Matthew 21 18

Matthew 21:18 kjv

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

Matthew 21:18 nkjv

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.

Matthew 21:18 niv

Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry.

Matthew 21:18 esv

In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry.

Matthew 21:18 nlt

In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry,

Matthew 21 verses

Matthew 21 18 Meaning

Matthew 21:18 details Jesus' return to Jerusalem in the morning, experiencing natural human hunger. This simple statement acts as a transition in the narrative, preceding the symbolic act of cursing the unfruitful fig tree and immediately following the cleansing of the Temple, thereby connecting Jesus' physical state to His subsequent action and its profound spiritual implications for Israel.

Matthew 21 18 Context

Matthew 21:18 follows the pivotal events of Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21:1-11) and His cleansing of the Temple (Mt 21:12-17). The preceding evening, Jesus had entered the city, observed everything, and then returned to Bethany for the night (Mk 11:11). This verse marks His return from Bethany into Jerusalem the next morning. It sets the immediate scene for the incident of the cursing of the fig tree (Mt 21:19), which symbolically illustrates the judgment awaiting the unfruitful religious system and Israel itself. Historically, Jerusalem would have been bustling with pilgrims for the Passover, making the city a hub of religious and economic activity. Jesus' act of cleansing the Temple was a direct challenge to the religious authorities, setting the stage for increased conflict, while His hunger emphasizes His full humanity amidst these divine and prophetic acts.

Matthew 21 18 Word analysis

• Now in the morning (Πρωΐ δὲ, Proï de):
  • Πρωΐ (Proï): "Early morning." Denotes the specific time of day, suggesting a customary or intended return to the city for daily ministry and confrontation in the Temple area. It often implies a significant new beginning or a return to activity.
  • δὲ (de): "But," "and," or "now." A transitional conjunction. Here, it introduces a new stage in the narrative, following Jesus' departure the previous evening. It marks a fresh scene, a new day, and the progression of events leading to the Passion week's core conflicts.
• as he returned (ἀναστρέφων, anastréphōn):
  • ἀναστρέφω (anastréphō): "To turn back," "to return." This is a present participle, implying continuous or repeated action: "as He was returning." It connects Jesus' physical movement from Bethany back to the hub of Jewish life.
• into the city (εἰς τὴν πόλιν, eis tēn polin):
  • εἰς (eis): "Into," "to." Indicates direction and movement towards.
  • τὴν πόλιν (tēn polin): "The city." Specific reference to Jerusalem, the epicentre of Jewish religious and political power, where Jesus' ministry would climax in His death and resurrection. The destination emphasizes the gravity of the unfolding events.
• he hungered (ἐπείνασεν, epeínasen):
  • ἐπείνασεν (epeínasen): From πεινάω (peináō), "to be hungry." A simple past (aorist) tense, denoting a specific instance of experiencing hunger. This highlights Jesus' full humanity; He experienced genuine physical needs, just like any other person. It grounds His divinity in real human experience, underscoring that His subsequent actions, like cursing the fig tree, arise from a Messiah who lived fully within human limitations, yet acted with divine power. This physical hunger precedes and contrasts with the spiritual barrenness He would encounter.

Matthew 21 18 Bonus section

• The placement of this verse, linking the Temple cleansing with the fig tree curse, suggests a deliberate thematic connection by the Gospel writers. The lack of physical fruit on the tree parallels the lack of spiritual fruit from the Temple system and the nation of Israel, despite their outward appearance of religious activity.
• Jesus' hunger serves not only to affirm His humanity but also to heighten the symbolism of the unfruitful fig tree. He genuinely sought food, implying that there should have been fruit where it appeared to be. The tree's failure to provide represents a betrayal of its purpose, much like the Temple and the nation had failed in their divine purpose.
• Scholars often point out that while the specific timing of the fig season (early April for this Passover period, not main fig harvest) meant full-grown figs wouldn't be present, a healthy tree with leaves at that time should have "early figs" or "buds" that were edible, or at least a promise of coming fruit. The absolute barrenness signified spiritual decay and ultimate judgment rather than a mere misunderstanding of seasonal cycles.

Matthew 21 18 Commentary

Matthew 21:18 is a concise yet significant transitional verse. Jesus, having spent the night outside the city (likely Bethany), returns to Jerusalem, and is noted as experiencing hunger. This simple detail of His humanity (Mk 11:12 also confirms this) is crucial for two main reasons. Firstly, it anchors Jesus firmly in reality as a truly human figure, experiencing physical needs common to all people. He is not a disembodied spirit but "God with us" (Immanuel) in every sense, even down to feeling pangs of hunger. Secondly, this physical hunger immediately precedes the narrative of the fig tree's curse (Mt 21:19). The contrast is stark: Jesus, who has a legitimate need for physical sustenance (fruit), encounters a fig tree that promises much with its leaves but delivers no fruit. This sets the stage for a powerful symbolic act. Just as Jesus found no fruit on the tree, He found a spiritual barrenness within the outwardly religious yet unfruitful Jewish leadership and system, particularly as seen in His recent cleansing of the temple where religious activity replaced true worship. Thus, Jesus' personal hunger becomes a direct precursor to His divine judgment against spiritual fruitlessness, foreshadowing the impending judgment upon the nation that failed to bear fruit for God's kingdom.