Matthew 21:34

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 WHEN THE TIME OF THE FRUIT DREW NEAR, HE SENT HIS SERVANTS TO THE FARMERS, By these "servants" are meant the prophets and other extraordinary messengers, raised up from time to time. See the note at , THAT THEY MIGHT RECEIVE THE FRUITS OF IT. See again the note at ....

33-46 This parable plainly sets forth the sin and ruin of the Jewish nation; and what is spoken to convict them, is spoken to caution all that enjoy the privileges of the outward church. As men treat God's people, they would treat Christ himself, if he were with them. How can we, if faithful to his cause, expect a favourable reception from a wicked world, or from ungodly professors of Christianity! And let us ask ourselves, whether we who have the vineyard and all its advantages, render fruits in due season, as a people, as a family, or as separate persons. Our Saviour, in his question, declares that the Lord of the vineyard will come, and when he comes he will surely destroy the wicked. The chief priests and the elders were the builders, and they would not admit his doctrine or laws; they threw him aside as a despised stone. But he who was rejected by the Jews, was embraced by the Gent...

Verse 34. _HE SENT HIS SERVANTS_] _Prophets_, which, from _time_ to _time_, he sent to the Jewish nation to call both priests and people back to the purity of his holy religion. _RECEIVE THE FRUITS OF IT._] Alluding to the ancient custom of paying the rent of a farm in _kind_; that is, by a part of the _produce_ of the _farm_. This custom anciently prevailed in most nations; and still prevails in the highlands of Scotland, and in some other places. The _Boldon book_, a survey made of the state of the bishopric of Durham in 1183, shows how much of the rents was paid in cows, sheep, pigs, fowls, eggs, c., the remaining part being made up chiefly by manual labour....

THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD - This is also recorded in Mark 12:1; Luke 20:9. Matthew 21:33 HEAR ANOTHER PARABLE - See the notes at Matthew 13:3. A CERTAIN HOUSEHOLDER - See the notes at Matthew 20:1. PLANTED A VINEYARD - A place for the cultivation of grapes. It is often used to represent the church of God. as a place cultivated and valuable. Judea was favorable to vines, and the figure is freque

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 21:1 _Triumphal entry into Jerusalem_. (Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29; John 12:12.) MATTHEW 21:1 We have come to the last week of our Lord's earthly life, when he made his appearance in Jerusalem as Messiah, and suffered the penalty of death. If, as is believed, his crucifixion took place on the fourteenth day of the month Nisan, the triumphal entry must be assigned to the ninth, which day was reckoned to commence at one sunset and to continue till the follow-lug evening. Th

AND WHEN THE TIME OF THE FRUIT DREW NEAR,.... Of gathering the fruit, when it was ripe, and might be eaten, or profit made of it, according to the law in Leviticus 19:23. The fruit of all manner of trees, for the first three years, was uncircumcised; it was not to be eaten, nor any profit made of it, and on the fourth year it was to be holy to praise the Lord with; being either given to the priests, or eaten by the owners before the Lord at Jerusalem; and on the fifth year it might be eaten, and made use of for profit, and henceforward every year; which law regarded the fruit of the vine, as any other fruit: hence it is said w, that "the grapes of the vineyard of the fourth year, the sanhedrim ordered that they should be brought up to Jerusalem, a day's journey on every side, so that they might crown or adorn the streets with fruits.'' To this time of fruit, an

Matthew 21:23. _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?_ Jesus knew that these men came to him for no good purpose, mad that willing were only trying to trip him up in his speech. He was always willing to teach when men were willing to learn, but he did not care to cast his pearls before swine. Therefore, mark the holy caution, the sacred ingenuity with which our Lord replied to these men. Matthew 21:24. And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or o

9. THE KING ENTERS INTO JERUSALEM. The Parables of the Two Sons and the Householder and His Vineyard. CHAPTER 21 1. The King Enters Jerusalem. (Matthew 21:1 .) 2. The Second Cleansing of the Temple. (Matthew 21:12 .) 3. The Fig tree Cursed. (Matthew 21:18 .) 4. His Authority Impeached and His Question. (Matthew 21:23 .) 5. The Parable of the Two Sons. (Matthew 21:28 .) 6. The Parable of the Householder. (Matthew 21:33 .)

THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD (Mark 12:1 *, Luke 20:9). The chief peculiarities of Mt.'s version are (Matthew 21:39) the slaying of the heir outside the vineyard (perhaps a recollection of Jesus suffering without the gate), (Matthew 21:41) the opponents of Jesus pronouncing sentence on themselves and their class, and Matthew 21:43, where the word nation need not exclude Jews. Note that Mt. here (as in Matthew 12:38) has kingdom of God. His usual expression, kingdom of hea

THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST ACT (Matthew 21:1-11)...