See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 21:1-16. Also Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44.

On the next day - On what we call Monday.

On the next day, much people that were come to the feast,.... Of the passover; and they were much people indeed, that came yearly to this feast, from all parts of the nation; for all the males in Israel, were obliged to appear at this time; and though the women were not obliged, yet multitudes of them came, and the fame of Jesus might bring the more; add to which, that there was now a general expectation of the Messiah's coming, which brought the Jews from all parts of the world, to Jerusalem; so that this might be called indeed, , "a crowded passover": and though the following account is a stretching it too far, yet it may serve to illustrate this matter:

"would you desire to know what multitudes were at Jerusalem of the priests, you may know, as it is written, 1 Kings 8:63, and the tradition is, that an ox was offered for twenty four, and a sheep for eleven.--King Agrippa sought to know what was the number of the multitude, which were in Jerusalem; he said to the priests, lay by for me one kidney of every passover lamb; they laid by for him six hundred thousand pair of kidneys, double the number of those that came out of Egypt: and there is never a passover lamb, but there are more than ten numbered for it (m), &c.''

Now the day following the supper at Bethany, and which seems to be the first day of the week, this multitude of people,

when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem; from Bethany, which was soon known, it being so near.

(m) Echa Rabbati, fol. 42. 3, 4.

A great multitude (ὄχλος πολὺς)

Some editors add the article and render, the common people.

On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

12:12-15 On the next day. Sunday. For notes on the entrance to Jerusalem, see Mt 21:1-11. Compare Mr 11:1-11 Lu 19:29-44.

12:12 The next day - On Sunday. Who were come to the feast - So that this multitude consisted chiefly of Galileans, not men of Jerusalem. Mt 21:8.

Margin when they

See Scofield Note: "Mt 21:4".

Joh 12:12-19. Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

(See on [1838]Mt 21:1-9; and Lu 19:29-36).

12. On the next day-the Lord's day, or Sunday (see on [1839]Joh 12:1); the tenth day of the Jewish month Nisan, on which the paschal lamb was set apart to be "kept up until the fourteenth day of the same month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel were to kill it in the evening" (Ex 12:3, 6). Even so, from the day of this solemn entry into Jerusalem, "Christ our Passover" was virtually set apart to be "sacrificed for us" (1Co 5:7).

12:12-19 Christ's riding in triumph to Jerusalem is recorded by all the evangelists. Many excellent things, both in the word and providence of God, disciples do not understand at their first acquaintance with the things of God. The right understanding of spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, prevents our misapplying the Scriptures which speak of it.