Matthew 21:40

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Matthew 21:40-41. When the Lord cometh — Armed with a power which they will be utterly unable to resist, What will he do unto these husbandmen — Who had been so treacherous and cruel? With a view to their stronger conviction, he refers it to themselves to judge in this case. For God’s proceedings are so unexceptionable, there needs only an appeal to sinners themselves concerning the equity of them. They say, (for how could they with any decency say otherwise?) He will miserably destroy these wicked men — Κακους κακως απολεσει αυτους, he will put those wretches to a wretched death: (So Campbell:) and will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen. Thus, before they were aware, they condemned themselves, and signified that their privileges and blessings would be taken from them, the governors of their church and commonwealth destroyed, and the Gentiles taken to be God’s people in their stead: an interpretation of the parable which our Lord immediately confirmed, Luke 20:16; when they replied with apparent seriousness, God forbid.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:33-46 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 Gentiles. Christ knows who will bring forth gospel fruits in the use of gospel means. The unbelief of sinners will be their ruin. But God has many ways of restraining the remainders of wrath, as he has of making that which breaks out redound to his praise. May Christ become more and more precious to our souls, as the firm Foundation and Cornerstone of his church. May we be willing to follow him, though despised and hated for his sake.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When the lord, therefore ... - Jesus then asked them a question about the proper way of dealing with those people.

The design of asking them this question was that they might condemn themselves, and admit the justice of the punishment that was soon to come upon them.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

40. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh—This represents "the settling time," which, in the case of the Jewish ecclesiastics, was that judicial trial of the nation and its leaders which issued in the destruction of their whole state.

what will he do unto those husbandmen?

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Matthew 21:41".

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh,.... In a way of providence, to call these husbandmen to an account; not only for the fruit they were to bring to him; but for their barbarity to his servants, the prophets, time after time; and especially, for the inhuman usage and murder of his own son,

what will he do unto those husbandmen? This question is put to the chief priests, elders, and Scribes: and they themselves, who are designed hereby, are made judges in this case, just as the inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah are, in Isaiah 5:4 which passage of Scripture our Lord had greatly in view when he spake this parable.

Geneva Study Bible

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Matthew 21:40 f. According to Mark and Luke, it is Jesus who replies. But how appropriate and how striking (comp. Matthew 21:31) that the adversaries themselves are forced to pronounce their own condemnation (in answer to Schneckenburger, de Wette, Bleek)!

κακοὺς κακῶς ἀπολέσει αὐτ.] as despicable creatures (scoundrels), He will miserably destroy them. The collocation κακοὺς κακῶς serves to indicate in an emphatic manner the correspondence between the conduct in question and its punishment. See Wetstein’s note; Fritzsche, Diss. in 2 Cor. ii. p. 147 f.; Lobeck, Paralip. p. 58. Comp. Eur. Cycl. 270: κακῶς οὗτοι κακοὶ ἀπόλοινθʼ; and, in general, Lobeck, ad Soph. Aj. 866; Elmsl. ad Eur. Med. 787. If we are to apply the parable in accordance with the order of thought, and, therefore, in conformity with the meaning intended by Jesus Himself, we cannot understand the coming of the κύριος and the execution of the punishment as denoting the second advent and the last judgment; for, apart from the fact that it is God and not Christ that is represented by the κύριος, the words οἵτινες ἀποδώσουσιν, κ.τ.λ., would point to the period subsequent to the advent and the judgment,—a reference not in keeping with the sense of the passage. The true reference is to the destruction of Jerusalem, the shape in which the divine judgment is to overtake the then guardians of the theocracy, whereupon this latter would be entrusted to the care of other guides (i.e. the leaders of the Christian church as representing the true Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ θεοῦ), who as such will be called upon to undertake the duties and responsibilities of their unfaithful predecessors. Comp. Matthew 22:7; John 7:34; Ephesians 4:11 f. Such are the things which those hostile questioners “ἄκοντες προφητεύουσι” (Euthymius Zigabenus).

ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν] αὐτῶν refers to the γεωργοί: at the terms prescribed to them for doing so.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 21:40-46. Application.—ὅταν οὖν ἔλθῃ ὁ κ., etc.: what would you expect the owner to do after such ongoings have been reported to him? Observe the subjunctive after ὅταν compared with the indicative ἤγγισεν after ὅτε, Matthew 21:34. ὅτε points to a definite time past, ὅταν is indefinite (vide Hermann, Viger, p. 437).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 40. - When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh; when therefore the lord, etc. Christ asks his hearers, who are both rulers and people, what in their opinion will be the course taken by the lord when he visits his vineyard, knowing all that has transpired. So Isaiah (Isaiah 5:3) makes the people give the verdict: "And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard." Matthew 21:40