The King Enters
Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet. Matthew 21:46 · Berean Standard Bible
They want to arrest Him but are afraid of the crowds, because the people see Jesus as a prophet.
The only thing holding them back isn't conscience — it's fear of what the people would do.
The narrator reveals the leaders' cowardice disguised as patience.
They want Him gone. But not yet — not with the crowd watching. They'll wait for their moment in the dark.
The leaders want to arrest Jesus but fear the crowds, who regard Him as a prophet — political calculation restrains them, not moral conviction.
This fear of the people creates the conditions for a secret arrest, which Judas will eventually facilitate (26:14-16).
The narrator describes the leaders' frustrated desire to seize Jesus, checked by public opinion.
The leaders' restraint is strategic, not moral. They will eventually find a way to arrest Him away from the crowds.
44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
45When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them.
46Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
Read all of Matthew 21 — Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey while the crowds shout hosanna. Within hours, he's overturning tables in the temple.
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