Matthew 21:18

¶ Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

Now {G1161} in the morning {G4405} as he returned {G1877} into {G1519} the city {G4172}, he hungered {G3983}.

The next morning, on his way back to the city, he felt hungry.

In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry.

Now in the morning as he returned to the city, he hungered.

Commentary

Context

Matthew 21:18 marks the beginning of a new day in Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, often referred to as Passion Week or Holy Week. The previous day saw Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11) and His powerful act of cleansing the Temple (Matthew 21:12-17), driving out merchants and money-changers. After these intense events, Jesus had spent the night outside the city, likely in Bethany, a village on the Mount of Olives. As He returned early the next morning to continue His teaching and ministry in the city, He experienced a very human sensation: hunger.

Key Themes

  • Jesus' Humanity: This verse profoundly emphasizes the full humanity of Jesus Christ. Despite His divine nature, He experienced the basic physical needs and limitations common to all human beings, including hunger. This detail underscores His identification with mankind and His complete incarnation, living truly as a man among men.
  • Setting the Stage for a Lesson: Jesus' hunger is not a mere incidental detail but serves as a crucial setup for the significant event that immediately follows: the cursing of the barren fig tree (Matthew 21:19). His desire for fruit from the fig tree, and its subsequent lack, becomes a powerful object lesson about spiritual barrenness and judgment.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "he hungered" translates the Greek word epeinasen (ἐπείνασεν), which is the aorist indicative form of the verb peinaō (πεινάω), meaning "to be hungry" or "to hunger." There are no complex linguistic nuances here; the term simply and directly conveys the physical sensation. Its straightforwardness reinforces the reality of Jesus' physical body and its needs, making His human experience undeniable.

Practical Application

The fact that Jesus "hungered" makes Him incredibly relatable. It reminds us that our Savior understands our physical weaknesses, our needs, and our limitations. He is not a distant, unfeeling deity but one who has fully entered into the human experience, including its vulnerabilities. This empathy deepens our appreciation for His sacrifice and His ability to sympathize with our struggles (Hebrews 4:15). Furthermore, this verse sets the stage for understanding the subsequent events, highlighting how even seemingly ordinary human experiences can be woven into God's divine plan to teach profound spiritual truths about faith, fruitfulness, and judgment.

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

  • Matthew 4:2

    And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

  • Hebrews 4:15

    For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.

  • Matthew 12:1

    ¶ At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

  • Mark 11:20

    And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

  • Mark 11:24

    Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them].

  • Mark 11:12

    ¶ And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

  • Mark 11:14

    And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard [it].
← Back