WE ARE STUDYING THE FOUR GOSPELS MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN TO KNOW THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM.
INTRODUCTION
There is no reason to doubt that this Gospel was written by Matthew. It presents the narrative of our Lord’s life from the standpoint of the pious Jew; and the evident design of the writer is to show how completely and continually our Lord fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. No other Gospel contains so many quotations from the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. In it the predominant aspect of our Lord’s character and work is the Messianic. He was great David’s Greater Son. The keyword of the book is “Behold your King.” As King, His line is traced through the kingly race. As King, He proclaims the kingdom of heaven. As King, He promulgates the laws, describes the subjects, and announces the rewards of the Kingdom. When describing His own action at the last, when He sits on His throne and all nations are gathered before Him, He speaks of Himself as King, Mat_25:40. It was on His avowal of kingship that He was condemned to die. From every viewpoint this Gospel is one of the most precious documents in the world.
By F.B.Meyer
{e-Sword Note: The following material was presented at the end of Matthew in the printed edition}
Find the outline of our Bible study on The Gospel of Matthew at the link below.
Outline Of The Gospel According To Matthew
The King of the House of David
III. FACING REJECTION, Matthew 16:13-25:46
3. Questions, Discourses and Parables of Judgment, Matthew 17:10 to Matthew 25:46
NB !Note:
The Judean ministry of Jesus, which lasted almost one year, is not discussed by Matthew. This one year period is covered in John 1;1 to the end of John 4: and fits between Mat_4:11 and Mat_4:12. Matthew takes us from the temptation directly to the Galilean ministry.
Today we will look at the following question in the outline starting with
Matthew 21:33-46
74. How did Jesus apply the Scripture about the stone rejected by the builders?
The Parable of the Tenants
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,
74. How did Jesus apply the Scripture about the stone rejected by the builders?
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.
Comments by F.B.Meyer
Matthew 21:33-32
The answer for 74. How did Jesus apply the Scripture about the stone rejected by the builders? As presented by F.B.Meyer.
REJECTERS THEMSELVES REJECTED
This parable is based on Isa_5:1-7. The husbandmen are the religious leaders of the people. The vineyard is of course the Hebrew nation. The servants sent for the produce refer to the prophets and others raised up from time to time to speak for God and to demand “fruits meet for repentance.” Notice that when He speaks of the mission of the Son, our Lord severs Himself, by the sharpest possible line, from all merely human messengers and claims sonship in the most intimate and lofty sense of the word.
It is said that in the building of Solomon’s Temple, a curiously shaped stone, sent from the quarry, was left to lie for many months in the entangled undergrowth, till suddenly its fitness was discovered for a place in the Temple walls. Then it was put into its right position, which it occupied thenceforward. This incident may be referred to in Psa_118:22. How truly it portrays men’s treatment of our Lord! Is He your corner-stone?
Believer’s Bible commentary
Book by William MacDonald
G. Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers (21:33-46)
21:33-39 Further answering the question about authority, Jesus told the parable of a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, installed a wine press in it, … built a tower, rented it to vinedressers, and went away to a distant country. At vintage-time … he sent his servants to the vinedressers to get his share of the crop, but the vinedressers beat one, killed one, and stoned another. When he sent other servants, they received the same treatment. The third time he sent his son, thinking they would respect him. Knowing full well that he was the heir, they killed him with the idea of seizing his inheritance.
21:40, 41 At this point the Lord asked the priests and elders what the owner would do to those vinedressers. They answered, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
The parable is not difficult to interpret. God is the landowner, Israel the vineyard (Psa_80:8; Isa_5:1-7; Jer_2:21). The hedge is the Law of Moses which separated Israel from the Gentiles and preserved them as a distinct people for the Lord. The wine-press, by metonymy, signifies the fruit which Israel should have produced for God. The tower suggests Jehovah’s watchful care for His people. The vinedressers are the chief priests and scribes.
Repeatedly God sent His servants, the prophets, to the people of Israel seeking from the vineyard the fruits of fellowship, holiness, and love. But the people persecuted the prophets and killed some of them. Finally, God sent His Son, saying, “They will respect My Son” (v. 37). The chief priests and scribes said, “This is the heir”—a fatal admission. They privately agreed that Jesus was the Son of God (though publicly denying it) and thus answered their own question concerning His authority. His authority came from the fact that He was God the Son.
In the parable they are quoted as saying, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance” (v. 38). In real life they said, “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (Joh_11:48). And so they rejected Him, threw Him out, and crucified Him.
21:42 When the Savior asked what the owner of the vineyard would do, their answer condemned them, as He shows in verses 42 and 43. He quoted the words of Psa_118:22 : “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” When Christ, the Stone, presented Himself to the builders—the leaders of Israel, they had no place for Him in their building plans. They threw Him aside as useless. But following His death He was raised from the dead and given the place of preeminence by God. He has been made the topmost stone in God’s building: “God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name … ” (Php_2:9).
21:43 Jesus then bluntly announced that the kingdom of God would be taken from Israel and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And so it happened. Israel has been set aside as God’s chosen people and has been judicially blinded. A hardening has come upon the race that rejected its Messiah. The prophecy that the kingdom of God would be given to a nation bearing the fruits of it has been understood as referring to:“a holy nation, God’s own people” (1Pe_2:9); Redeemed Israel will bring forth fruit for God.
21:44“Whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” In the first part of the verse, the stone is on the ground; in the second part, it is descending from above. This suggests the two Advents of Christ. When He came the first time, the Jewish leaders stumbled over Him and were broken to pieces. When He comes again, He will descend in judgment, scattering His enemies like dust.
21:45, 46 The chief priests and Pharisees realized these parables were aimed directly at them, in answer to their question concerning Christ’s authority. They would like to have seized Him then and there, but they feared the multitudes, who still took Jesus for a prophet.
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