Matthew 21:35
in Matthew 21But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
KJV
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
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This verse in Matthew 21
Commentary
14 notes on this verse(Verse 35-36) And the vinedressers 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. We read the letter of Paul to the Hebrews (Heb. XI); and from it we learn in great detail the sufferings endured by the servants of the Lord.
This site's exposition
beat one, and killed another, and stoned another
on Matthew 21:35-39
The husbandmen beat one, and killed another, and stoned another, servants sent for the fruit and answered with the violence Israel's own history had shown its prophets, and the pattern repeats with a larger company before the owner sends his own son. They will reverence my son is the parable's most exposed line, since the plan the husbandmen actually form, come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance, answers the owner's hope with murder calculated to keep the vineyard rather than return it. Cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him anticipates a detail Matthew leaves the reader to notice rather than states, that Jesus would likewise suffer outside the city, without the gate.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Beat them, as Jeremiah, killed them, as Isaiah, stoned them, as Naboth and Zacharias, whom they slew between the temple and the altar.
At each step of their wickedness the mercy of God was increased, and at each step of the Divine mercy the wickedness of the Jews increased; thus there was a strife between human wickedness and Divine goodness.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 68 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
And "He sent His servants," that is, the prophets, "to receive the fruit;" that is, their obedience, the proof of it by their works. But they even here showed their wickedness, not only by failing to give the fruit, after having enjoyed so much care, which was the sign of idleness, but also by showing anger towards them that came. For they that had not to give when they owed, should not have been indignant, nor angry, but should have entreated. But they not only were indignant, but even filled their hands with blood, and while deserving punishment, themselves inflicted punishment. Therefore He sent both a second, and a third company, both that the wickedness of these might be shown, and the love towards man of Him who sent them.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Or, the first servants who were sent were the Lawgiver Moses himself, and Aaron the first Priest of God; whom, having beaten them with the scourge of their tongue, they sent away empty; by the other servants understand the company of the Prophets.
Morally; a vineyard has been let out to each of us to dress, when the mystery of baptism was given us, to be cultivated by action. Servants one, two, and three are sent us when Law, Psalm, and Prophecy are read, after whose instructions we are to work well. He that is sent is beaten and cast out when the word is contemned, or, which is worse, is blasphemed. He kills (as far as in him lies) the heir, who tramples under foot the Son, and does despite to the Spirit of grace. The wicked husbandman is destroyed, and the vineyard is given to another, when the gift of grace which the proud has contemned is given to the lowly.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
"The time of the fruit drew near" during the years of the prophets. For the servants who were sent are the prophets who were abused in various ways by the husbandmen, that is, the false prophets and false teachers of those times. One they beat, …
After this the malice is treated. And first with respect to the first group; secondly, with respect to the second; thirdly, with respect to the third. "And the husbandmen laying hands on his servants, beat one," as Micaiah, "killed another," as Isaiah, "and stoned another," …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the husbandmen took his servants,....
But in this public appearance, 1. The preparation was sudden and offhand. For his glory in the other world, and ours with him, preparation was made before the foundation of the world, for that was the glory his heart was upon; his glory in this world he was dead to, and therefore, though he had it in prospect, did not forecast for it, but took what came next.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Beat one - Εδειραν, took his skin off, flayed him: probably alluding to some who had been excessively scourged. Killed another, etc. - Rid themselves of the true witnesses of God by a variety of persecutions.
The parable contained in these verses was spoken with special reference to the Jews. They are the husbandmen here described: their sins are set before us here as in a picture. Of this there can be no doubt: it is written that “he spake of them.” But we must not flatter ourselves that this parable contains nothing for the Gentiles. There are lessons laid down for us, as well as for the Jew. Let us see what they are. We see in the first place what distinguishing privileges God is pleased to bestow on some nations.
The parable contained in these verses was spoken with special reference to the Jews. They are the husbandmen here described: their sins are set before us here as in a picture. Of this there can be no doubt: it is written that “he spake of them.” But we must not flatter ourselves that this parable contains nothing for the Gentiles. There are lessons laid down for us, as well as for the Jew. Let us see what they are. We see in the first place what distinguishing privileges God is pleased to bestow on some nations. He chose Israel to be a people special to himself. He separated them from the other nations of the earth, and bestowed on them countless blessings; he gave them revelations of himself, while all the rest of the earth was in darkness; he gave them the law, and the covenants, and the oracles of God, while all the world beside was let alone. In short, God dealt with the Jews as a man deals with a piece of land which he fences out and cultivates, while all the country around is left untilled and waste. The vineyard of the Lord was the house of Israel ( Isaiah 5:7 ). And have we no privileges? Beyond doubt we have many. We have the Bible, and liberty for everyone to read it; we have the Gospel, and permission to everyone to hear it; we have spiritual mercies in abundance of which five hundred millions of our fellow-men know nothing at all. How thankful we ought to be! The poorest man in England may say every morning, “There are five hundred millions of immortal souls worse off than I am. Who am I, that I should differ? Bless the Lord, O my soul.” We see in the next place what a bad use nations sometimes make of their privileges. When the Lord separated the Jews from other people, he had a right to expect that they would serve him, and obey his laws. When a man has taken pains with a vineyard, he has a right to expect fruit.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| λαβόντες | labontes | having taken | G2983 → | 257 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γεωργοὶ | georgoi | farmers | G1092 → | 19 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δούλους | doulous | servants | G1401 → | 129 times |
| αὐτοῦ, | autou | of him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὃν | hon | the | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| μὲν | men | one | G3303 → | 176 times |
| ἔδειραν, | edeiran | they beat, | G1194 → | |
| ὃν | hon | another | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| δὲ | de | and | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀπέκτειναν, | apekteinan | they killed, | G615 → | 74 times |
| ὃν | hon | another | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| δὲ | de | and | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐλιθοβόλησαν. | elithobolesan | they stoned. | G3036 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
λαβόντεςhaving taken
labontesG2983 →257 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
γεωργοὶfarmers
georgoiG1092 →19 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
δούλουςservants
doulousG1401 →129 times
αὐτοῦ,of him,
autouG846 →5565 times
ὃνthe
honG3739 →1405 times
μὲνone
menG3303 →176 times
ἔδειραν,they beat,
edeiranG1194 →
ὃνanother
honG3739 →1405 times
δὲand
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀπέκτειναν,they killed,
apekteinanG615 →74 times
ὃνanother
honG3739 →1405 times
δὲand
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐλιθοβόλησαν.they stoned.
elithobolesanG3036 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 5:12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
it leads to
- Luke 6:23
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.
- James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
- Colossians 3:24
because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- 1 Peter 4:13
But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.
- Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
- Luke 6:23
Through
Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
it leads to
- 1 Kings 19:10
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 5:12
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
- 1 Kings 19:10
Through
Nehemiah 9:26But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 14:9
You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me, and you have flung Me behind your back.
- 1 Kings 14:9
Where this verse is studied
About Matthew
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 68; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Rabanus Maurus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.