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Matthew 21:33
Verse
Context
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
32For John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.33Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
Sermons
David WilkersonDavid Wilkerson
Conrad Mbewe
Chuck Smith
Zac Poonen
Horatius BonarSummary
Commentary
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard--(See on Luk 13:6). and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower--These details are taken, as is the basis of the parable itself, from that beautiful parable of Isa 5:1-7, in order to fix down the application and sustain it by Old Testament authority. and let it out to husbandmen--These are just the ordinary spiritual guides of the people, under whose care and culture the fruits of righteousness are expected to spring up. and went into a far country--"for a long time" (Luk 20:9), leaving the vineyard to the laws of the spiritual husbandry during the whole time of the Jewish economy. On this phraseology, see on Mar 4:26.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Hear another parable,.... Which, though Luke says was spoken to the people, who, were gathered round about him, yet was directed to, and against the chief priests; who continued with him till it was delivered, and the application of it made; when they perceived it was spoken of them. The design of it is, to set forth the many favours and privileges bestowed on the Jewish nation; their unfruitfulness, and the ingratitude of the principal men among them; and their barbarous usage of the servants of the Lord, and particularly of the Son of God himself: the consequence of which would be, the removal of the Gospel from them, and the miserable destruction of them. So that this parable is partly a narrative, of some things past, and partly a prophecy of some things to come: there was a certain householder: by whom the great God of heaven and earth is meant; who may be so called, either with respect to the whole world, which is an house of his building, and the inhabitants of it are his family, who live, are nourished, and supplied by him; or to the church, the house of the living God, the family in heaven and in earth, called the household of God, and of faith; or to the people of Israel, often called the house of Israel, the family, above all the families of the earth, God took notice of, highly favoured, and dwelt among, Which planted a vineyard: of the form of a vineyard, the manner of planting it, and the size of it, the Jews say many things in their Misna (f), "He that plants a row of five vines, the school of Shammai say, "it is a vineyard"; but the school of Hillell say, it is not a vineyard, unless there are two rows--he that plants two vines over against two, and one at the tail or end, , "lo! this is a vineyard"; (it was a little vineyard;) but if two over against two, and one between the two, or two over against two, and one in the midst, it is no vineyard, unless there are two over against two, and one at the tail or end. Again (g), "a vineyard that is planted with less than four cubits (between every row), R. Simeon says, is no vineyard; but the wise men say it is a vineyard. And the decision is according to them. Now by this vineyard is meant, the house of Israel and the men of Judah, the nation of the Jews, as in Isa 5:7 from whence our Lord seems to have taken many of the ideas expressed in this parable; who were a people separated from the rest of the world, and set with valuable plants, from whom fruit might reasonably be expected: the planting of them designs the removing them out of Egypt, the driving out the natives before them, and settling them in the land of Canaan, where they were planted with choice vines, such as Joshua, Caleb, &c. and where they soon became a flourishing people, though for their iniquities, often exposed to beasts of prey, the neighbouring nations, that were suffered at times to break in upon them. The Jews often speak (h) of the house of Israel, as the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, and even call their schools and universities vineyards: hence we read (i) of , the vineyard in Jabneh, where the scholars were placed in rows, as in a vineyard, And hedged it round about; as it was usual to set a hedge, or make a wall round a vineyard, which according to the Jewish writers, was to be ten hands high, and four broad; for they ask (k), "rdg hz ya, "what is a hedge?" That which is ten hands, high. And elsewhere (l), "An hedge that encompasses a vineyard, which is less than ten hands high, or which is ten hands high, but not four hands broad, it has no circuit (or void place between that and the vines)--an hedge which is ten hands high, and so a ditch which is ten hands deep, and four broad, lo! this is lawful to plant a vineyard on one side of it, and herbs on the other; even a fence of reeds, if there is between the reeds the space of three hands, lo! this divides between the vineyard and the herbs, as an hedge. By this "hedge" is designed, either the law, not the oral law, or the traditions of the elders, which the Jews (m) call , "an hedge for the law", which was none of God's setting, but their own; but either the ceremonial