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SCRIPTURE: Matthew 21:33-46
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VERSES 21:23 - 22:14: THE CONTEXT
This controversy section begins with the cleansing of the temple (21:12-17) and cursing an unfruitful fig tree (21:18-22). The chief priests and elders asked Jesus, "By what authority are you doing these things?" Jesus counters by asking, "The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?" When his critics refuse to answer him, Jesus refuses to answer them. He then responds with three (or four) parables of judgment (21:28-23; 21:33-46; 22:1-10; 22:11-14).
VERSES 33-41: THE PARABLE OF THE TENANTS
33"Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household (Greek: oikodespotes –– literally "head of the house"), who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country. 34When the season for the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, to receive his fruit. 35The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they treated them the same way. 37But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 38But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and seize his inheritance.' 39So they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40When therefore the lord (Greek: kyrios –– Lord) of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?"
41They told him, "He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will lease out the vineyard to other farmers, who will give him the fruit (Greek: karpous –– fruits) in its season."
"Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household, who planted a vineyard" (v. 33a). The Parable of the Tenants is an allegory –– a story in which each of the elements (people, things, and happenings) has a hidden or symbolic meaning:
• The landowner/Lord is God
• The vineyard is the nation of Israel
• The tenants are the people of Israel or its religious leaders
• The slaves are the prophets
• The son is Jesus
• The other tenants are most likely the church, although some scholars find other meanings for tenants
Once we understand the code, the meaning becomes clear.
• God established a covenant with Israel (planted a vineyard)
• God sent the prophets (his slaves) whom the tenants (the Israelites) killed (see 1 Kings 19:10, 14; 2 Chronicles 24:18-22; 36:15-16; Acts 7:51-53; Matthew 23:29-39)
• God sent his Son (Jesus) whom the tenants (the Israelites) killed
• God put the original tenants to death (pronounced judgment upon Israel). From Matthew's perspective late in the first century, this means the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., which took place several years prior to the writing of this Gospel.
• God leased the vineyard to other tenants (the church) who will "give him the produce at the harvest time."
The people to whom Jesus was speaking would recognize the vineyard imagery from Isaiah 5:1-2 where the landowner planted a vineyard, built a watchtower, and hewed out a wine vat –– Jesus uses each of these elements in his story (v. 33).
"When the season for the fruit drew near" (v. 34) –– note the word "fruit" in the Greek text. In verse 41 the chief priests and elders say, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce (Greek: tous karpous–– the fruits) at the harvest time." Then in verse 43, Jesus says, "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits (karpous) of the kingdom."
The triple emphasis on "fruit" in these verses reflects the importance of the word throughout this Gospel (see also 3:8; 3:10; 7:17-18; 12:33; 13:23 and 21:19). For Matthew, fruit connotes the produce of one's life. The Jewish leadership, which failed to produce good fruit, is being disenfranchised, and the vineyard is being given to the church, which will produce good fruit.
"When the season for the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, to receive his fruit" (v. 34). This is a new vineyard, so the owner cannot expect much fruit for the first several years. It is important, however, that he show diligence in collecting his rent (or his portion of the produce), because the renters could gain title if he failed to do so.
"The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first" (vv. 35-36a). At this point, the story takes on an exaggerated character, because in real life the landowner would send soldiers to punish the tenants. This is a story of God's grace, however, and exaggeration is appropriate to a story of God's grace.
"and they treated them the same way" (v. 36b). The allusion is to Israel's treatment of God's prophets (2 Chronicles 24:21; Jeremiah 20:2; 26:21-23; Nehemiah 9:26; Matthew 5:12; 23:29-37).
"But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, 'They will respect my son'" (v. 37). The landowner sends his son, believing that the tenants will respect the son.
"But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and seize his inheritance'" (v. 38). The tenants, however, see an opportunity to inherit the vineyard by killing the heir.
"So they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him" (v. 39). If they were to kill him in the vineyard, the ground would become unclean, contaminating its produce, so they throw him out of the vineyard before killing him. This murder outside the vineyard corresponds to Jesus' death on Golgatha, outside Jerusalem (27:33).
"When therefore the lord (kurios –– Lord) of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?" (v. 40). The landowner (oikodespotes) of verse 33 becomes the Lord (kyrios) in verse 40. "When the kyrios of the vineyard comes" lends an eschatological flavor to verse 40 –– causes us to think of the Second Coming.
