Matthew 21:45
in Matthew 21When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
KJV
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
⋯
This verse in Matthew 21
Commentary
12 notes on this verse(Verse 45, 46.) And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. And they sought to arrest him, but they feared the crowds because they regarded him as a prophet. Though they had hard hearts and were dull in their disbelief and impiety towards the Son of God, they could not deny the clear accusations, and they understood that all of the Lord's judgments were directed against them. Therefore, they indeed wanted to kill him, but they feared the crowds because they regarded him as a prophet.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Hard as were the hearts of the Jews in unbelief, they yet perceived that the Lord's sentence was directed against themselves.
(in fin. Hom. xxxix.) Here is the difference between good and bad men. The good man when taken in a sin has sorrow because he has sinned, the bad man is grieved not because he has sinned, but because he is found out in his sin; and he not only does not repent, but is indignant with him that reproved him. Thus they being taken in their sins were stirred up to still greater wickedness; And they sought to lay hands on him, but feared the multitude, because they took him for a Prophet. Every wicked man also, as far as his will is concerned, lays hands on God, and puts Him to death. For whoso tramples upon God's commandments, or murmurs against God, or raises a sullen look to heaven, would not he, if he had the power, lay hands on God, and kill Him, that he might sin without restraint?
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 68 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
What then ought they to have done on hearing these things? ought they not to have adored, to have marvelled at the tender care, that shown before, that afterwards? But if by none of these things they were made better, by the fear of punishment at any rate ought they not to have been rendered more temperate? But they did not become so, but what do they after these things? "When they had heard it," it is said, "they perceived that He spake of them. And when they sought to lay hands on Him, they were afraid because of the multitudes, for they took Him for a prophet." For they felt afterwards that they themselves were intimated. Sometimes indeed, when being seized, He withdraws through the midst of them, and is not seen; and sometimes while appearing to them He lays a check upon their laboring eagerness; at which indeed men marveled, and said, "Is not this Jesus? Lo, He speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto Him." But in this instance, forasmuch as they were held in restraint by the fear of the multitude, He is satisfied with this, and doth not work miracles, as before, withdrawing through the midst, and not appearing. For it was not His desire to do all things in a superhuman way, in order that the Dispensation might be believed. But they, neither by the multitude, nor by what had been said, were brought to a sound mind; they regarded not the prophet's testimony, nor their own sentence, nor the disposition of the people; so entirely had the love of power and the lust of vainglory blinded them, together with the pursuit of things temporal.
The Medieval Church2 voices
See once again that the multitude, which is simple and guileless, follows the truth, while the teachers of the law work evil. But even today there are Jews who seek to lay hands on Christ, but they neither grasp nor understand Him. For they shall …
This, that they are afraid to lay hands on Jesus because of the multitudes, is daily acted in the Church, when any who is a brother only in name, is ashamed or afraid to assail the unity of faith and peace which he does not love, because of the good men with whom he lives.
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
There follows the time of malice: "and when they had heard, they knew that he spoke of them."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And when the chief priests and Pharisees,....
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
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 chief priests - perceived that he spoke of them - The most wholesome advice passes for an affront with those who have shut their hearts against the truth. When that which should lead to repentance only kindles the flame of malice and revenge, there is but little hope of the salvation of such persons.
The words behind it
15 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 |
| ἀκούσαντες | akousantes | having heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρχιερεῖς | archiereis | chief priests | G749 → | 122 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φαρισαῖοι | pharisaioi | Pharisees | G5330 → | 97 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παραβολὰς | parabolas | parables | G3850 → | 50 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἔγνωσαν | egnosan | they knew | G1097 → | 221 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| περὶ | peri | about | G4012 → | 332 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| λέγει. | legei | He speaks. | G3004 → | 1325 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀκούσαντεςhaving heard
akousantesG191 →425 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἀρχιερεῖςchief priests
archiereisG749 →122 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ΦαρισαῖοιPharisees
pharisaioiG5330 →97 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
παραβολὰςparables
parabolasG3850 →50 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἔγνωσανthey knew
egnosanG1097 →221 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
περὶabout
periG4012 →332 times
αὐτῶνthem
autonG846 →5565 times
λέγει.He speaks.
legeiG3004 →1325 times
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 12:12How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
it leads to
- Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
- Luke 6:9
Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”
- Matthew 10:31
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- Mark 3:4
And He asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” But they were silent.
- Luke 12:24
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
- Matthew 6:26
Through
Luke 20:19When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.
it leads to
- Luke 19:47–48
Jesus was teaching at the temple every day, but the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people were intent on killing Him.
- Luke 19:47–48
Through
Luke 11:45One of the experts in the law told Him, “Teacher, when You say these things, You insult us as well.”
it leads to
- John 9:40
Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?”
- Matthew 22:35
One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question:
- John 9:40
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
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.