. Acts 3:2). Jesus therefore cleansed both the temple and those who came to it. One greater than the temple had arrived ( Matthew 12:6). The authorities would later question His authority to do this cleansing ( Matthew 21:23).

Context Summary

Matthew 21:8-17 - The Lord Of The Temple
It was only a crowd of poor people who escorted Jesus on Palm Sunday to the Holy City; but they sent their hosannas upward to the highest, and their shouts of acclamation and praise are ever ringing down the ages. Let us take them up and pass them on. Hosanna means Save now, Psalms 118:25, which formed part of the Great Hallel, or Passover Psalms. Thus, one day, His Church, and probably the literal Israel of the future, will hail Him with transports of joy. See Zechariah 2:10. Where Jesus comes, He cleanses. At His word the heart that was filled with the din of worldly care becomes the home of prayer, and children-the emblems of humility, simplicity, and faith-gather. While the needy and the childlike are attracted by our Lord's gentleness, wrongdoers are driven out before the "terror of the Lord." [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 21

1  Jesus rides into Jerusalem upon a donkey
12  drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple;
17  curses the fig tree;
23  puts to silence the priests and elders,
28  and rebukes them by the parable of the two sons,
33  and the husbandmen who slew such as were sent to them

What do the individual words in Matthew 21:14 mean?

And came to Him blind lame in the temple He healed them
Καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ τυφλοὶ χωλοὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτούς

προσῆλθον  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: προσέρχομαι  
Sense: to come to, approach.
αὐτῷ  to  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
τυφλοὶ  blind 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: τυφλός  
Sense: blind.
χωλοὶ  lame 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: χωλός  
Sense: lame.
ἱερῷ  temple 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: ἱερόν  
Sense: a sacred place, temple.
ἐθεράπευσεν  He  healed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: θεραπεύω  
Sense: to serve, do service.