Matthew 21:16 (WEB)
and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of children and nursing babies, you have perfected praise’?”
Catechism · 1
“Jesus conquers the Daughter of Zion, a figure of his Church, neither by ruse nor by violence, but by the humility that bears witness to the truth. and so the subjects of his kingdom on that day are children and God's poor, who acclaim him as had the angels when they announced him to the shepherds.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 21:15-16; cf. Ps 8:3; Lk 19:38; 2:14.
Fathers and councils · 36
Tertullian
“But (we hold the contrary): for Christ, by “accepting praise out of the mouth of babes and sucklings,” has declared that neither childhood nor infancy is without sensibility,—the former of which states, when meeting Him with approving shouts, proved its ability…” — editor's note: Ps. viii. 2; Matt. xxi. 16.
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Irenaeus of Lyons
“…who said to Him, “Hearest thou what these say?” did the Lord reply, “Have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou perfected praise?”—thus pointing out that what had been declared by David concerning the Son of God, was accomplished in His own person; and indicating that they were indeed…” — editor's note: Matt. xxi. 16; Ps. viii. 3.
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Cyprian of Carthage
“For besides the visions of the night, by day also, the innocent age of boys is among us filled with the Holy Spirit, seeing in an ecstasy with their eyes, and hearing and speaking those things whereby the Lord condescends to warn and instruct us.” — editor's note: [Note this persuasion of Cyprian, and compare St. Matt. xxi. 15, 16; Luke xix. 40.]
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Augustine of Hippo
“Who were meant by those who went before the Lord praising Him, of whom the Lord Himself used this testimony, when He answered the Jews who bade Him rebuke them, “Have ye not read, out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast made perfect praise?”” — editor's note: Matt. xxi. 16.
Read the whole comment“They bless the little children from the inner house of the Lord, where that praise faileth not age after age: consider therefore what they proclaim from thence.” — editor's note: [Contrary to all his habitual usage, our author fails to note just here what is written in St. Matt. xxi. 15, 16, concerning this Paschal Psalm, and the…
Read the whole comment“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”” — editor's note: Matt. xxi. 14–22.
Read the whole comment“Here the account is briefly given: for how it all happened may be found at full length in the other evangelists.” — editor's note: Matt. xxi. 1–16; Mark xi. 1–11; Luke xix. 29–48.
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John Chrysostom
“For instance, when after many miracles children were singing hymns unto Him, hear what saith the prophet, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise.”” — editor's note: Matt. xxi. 16; Ps. viii. 2.
Read the whole comment“Both when He was born,and when the children sung that wondrous hymn to Him, and when He sat on the ass,and in very many more instances He worked this same fulfillment: all which things must have been unfulfilled, if He had not come.” — editor's note: Matt. xxi. 5–16.
Read the whole comment“But they not even so would be persuaded, but together with the rest of the miracles hearing even the children proclaiming, were ready to choke, and say, “Hearest thou not what these say?”” — editor's note: Matt. xxi. 16. [R.V., “are saying.”]
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Clement of Alexandria
“And the Scripture appears to me, in allusion to the prophecy just mentioned, reproachfully to upbraid the thoughtless: “Have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?”” — editor's note: Matt. xxi. 16; Ps. viii. 2.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
When Jesus entered with the multitudes, the whole city of Jerusalem was moved, wondering at the crowds, and not knowing the power.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
With good reason were they moved at sight of a thing so to be wondered at. Man was praised as God, but it was the God that was praised in the man. But, I suppose, that neither they who praised knew what they praised,…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
Moreover, when Jesus entered the true Jerusalem, they cried out, wondering at His heavenly virtues, and said, “Who is this King of glory?” [Ps 24:8]
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
While others were in doubt or enquiring, the worthless multitude confessed Him; “But the people said, This is Jesus the Prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” They begin with the lesser that they may come to the greater.…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
But it is to be noted, that this entry of His into Jerusalem was five days before the passover. For John relates, that six days before the Passover He came to Bethany, [John 12:1] and on the morrow sitting on the ass…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
“And Jesus entered into the temple of God.” This was the part of a good Son to haste to His Father’s house, and do Him honour; so you then becoming an imitator of Christ as soon as you enter into any city, first run…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
“And he cast out all them that sold and bought.” It should be known that in obedience to the Law, in the Temple of the Lord venerated throughout the whole world, and resorted to by Jews out of every quarter,…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
For in that they ought neither to sell nor to buy, but to give their time to prayer, being assembled in a house of prayer, whence it follows, “And he saith unto them, It is written, My shall be called a house of…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Let no one therefore do ought in the oratory, but that for which it was made and whence it got its name. It follows, “But ye have made it a den of thieves.”
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
For he is indeed a thief, and turns the temple of God into a den of thieves, who makes a gain of his religion. Among all the miracles wrought by our Lord, this seems to me the most wonderful, that one man, and He at…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
It is manifest that the Lord did this thing not once but twice; the first time is told by John, this second occasion by the other three.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Which aggravates the fault of the Jews, who after He had done the same thing twice, yet persisted in their hardness.
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
Mystically; The Temple of God is the Church of Christ, wherein are many, who live not, as they ought, spiritually, but after the flesh; and that house of prayer which is built of living stones they make by their…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
But, according to the plain sense, the doves were not in seats, but in cages; unless indeed the sellers of the doves were sitting in seats; but that were absurd, for the seat denotes the dignity of the teacher, which…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, in His second coming He shall cast forth and overturn those whom He shall find unworthy in God’s temple.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
For this reason also He overturns the tables of the money-changers, to signify that in the temple of God ought to be no coin save spiritual, such as bears the image of God, not an earthly image. He overturns the…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
For in the temple of God, that is in the Church, all have not eyesight, nor do all walk uprightly, but only they who understand that there is need of Christ and of none other to heal them; they coming to the Word of…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
That they are healed in the Temple signifies, that men cannot be healed but in the Church, to which is given the power of binding and loosing.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
For had He not overthrown the tables of the money-changers and the seats of them that sold doves, the blind and the lame would not have deserved that their wonted sight and power of motion should be restored to them…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
But not even thus were the Chief Priests convinced, but at His miracles and the shouts of the children they had indignation.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
For, not daring to lay hands on Him, the Priests defame his works, and the testimony of the children who cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,” as though this might…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
For as a pillar a little out of the perpendicular, if more weight be laid upon it, is driven to lean still more to one side; so also the heart of man when once turned aside, is only stirred the more with jealousy by…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
But the answer of Christ was cautious. He spake not what the Scribes would fain have heard, The children do well that they bear witness to me; nor on the other hand, They do what is wrong, they are but children, you…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
As though He had said, Be it so, it is My fault that these cry thus. But is it My fault that so many thousand years before the Prophet foretold that so it should be? But babes and sucklings cannot know or praise any…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
This was at once a type of the Gentiles, and no small comfort to the Apostles; for that they might not be perplexed, contriving how having no education for the purpose they should preach the Gospel, these children…
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Cross-references · 21
Parallel passages
Matthew 21:16 and Revelation 16:13 share the same wording (15 words).
Cited together with
Cross-reference given by the World English Bible's translators.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.11.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 9.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 9.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 9.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 9.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 9.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.11.
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 21:10–16 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 21:10–16 (8) (Catena Aurea) and 1 other place.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.11.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.11.
Cited together in Origen on Matthew 21:10–16 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 21:10–16 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 19.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 19.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 19.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 9.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 9.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.11.