"He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will lease out the vineyard to other farmers, who will give him the fruit in its season" (v. 41). In this verse, the chief priests and elders pronounce judgment on themselves as they tell Jesus how unfaithful tenants should be treated.
This parable could tempt us to spiritual pride or anti-Semitism, but neither is appropriate. God has taken the vineyard from those who were not worthy (Israel) and given it to those who are (the church). However, the judgment pronounced on the original tenants serves as a warning to the new tenants. It tells us that we, too, are accountable.
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VERSES 42-44: THE CORNERSTONE
42Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures,
'The stone which the builders rejected,
the same was made the head of the corner.
This was from the Lord.
It is marvelous in our eyes?'
43"Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and will be given to a nation (Greek: ethnei –– people, race, nation) bringing forth its fruit. 44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it will fall, it will scatter him as dust."
"The stone which the builders rejected, the was made the head of the corner" (the cornerstone) (v. 42). Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23. The rejected stone –– the crucified Christ –– will become the cornerstone (Greek: "head of the corner) of God's new edifice.
A bit of wordplay! Jesus most likely speaks Aramaic, and the Aramaic words son (ben) (vv. 37-38) and stone (eben) (v. 42) form a nice alliteration that links son with stone.
In verse 43, Jesus tells the religious leaders, "the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and given to a nation (ethnei –– singular –– people, race, nation) bringing forth its fruit." When plural, ethnos typically refers to Gentiles. However, it is singular here, perhaps referring to the church, composed of Jews and Gentiles –– a new ethnos (people) of God.
"He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it will fall, it will scatter him as dust" (v. 44). This verse is missing in several important manuscripts, but most scholars regard it as authentic. It has roots in two Old Testament passages, Isaiah 8:14-15 and Daniel 2:34, 44-45.
Verse 44 warns us that the cornerstone becomes a stumbling stone for the unfaithful. It has been said, "You can't break God's laws; you can only break yourself on them."
It is interesting to imagine how Israel's history would have been different had its leaders accepted Jesus. It is unlikely that they would have provoked the Romans to the war that culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. "Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down" (24:2).
VERSES 45-46: THEY WANTED TO ARREST HIM
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them. 46When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet.
"the chief priests and the Pharisees" (v. 45). This is an odd coupling, because most priests are Sadducees. Pharisees and Sadducees have different belief systems and are often rivals. Here, however, they come together against a common foe –– Jesus.
"they perceived that he was spoke about them" (v. 45). It dawns on the chief priests and Pharisees that the parables of the two sons (vv. 28-32) and the vineyard (vv. 33-40) are really stories about them and their disobedience.
"When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet" (v. 46). Their hesitance will be only temporary, however, and they will soon succeed in condemning Jesus to death on a cross. They will do so with the complicity of the crowds, who will turn on Jesus and shout, "Let him be crucified" (27:22-23).
SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible(WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc.), which the WEB has updated.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Barclay, William, Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1957)
Bergant, Dianne with Fragomeni, Richard, Preaching the New Lectionary, Year A (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2001)
Blomberg , Craig L., New American Commentary: Matthew, Vol. 22 (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992)
Boring, M. Eugene, The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)
Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV –– Year A (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995)
Bruner, Frederick Dale, Matthew: Volume 2, The Churchbook, Matthew 13-28 (Dallas: Word, 1990)
Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, A (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1992)
Gardner, Richard B., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Matthew (Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 1990)
Hagner, Donald A., Word Biblical Commentary: Matthew 14-28, Vol. 33b (Dallas: Word, 1995)
Hare, Douglas R. A., Interpretation: Matthew (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1993)
Johnson, Sherman E. and Buttrick, George A., The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 7 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1951)
Keener, Craig S., The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Matthew, (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1997)
Long, Thomas G., Westminster Bible Companion: Matthew (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997)
Marty, Peter W. in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001)
Morris, Leon, The Gospel According to Matthew (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1992)
Myers, Allen C., The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987)
Senior, Donald, Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: Matthew (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998)
Soards, Marion; Dozeman, Thomas; McCabe, Kendall, Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993)
Thayer, Joseph Henry, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (NY: American Book Company, 1889)
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