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

And on the morrow. The Triumphal Entry being on the First day of the week, this following day was Monday.

When they were come from Bethany ["in the morning" ( )] he was hungry. How was that? Had He stolen forth from that dear roof at Bethany to the "mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God?" (); or, "in the morning," as on a former occasion, "risen up a great while before day, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (); not breaking His fast thereafter, but bending His steps straight for the city, that He might "work the works of Him that sent Him` while it was day"? (). We know not, though one lingers upon and loves to trace out the every movement of that life of wonder. One thing, however, we are sure of-it was real bodily hunger which He now sought to allay by the fruit of this fig tree, "if haply He might find any thing thereon;" not a mere scene for the purpose of teaching a lesson, as some early heretics maintained, and some still seem virtually to hold.

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