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Matthew 21

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

What does Matthew 21:35 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 21:35 tells a part of the Parable of the Tenants, where landowner who plants a vineyard, sets up its necessary structures, and then rents it to tenants before going away.

The verse describes the violent reaction of the tenants towards the servants sent by the landowner to collect his share of the fruits of the vineyard.

In a literal sense, it describes three instances of violence against the servants: one is beaten, another killed, and a third stoned.

On a deeper level, the servants represent the prophets and messengers of God, who were sent to the people of Israel but were often mistreated or ignored.

The killed servant may specifically point to the ultimate rejection of God's message and messengers, culminating in the execution of Jesus himself.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Matthew was written in a period when early Christians were trying to understand their relationship with Judaism and the wider Roman world. During Jesus' earthly ministry, he often taught in parables, and this parable was directed towards the religious leaders of Israel.

Historically, these leaders had a contentious relationship with the prophets, who were sent throughout Israel's history to call the nation back to covenant faithfulness. By the time of Jesus, there were also expectations of God's judgment against those who had mismanaged or corrupted his people.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse illustrates several key themes:

The patience and persistence of God: Despite multiple servants being mistreated, the landowner continues to send messengers.
The rejection of prophets: This passage recapitulates the Jewish history of the persecution of prophets.
The foretelling of Jesus' death: Jesus is symbolically referencing his own impending rejection and crucifixion by the leaders of Israel.

Different theological viewpoints might emphasize the judgment against Israel for not recognizing their messiah (a traditional Christian perspective), God's grace in the face of human rebellion (a grace-centered view), or the message about stewardship and responsibility (a more social-ethical viewpoint).

Practical Applications

The verse can offer several practical applications for daily life:

The duty to listen to God's messengers and respond to His calling.
The encouragement to remain faithful even in the face of persecution.
The importance of stewardship and the consequences of failing in our duties to others.

Cross-References

Matthew 23:37 (KJV): "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"
Jeremiah 7:25 (KJV): "Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:"
Acts 7:52 (KJV): "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:"

Language Study

In the original Greek, words such as "husbandmen" (γεωργοί, geōrgoi), "servants" (δοῦλοι, douloi), "beat" (δέρω, derō), "killed" (ἀποκτείνω, apokteinō) and "stoned" (λιθοβολέω, lithoboleō) carry significant meaning.

"Geōrgoi" relates to earth-workers or farmers, emphasizing their role as stewards; "douloi" as servants or slaves, representing those sent with authority; "derō" implies a severe beating; "apokteinō" means to kill or slay and has a connotation of unlawfulness; and "lithoboleō" is stoning, a form of execution that points to the ultimate rejection.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

This verse and the parable have similarities to other ancient myths where messengers or children of the deity are killed by the inhabitants of the earth, such as the Greek myth of Dionysus where the god is reborn after being dismembered.

In other religious interpretations, prophets or messengers who are rejected or killed are a common theme, such as in some Islamic narratives where prophets are dismissed or opposed by their communities.

Scientific Perspectives

There is limited intersection between this verse and scientific understandings, as the verse deals primarily with theological and moral issues.

However, the concepts of violence and societal responses to authority and ownership can be explored through the lenses of psychology and sociology.

Commentaries

Commentators on this verse offer diverse insights:

Classic commentaries, like that of Matthew Henry, focus on the prophetic nature of the parable, as it depicts the historical pattern of Israel's resistance to the prophets.
Modern scholars, such as N.T.

Wright, might emphasize the parable's role in critiquing religious leaders and the nation's failure to produce the fruits of righteousness that God desired.

Liberation theologians may highlight the aspect of justice and the landowner's right to receive the produce, implying a message about fair economic relationships.

Each commentary provides a unique lens through which to understand the implications of Matthew 21:35 within the wider narrative of the Bible.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:35 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 21:35 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?