Matthew 21:15But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children who were crying in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the son of David!" they were indignant,
The setting
Jerusalem Temple courts, ~30 AD. Day after Palm Sunday. Children still shouting 'Hosanna!' while religious leaders fume...
The emotion here: carefully documenting explosive religious tension
The original word
aganakteō (ἠγανάκτησαν) — deep indignation, visceral anger at perceived injustice
Why it matters
Chief priests were Sadducees who controlled temple commerce Jesus had just disrupted
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 21:15
The children were likely temple servants' kids who witnessed the money changers' expulsion
Common misconceptionPeople think the leaders were upset about theology, but they were furious about lost revenue and public embarrassment after Jesus cleansed the temple.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 21:15
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 21:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 21:15 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. The setting is the Temple. These words are attributed to Matthew. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 15% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include opposition, childlike faith. Notable phrases: chief priests were indignant; children crying Hosanna.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
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