Matthew 21:16

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

And {G2532} said {G2036} unto him {G846}, Hearest thou {G191} what {G5101} these {G3778} say {G3004}? And {G1161} Jesus {G2424} saith {G3004} unto them {G846}, Yea {G3483}; have ye never {G3763} read {G314},{G3754} Out of {G1537} the mouth {G4750} of babes {G3516} and {G2532} sucklings {G2337} thou hast perfected {G2675} praise {G136}?

They said to him, "Do you hear what they're saying?" Yeshua replied, "Of course! Haven't you ever read, `From the mouth of children and infants you have prepared praise for yourself'?"

“Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”

and said unto him, Hearest thou what these are saying? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea: did ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Commentary

Matthew 21:16 captures a profound moment during Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, highlighting a stark contrast between spiritual insight and religious blindness. In response to the chief priests and scribes who were indignant at the children's spontaneous praise in the temple, Jesus validates the pure, unadulterated worship of the innocent by quoting from the Old Testament.

Context

This verse follows Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11) and His subsequent cleansing of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13). After healing the blind and lame in the temple courts, children began to shout, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" (Matthew 21:15). This public acclamation of Jesus as the Messiah deeply offended the religious authorities. Their challenge to Jesus, "Hearest thou what these say?", is met with a powerful scriptural retort that underscores their spiritual short-sightedness.

Key Themes

  • Divine Validation of Simple Faith: Jesus affirms that genuine praise, even from the most humble and unexpected sources like children, is not only acceptable but also "perfected" in God's eyes. It underscores God's preference for a pure heart over religious pretense.
  • Prophetic Fulfillment and Authority: By quoting Psalm 8:2, Jesus subtly but powerfully asserts His messianic identity and authority. The children's praise is not mere childish enthusiasm but a divinely ordained testimony that fulfills prophecy.
  • Spiritual Blindness vs. Spiritual Discernment: The learned religious leaders, despite their extensive knowledge of Scripture, failed to recognize the Messiah standing before them. In contrast, the children, unburdened by prejudice or worldly wisdom, instinctively perceived and declared Jesus' true identity. This theme is echoed in other instances where Jesus praises the humble and simple for their receptiveness to truth (Matthew 11:25).

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "babes and sucklings" translates the Greek words nēpios (infants, simple ones) and thalazō (to suckle). Jesus' quotation is from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) version of Psalm 8:2. While the Hebrew original of Psalm 8:2 speaks of God establishing "strength" or "might" (עֹז, 'oz) from the mouths of infants to silence the enemy, the Septuagint uses "praise" (αἶνος, ainos) or "perfected praise." This Septuagint rendering perfectly aligns with the children's "Hosanna" (which, though originally meaning "save now," had evolved into a cry of adoration and praise), demonstrating Jesus' precise application of Scripture to His immediate context.

Practical Application

Matthew 21:16 encourages believers to embrace genuine, heartfelt worship, valuing sincerity over outward show or religious status. It serves as a powerful reminder that God often chooses the humble and unexpected to reveal His truth and accomplish His purposes. For us today, it challenges us to examine our own hearts: are we open to recognizing God's work, even when it comes in unconventional or unassuming ways, or are we, like the chief priests and scribes, blinded by our own expectations, traditions, or pride? Ultimately, this verse affirms that pure praise from a simple heart is a powerful spiritual force, capable of honoring God and silencing those who oppose His divine will.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 8:2

    Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

  • Matthew 11:25

    ¶ At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

  • Luke 19:39

    And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.

  • Luke 19:40

    And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

  • Matthew 19:4

    And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made [them] at the beginning made them male and female,

  • Matthew 12:3

    But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

  • Mark 2:25

    And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?