Then He left them
This phrase indicates a deliberate action by Jesus to depart from the presence of the people in Jerusalem. It follows His cleansing of the temple and the confrontation with the religious leaders, highlighting His authority and the tension between Him and the Jewish authorities. This departure can be seen as a symbolic act of judgment against those who rejected His message.

and went out of the city
Jesus leaving the city of Jerusalem is significant as it reflects His pattern of retreating from the crowds to seek solitude or to be with His disciples. Jerusalem, the center of Jewish religious life, is also the place where Jesus would later be crucified. His temporary departure foreshadows the ultimate rejection He would face there.

to Bethany
Bethany is a small village located about two miles east of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. It is significant in the Gospels as the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. Bethany served as a place of refuge and rest for Jesus during His final week before the crucifixion. The village's proximity to Jerusalem made it a convenient location for Jesus to stay while still being able to enter the city during the day.

where He spent the night
This detail emphasizes Jesus' humanity and His need for rest. It also shows His intentional withdrawal from the city, possibly to avoid further confrontation with the authorities at that time. Spending the night in Bethany allowed Jesus to be in a supportive environment among friends. This act of retreating for the night can be seen as a preparation for the events that would soon unfold in Jerusalem, including His passion and crucifixion.

1. Jesus
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is leaving Jerusalem after a day of significant events, including the cleansing of the temple and teaching the people.

2. Bethany
A small village located about two miles east of Jerusalem, Bethany is significant as a place of rest and refuge for Jesus. It is also the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, who are close friends of Jesus.

3. Jerusalem
The city where Jesus had been teaching and performing miracles. It is the center of Jewish religious life and the location of the temple.

4. The Temple Cleansing
Earlier in the chapter, Jesus cleanses the temple, driving out those who were buying and selling, which sets the stage for His departure to Bethany.

5. The Fig Tree
Although not directly mentioned in verse 17, the cursing of the fig tree occurs in the surrounding context, symbolizing judgment and the importance of bearing spiritual fruit.Seeking Solitude for Reflection
Jesus' retreat to Bethany after a day of ministry highlights the importance of finding time for rest and reflection in our own lives.

The Significance of Bethany
Bethany represents a place of refuge and friendship. We should cultivate relationships and spaces that provide spiritual support and renewal.

Judgment and Fruitfulness
The surrounding context of the fig tree reminds us of the importance of bearing spiritual fruit. Our lives should reflect the transformative power of Christ.

The Role of Jerusalem
As the center of religious activity, Jerusalem's rejection of Jesus serves as a warning against complacency and the danger of missing God's presence in our midst.

The Importance of Retreat
Jesus' actions demonstrate the need for intentional withdrawal from the busyness of life to connect with God and prepare for future ministry.1. What is the meaning of Matthew 21:17?

2. Why did Jesus choose to spend the night in Bethany in Matthew 21:17?

3. How does Matthew 21:17 reflect Jesus' humility and simplicity in His lifestyle?

4. What Old Testament prophecies connect to Jesus' actions in Matthew 21:17?

5. How can we emulate Jesus' example of seeking solitude for prayer and reflection?

6. What lessons can we learn from Jesus' choice of retreat in Matthew 21:17?

7. Why did Jesus choose to leave the city and go to Bethany in Matthew 21:17?

8. What significance does Bethany hold in the context of Jesus' ministry in Matthew 21:17?

9. How does Matthew 21:17 reflect Jesus' relationship with Jerusalem?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 21?

11. What is Bethany's significance in the Bible?

12. What is the Olivet Discourse about?

13. What is Bethany's significance in the Bible?

14. Revelation 22:5: How can there be no night in the new creation if day and night cycles are governed by planetary rotation?Then He left them

“Then He left them…” (Matthew 21:17)

• In context, Jesus has just cleansed the temple and confronted the chief priests and scribes (Matthew 21:12-16). Stepping away underscores a decisive withdrawal from leaders who rejected Him.

• The move anticipates His later lament: “Your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38).

• Mark presents the same pattern: “He went out to Bethany with the Twelve” (Mark 11:11). Jesus’ departure previews God’s glory leaving a defiled temple, reminiscent of Ezekiel 11:22-23.

• It also shows restraint; He leaves before nightfall rather than courting further conflict (John 2:24-25).

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and went out of the city

• Jerusalem was the nation’s spiritual heart, yet Jesus steps outside its walls—an acted-out parable of judgment.

