Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 21:1

"And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples," — Matthew 21:1 (ASV)

And when they drew near to Jerusalem. They were going up now from Jericho (Matthew 20:29). The distance was about nineteen miles. Most of the way was a desert, or filled with caves, and rocks, and woods—a fit place for robbers. .

The Mount of Olives, or Olivet, is on the east of Jerusalem. Between this and Jerusalem runs a small stream called the brook Kidron, or Cedron. It is dry in the hot seasons of the year, but swells to a considerable size in time of heavy rains. .

The Mount of Olives was so named because it produced the olive in abundance. It was about a Sabbath day's journey from Jerusalem (Acts 1:12). On the west side of the mountain was the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39; Mark 4:32). On the eastern slope of the mountain were the villages of Bethphage and Bethany.

Mark and Luke say that he came near to both those places. He came nearest to Bethphage and sent his disciples to the village opposite them, to Bethany, [Bethpage?]. Bethany was the place where Lazarus lived, whom he raised from the dead (John 11:1); where Martha and Mary lived; and where Mary anointed him with ointment for the day of his burying (John 12:1–7).

These circumstances are omitted by the first three evangelists but are supplied by John, who wrote after them. The Mount of Olives is about a mile in length, and about seven hundred feet in height, and overlooks Jerusalem, so that from its summit almost every part of the city can be seen.

The mountain is composed of three peaks or summits. Our Saviour is supposed to have ascended from the middle one.

The olive is a fruit well known among us as an article of commerce. The tree blooms in June and bears white flowers. The fruit is small. It is first green, then pale, and, when fully ripe, black. It encloses a hard stone, in which are the seeds. The wild olive was common and differed from the other only in being of a smaller size.

There are two roads from Jerusalem to Bethany: one around the southern end of the Mount of Olives, and the other across the summit. The latter is considerably shorter but more difficult, and it was probably along this road that the Saviour went.