law, which distinguished them from other people, was a middle wall of partition between them, and the nations of the world, and kept them from coming among them, and joining together; or the moral law, which taught them their duty to God and man, and was the means of keeping them within due bounds; or else the protection of them by the power of God, which was an hedge about them, is here intended; and which was very remarkable at the time of their three feasts of passover, pentecost, and tabernacles; when all their males went up to Jerusalem, and the whole country was, left an easy prey to the nations about them; but God preserved them, and, according to his promise, suffered not their neighbours to have any inclination or desire after their land, And digged a winepress in it; which is not "the ditch", that went through a, vineyard; for this cannot be said of a winepress, and is Dr. Lightfoot's mistake (n); but "the winefat", in which they squeezed the grapes and made the wine, and this used to be in the vineyard: the rule about it is this, "Mrkbv tgh, the winepress that is ten hands deep and four broad, R. Eliezer says, they may set in it; but the wise men do forbid it (o). By this may be meant, the altar where the drink offerings of wine were poured forth; and so the Targumist (p) renders it by "my altar I have given them, to atone for their sins": though one of their commentators (q), by it, understands the prophets, who taught Israel the law, that their works might be good before God and men; they urged and pressed them to the performance of them, as grapes are squeezed in the winepress: and built a tower; the same the Jews call "the watch house"; which was an high place, in which the watchman stood to keep (r) the vineyard, and which was built in the vineyard; of this they say, "Mrkbv hrmwv, the "watch house which is in the vineyard", that is ten hands high and four broad, they set in it (s). By this is meant, either the city or Jerusalem, which stood in the midst, and on the highest part of the land of Israel; or the temple, which stood on the highest part of Jerusalem, where the priests and Levites kept their watch every night; and so the Targumist (t) interprets it, by "my sanctuary I built among them": that is, the temple: and let it out to husbandmen; of which there were different sorts, as there were different methods of hiring and letting out fields and vineyards among the Jews: one sort was called and such was he, who hired of his neighbour a field to sow in it, or a vineyard to eat of the fruit of it, for a certain sum of money yearly; see Sol 8:11 another sort was called and this was one that hired a field, or a vineyard, and agreed to give the proprietor of it yearly, so many measures of the fruit thereof, whether it yielded more or less; and there was a third sort, called or and such was he, who agreed to give the owner half, or a third, or a fourth part of the increase of the field, or vineyard (u). Now it is not of the former, but of the latter sort of letting out and farming, that this is to be understood; not of letting it out for money, but for fruit, as appears from Mat 21:34 and by the husbandmen are meant, the rulers of the Jews, civil and ecclesiastical, especially the latter; the priests, Levites, and Scribes, who were intrusted with the care of the Jewish people, to guide and instruct them, and cultivate the knowledge of divine things among them, that they might bring forth fruits of righteousness; and to offer their gifts and sacrifices, and the like, which are meant by letting out the vineyard to them: and went into afar country; which must be interpreted consistent with the omnipresence of God, who is every where, and cannot be said properly to move from place to place; but fills heaven and earth with his presence, and cannot be contained in either: but this phrase seems to design his taking up his residence in the thick darkness, in the tabernacle and temple, when the civil and ecclesiastical state of the Jews was settled, and God did not appear to them in that visible manner he had done before; but having fixed their order of government, worship, and duty, left them to themselves and their rulers; for many years; in which he expressed much longsuffering and patience towards them, (f) Misna Kilaim, c. 4. sect. 5, 6. Maimon. Hilch. Kilaim, c. 7. sect. 7. (g) Ib. c. 5. sect. 2. Maimon ib. sect. 1. (h) Tzeror Hammor, fol. 148. 2. Zohar in Exod. fol. 2. 1. (i) T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 7. 4. T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 42. 2. (k) Misn. Kilaim, c. 4. sect. 3. (l) Maimon. Hilch. Kilaim, c. 7. sect. 14, 15. (m) Pirke Abot. c. sect, 1. (n) Horae in Mark xii. 1. (o) Misn. Kilaim, c. 5. sect. 3. (p) Targum Jon. in Isa. v. 2. Vid. T. Hicros. Succa, fol. 54. 4. (q) R. David Kimchi in loc. (r) Maimon. in Misn. Kilaim, c. 5. sect. 3. Aben Ezra in Isa. v. 2. (s) Misn. Kilaim, c. 5. sect. 3. Maimon. Hilch. Kilaim, c. 7. sect. 22. (t) Targum Jon. in Isa. v. 2. (u) T. Hieros. Demai, fol. 25. 1. Gloss in T. Bab. Moed. Katon, fol. 11. 2. & in Bava Metzia, fol. 103. 1. in Avoda Zara, fol. 21. 2. Maimon. Hilch. Shecirut, c. 8. sect. 1, 2. Bartenora in Misn. Pea, c. 5. sect. 5. & in Demai, c. 6, sect. 1.