• Hebrews 13:12-13 later urges believers to “go to Him outside the camp,” echoing this exit.

• Practical love is here too: crowded feast days meant scarce lodging. Jesus models humility by declining privileged quarters (Philippians 2:5-7).

• Luke notes that during this final week “He was teaching in the temple by day, but at night He went out and spent the night on the mount called Olivet” (Luke 21:37). Retreat and ministry flow together.

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to Bethany

• Bethany sits about two miles east of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives (John 11:18).

• It was the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (John 11:1; 12:1-2). There He found faith, friendship, and hospitality—everything missing in the temple leadership.

• Bethany becomes a launching point for Passion-Week events: the triumphal entry (Mark 11:1), the cursing of the fig tree (Mark 11:12-14), and the anointing that foreshadows His burial (Matthew 26:6-13).

• Choosing Bethany fulfills Zechariah 14:4 expectations; the Mount of Olives is central to Messiah’s redemptive plan.

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where He spent the night

• Instead of royal chambers, the Son of David rests in a humble village, living out His own words: “The Son of Man has no place to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20).

• Nightfall brings renewal: the next morning He will teach, heal, and face mounting opposition (Matthew 21:18-27).

• Psalm 91:1 pictures safety “in the shelter of the Most High.” Jesus’ nightly refuge mirrored the believer’s security in the Father’s care.

• The pattern also trains the disciples; after exhausting days of ministry, they learn to withdraw with Him (Mark 6:31).

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summary

Matthew 21:17 shows Jesus deliberately removing Himself from a resistant Jerusalem, choosing humble Bethany for rest and fellowship. His departure signals judgment on empty religion, models dependence on the Father, and prepares the stage for the climactic acts of Passion Week. The verse, though brief, pulses with purpose: separation from unbelief, identification with the lowly, and steadfast movement toward the cross.

(17) And went out of the city into Bethany.--St. Mark, as already noticed, places the incident that follows on the morning that followed the triumphal entry, and before the cleansing. We have to choose, there being an obvious error of arrangement in one or other of the narratives, between the two, and the probability seems on the whole in favour of the more precise and more vivid record of St. Mark. The lodging at Bethany is explained partly by what we read in Matthew 26:6-13, yet more by John 11:1-2; John 12:1. There He found in the house of the friends who were dear to Him the rest and peace which He could not find in the crowded city. The suppression of the name of those friends in the first three Gospels is every way significant, as suggesting that there were reasons which for a time (probably till the death of Lazarus) led all writers of the records which served as the basis of the Gospel history to abstain from the mention of any facts that might attract attention to them.

Verse 17. - He left them. The chief priests had nothing to say in reply to this testimony of Scripture. They feared to arrest him in the face of the enthusiastic multitude; they bided their time, for the present apparently silenced. Jesus, wasting no further argument on these wilfully unbelieving people, turned and left them. The King had no home in his royal city; he sought one in lowly Bethany, where he was always sure of a welcome in the house of Martha and Mary. It is somewhat doubtful whether he availed himself of his friends' hospitality at this time. The term "Bethany" would include the district so called in the vicinity of the town, as in the description of the scene of the Ascension (Luke 24:50). Lodged (ηὐλίσθη). This word, if its strict classical use is pressed, would imply that Jesus passed the night in the open air; but it may mean merely "lodge," or "pass the night," without any further connotation; so no certain inference can be drawn from its employment in this passage. This withdrawal of Jesus obviated all danger of a rising in his favour, which, supported by the vast resources of the temple, might have had momentous consequences at this time of popular concourse and excitement.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Then
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

He left
καταλιπὼν (katalipōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2641: From kata and leipo; to leave down, i.e. Behind; by implication, to abandon, have remaining.

them
αὐτοὺς (autous)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

[and] went
ἐξῆλθεν (exēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1831: To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.

out of
ἔξω (exō)
Preposition
Strong's 1854: Without, outside. Adverb from ek; out(-side, of doors), literally or figuratively.

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

city
πόλεως (poleōs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4172: A city, the inhabitants of a city. Probably from the same as polemos, or perhaps from polus; a town.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

Bethany,
Βηθανίαν (Bēthanian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 963: Of Chaldee origin; date-house; Beth-any, a place in Palestine.

where He spent the night.
ηὐλίσθη (ēulisthē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 835: To lodge in the open, lodge, pass the night. Middle voice from aule; to pass the night.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 21:17 He left them and went out (Matt. Mat Mt)