Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 21:17

"And he left them, and went forth out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there." — Matthew 21:17 (ASV)

And went out of the city into Bethany — As noted earlier, St. Mark places the following incident on the morning after the triumphal entry, before the cleansing of the temple. Since there is a clear difference in the arrangement of the two narratives, we must choose between them. The probability, on the whole, seems to favor St. Mark's more precise and vivid record.

His lodging at Bethany is explained in part by what we read in Matthew 26:6-13, and even more so by John 11:1-2 and John 12:1. There, in the house of the friends who were dear to him, he found the rest and peace he could not find in the crowded city.

The omission of these friends' names in the first three Gospels is highly significant. It suggests that for a time—probably until after the death of Lazarus—there were reasons that led the writers of the early Gospel records to avoid mentioning any facts that might draw unwanted attention to the family.