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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 21:37 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 21:37 speaks about the climax of the parable of the vineyard, attributed to Jesus Christ.

In this parable, a landowner plants a vineyard and leases it to vine-growers before going on a journey.

When the harvest time approaches, the landowner sends his servants to the vine-growers to receive his produce.

However, the servants are beaten, killed, and stoned.

Finally, the landowner decides to send his son, thinking they will respect him.

This verse encapsulates the hope and expectation the landowner has for the vine-growers to exhibit reverence towards his son.

On a deeper level, the son in the parable is often interpreted to represent Jesus himself, with the landowner being God, and the vineyard being the Kingdom of Israel.

The servants who were sent first are seen as prophets who came before Jesus, and their mistreatment signifies the rejection of the prophets by the people of Israel.

The broader message of the verse anticipates the belief that God, after having sent prophets, has sent his Son, whom he expects to be honored and obeyed.

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Historical Context

This verse is part of the Gospel of Matthew, traditionally believed to be penned by Matthew, the tax collector and one of Jesus' disciples.

The text is situated in a period where Jesus teaches in parables to convey the religious and ethical teachings central to his message.

The historical context of Matthew 21:37 is set in the first century CE, where Judaism was prevalent in Israel and the Second Temple was still standing.

Here, the expectation of a Messianic figure was part of the cultural and religious landscape.

The parables of Jesus were often directed at the religious leaders of the time, who were seen as the tenants who were not properly tending to the 'vineyard' which God had entrusted to them.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse underlines the idea of Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecies and the divine sonship of Christ.

It touches on themes of judgement, accountability, and the rejection of Jesus by the leaders of Israel, which plays a substantial role in Christian soteriology, or the study of salvation.

Other theological viewpoints may interpret this parable differently.

Some Jewish scholars might see this as a critique of the leadership at the time, but would not ascribe the aspects of sonship and messianism to Jesus.

Furthermore, non-Christian interpretations may read the parable purely in its ethical dimensions, focusing on the treatment of those sent by the owner (God) and how humanity should respond to divine messages.

Practical Applications

In contemporary life, this verse can serve as a reminder of the importance of respecting and listening to those who are sent with messages that challenge or benefit society.

It can also be a call to self-examination for people in positions of religious authority to ensure that they are not rejecting valuable teachings due to pride or vested interests.

More broadly, it speaks to the concept of stewardship and how individuals are responsible for how they manage what has been entrusted to them.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:33-41 (Parable of the Vineyard)
Mark 12:1-9 (Mark’s version of the Parable of the Vineyard)
Luke 20:9-16 (Luke’s version of the Parable of the Vineyard)
Isaiah 5:1-7 (The Song of the Vineyard, a related Old Testament parable)

Language Study

In the original Greek text of Matthew 21:37, key words include:

"υἱόν" (huion): son.

This term is theologically significant as it implies a unique and special relationship between the sender (God) and Jesus.

"ἐντραπήσονται" (entrapesontai): will respect/revere.

Derived from the Greek word "entrepo," to turn about, respect, or reverence.

It indicates an expectation of honor and deference, which is significant in this context.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The use of vineyard imagery can be traced to other cultural and religious traditions.

For instance, in ancient literature, the vineyard is often a symbol for a precious possession that needs to be cared for, such as in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Similarly, in Roman culture, the parable might resonate with moral tales about the obligations of stewards and the respect due to a father's emissaries or children.

Scientific Perspectives

While not directly related to scientific inquiry, the verse does touch on human psychology and sociology regarding the treatment of authority figures and messages that challenge the status quo.

Scientific studies in areas like behavioral science can offer insights into why individuals or groups might reject messengers who bring vital yet disruptive teachings or changes.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars offer various interpretations of Matthew 21:37.

Some focus on the eschatological implications of the verse, viewing it as a foretelling of the coming judgement of Israel for its leaders' rejection of Jesus.

Others interpret the parable as an allegory for God's dealing with humanity throughout history.

Contemporary theologians might emphasize the social justice elements, urging a critical look at how present-day religious and societal leaders respond to calls for reform and introspection.

Most agree that the parable clearly positions the son as a distinctive figure whose arrival is poignant and significant, anticipating a turning point in the narrative of God's interaction with his people.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:37 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 21:37 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?