Matthew 21:46

But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. BUT WHEN THEY SOUGHT TO LAY HANDS ON HIM - which Luke (Luke 20:19) says they did "the same hour," hardly able to restrain their rage. THEY FEARED THE MULTITUDE (RATHER 'THE MULTITUDES' [ tous (G3588 ) ochlous (G3793 )]), BECAUSE THEY TOOK HIM FOR A PROPHET - just as they feared to say John's baptism was of men, because the masses took him for a prophet (Matthew 21:26.) Miserable creatures! So, for this time, "they...

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 Matthew 21:46. _THEY SOUGHT TO LAY HANDS ON HIM, THEY FEARED THE_ _MULTITUDE_] Restraining and preventing grace is an excellent blessing, particularly where it leads to repentance and salvation; but he who abstains from certain evils, only through fear of scandal or punishment, has already committed them in his heart, and is _guilty_ before God. The intrepidity of our Lord is worthy of admiration and imitation; in the very face of his most inveterate enemies, he bears a noble testimony to the truth, reproves their iniquities, denounces the Divine judgments, and, in the very teeth of destruction, braves danger and death! A true _minister_ of Christ fears nothing but God, when _his_ glory is concerned: a _hireling_ fears every thing, except Him whom he ought to fear. This last journey of our Lord to Jerusalem is a subjec

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

BUT WHEN THEY SOUGHT TO LAY HANDS ON HIM,.... Not that they attempted by any outward action to apprehend him, and carry him off, or by any immediate act of violence to take away his life; but they secretly wished, and earnestly desired to do it: they were so irritated and provoked, that they could scarcely keep their hands off of him, and could have been glad of an opportunity of satiating their revenge upon him: and whereby they would but have fulfilled what he in this parable had prophetically said of them: and yet so hardened were they, though they understood his meaning, they were not deterred thereby, but on another account: THEY FEARED THE MULTITUDE; which were now about Christ, lest there should be a tumult, and they should take the part of Christ against them, to which they seemed inclined; when their lives, had they attempted anything of this nature, would have been in a great...

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)...