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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 21:41 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 21:41 shows Jesus speaking in a parable, which in the Bible is a story with a spiritual lesson.

In the context of this parable of the tenants (Matthew 21:33-45), the landowner represents God, the vineyard is the nation of Israel, and the tenants are the religious leaders.

The servants sent by the landowner symbolize the prophets sent to Israel, and the landowner's son represents Jesus Christ.

This verse captures the moment when Jesus asks His listeners what the owner of the vineyard will do to the tenants who killed his servants and son.

The response is that he will "miserably destroy those wicked men" and give the vineyard to others who will give him his due, reflecting judgement against those who reject and harm God's messengers, leading to a new order where the faithful are rewarded.

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Historical Context

This parable was spoken by Jesus during Passion Week, shortly before His crucifixion.

He was in Jerusalem, teaching in the temple, and was in conflict with the chief priests and Pharisees.

During this time, there was great tension between Jesus and the Jewish leaders due to their increasing hostility towards His teachings and miracles.

The parable was directed at these religious leaders, who were expected to lead Israel in faithfulness to God. Instead, Matthew's narrative portrays them as rejecting God's message and messengers. This mirrors Israel's historical mistreatment of prophets.

Theological Insights

This verse imparts several theological insights:

It signifies God's impending judgement on the unfaithful stewards of His word, primarily focusing on Israel's leaders who abused their position.
It points to the transfer of stewardship, which is interpreted by Christian theologians as the inclusive expansion of God's kingdom to include Gentiles alongside Jews.
It foreshadows the rejection and crucifixion of Christ, the Son, implying that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God.

Different theological perspectives may interpret this passage in varying lenses, such as supersessionism (the idea that the church has replaced Israel in God's plan) or as a warning to all who are entrusted with God's work to remain faithful.

Practical Applications

This verse calls those in religious leadership to faithfulness and warns against taking one’s position for granted. For individuals, it stresses the importance of producing the fruits of faithfulness in their season, reminding us that opportunities to serve God are to be taken seriously.

It also encourages believers that, regardless of past failures, God offers the opportunity to participate in His work if they are willing to be faithful stewards of what He has entrusted to them.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:33-46: The entire Parable of the Tenants provides a broader context for understanding the verse in question.
Isaiah 5:1-7: The "Song of the Vineyard," where the vineyard also represents the house of Israel, and the expectation of justice.
Matthew 23:37-39: Jesus laments over Jerusalem and foretells the city's desolation because they did not recognize the time of God's coming to them.

Language Study

In the Greek text:

"miserably" (κακῶς kakōs) often means "badly" or "evil," emphasizing the severity of the destruction.
"destroy" (ἀπολέσει apolesei) is from the verb "ἀπόλλυμι" (apollumi), meaning "to destroy" or "to perish," suggesting total ruin.
"wicked men" (κακούς kakous) is from the same root as "miserably," reinforcing the depravity of the tenants' actions.
"husbandmen" (γεωργούς georgous) means "farmers" or "vine-growers."

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The idea of a vineyard as a symbol of a people chosen by a deity is not unique to Judaism.

Many ancient cultures had agricultural metaphors for divine-human relationships.

However, Matthew 21:41 uniquely conveys God’s judgement and the hope of renewal through a change in leadership, which aligns with the Jewish prophetic tradition.

Scientific Perspectives

This verse from Matthew does not directly intersect with scientific understandings, as it is a theological and moral teaching. Science does not typically engage with parables, which are literary and didactic tools.

Commentaries

Commentaries on this passage highlight:

The judgement against Israel's leaders for their disobedience and the vindication of Jesus as the Son.
The historical and prophetic patterns of God's punishment and the eventual restoration or replacement.
The need for responsible and faithful stewardship in following God's will.

Scholars such as N.T. Wright and R.T. France note that this parable emphasizes God's sovereign plan throughout Israel's history and the accountability required of those called to lead God's people.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:41 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 21:41 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?