The popular response to Jesus" actions aggravated the chief priests and teachers of the law further. The wonderful things that Jesus was doing had messianic implications, and the people realized this. [source][source][source]
Jesus introduced the Psalm 8:2 quotation with a rebuke. Surely these experts in the Old Testament should have seen the messianic implications of what Jesus was doing and the words people were using as they responded to Him (cf. Matthew 12:3; Matthew 19:4; Matthew 21:42; Matthew 22:31). This psalm describes the praise that people, even little children, will give to God for the conditions that will prevail during the messianic kingdom. Ancient Near Eastern mothers often nursed their babes long after the children learned to talk, sometimes for as long as three years following their births. [source][source][source]
Jesus" rebuke provided a basis for the children"s continuing praise and temporarily stifled the leaders" criticism. It also declared His deity since Jesus accepted praise reserved only for God. Moreover it reinforced the truth that the humble and childlike often perceive spiritual truth more clearly than the sophisticated, though they are often unaware of its full significance (cf. Matthew 19:13-15). [source][source][source]
"The "Magi" ( Matthew 2:1) and the "centurion" ( Matthew 8:5) serve as foils for Israel: the faith of these Gentiles contrasts with the unbelief of Israel ( Matthew 2:1-12; Matthew 8:5-13). The "two blind men" ( Matthew 9:27), the "Canaanite woman" ( Matthew 15:22), the other "two blind men" ( Matthew 20:30), and the "children" in the temple ( Matthew 21:15) also serve as foils for Israel: these "no-accounts" see and confess what Israel cannot, namely, that Jesus is its Davidic Messiah." [1][source]