Matthew 21:33
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
32For John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.33Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Witchcraft in the Church
By David Wilkerson10K58:421SA 15:22PSA 107:9MAT 21:33In this sermon, the preacher discusses the dangers of seeking power and position in the work of God without paying the right price. He uses the story of Simon in the book of Acts as an example of someone who tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit with money. The preacher emphasizes the importance of having a servant's heart and humility in order to be used by God. He also highlights the consequences of rejecting and mistreating God's messengers, using the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21. The sermon concludes with a call to repentance and a warning against bitterness and iniquity.
When the Walls Come Down
By David Wilkerson3.3K50:40PSA 89:38ISA 5:5MIC 7:7MAT 21:33In this sermon, the preacher reflects on what more God can do for his vineyard and his people. He emphasizes that God has already done everything possible to bring ministers and blessings to his people. However, despite God's efforts, the vineyard has produced worthless grapes instead of good ones. The preacher warns that divine judgment is coming to America and urges the congregation to judge between God and his vineyard. He concludes by questioning what more the Holy Ghost can do for the church and the choir.
The Super Abounding Grace of God
By Conrad Mbewe1.9K1:07:40MAT 21:33ROM 3:24ROM 4:16ROM 5:2ROM 5:15ROM 5:18In this sermon, the speaker begins by discussing the generous donation of recording equipment by a family. He then reads from Romans chapter 5, focusing on verses 18-19. The speaker emphasizes the concept of grace and how it is introduced by Paul in the Bible. He explains that grace cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the depth of our own sinfulness and the need for forgiveness. The sermon concludes with the reminder that God's grace is not simply a matter of forgiveness, but also a transformation of our hearts.
(The Word for Today) Isaiah 5:1 - Part 1
By Chuck Smith1.3K25:59ExpositionalGEN 12:1ISA 5:1MAT 6:33MAT 21:33MAT 21:43JHN 15:1ACT 13:46In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses the parable of the vineyard from the Bible. He describes how God, represented as the owner of the vineyard, planted a vineyard on a fruitful hill and expected it to produce good grapes. However, the vineyard, represented by the people of Israel, failed to produce the desired fruit. The owner sent his servants, the prophets, to collect the fruit, but they were mistreated and even killed by the vine dressers, symbolizing the rejection of the prophets by the Israelites. Finally, the owner sent his own son, Jesus, believing that he would be respected, but instead, the vine dressers plotted to kill him. This parable illustrates how God's grace and truth were eventually extended to the Gentiles, as the gospel was taken to another nation.
All That Jesus Taught Bible Study - Part 64
By Zac Poonen64026:22MAT 21:33
This sermon delves into the importance of repentance, obedience, and true righteousness in the eyes of God. It emphasizes the need for genuine transformation and obedience over mere religious activities. The parables shared by Jesus highlight the rejection of self-righteousness and the call to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ for true acceptance into God's kingdom.
The Parables of Jesus
By Zac Poonen0MAT 7:24MAT 9:16MAT 13:24MAT 13:31MAT 13:33MAT 13:44MAT 13:47MAT 18:23MAT 20:1MAT 21:28MAT 21:33MAT 22:2MAT 24:45MAT 25:1MAT 25:14MAT 25:31MRK 4:3MRK 4:26LUK 6:39LUK 7:31LUK 7:41LUK 10:30LUK 11:5LUK 11:11LUK 12:16LUK 13:6LUK 14:7LUK 14:28LUK 14:31LUK 15:3LUK 15:8LUK 15:11LUK 16:1LUK 17:7LUK 18:1LUK 18:9LUK 19:12LUK 21:29Zac Poonen preaches on various aspects of entering God's Kingdom, emphasizing the importance of good soil for spiritual growth, the need to be properly clothed with Christ's righteousness, and the significance of building our lives on a solid foundation of obedience. He also delves into the concept of paying the price in following Christ, highlighting the effortless growth that comes from following the Spirit's laws and the necessity of valuing Jesus above all else. Poonen addresses the themes of loving God and man, the danger of legalism, the different types of backsliders, spiritual pride, watching and praying, and being faithful with God's gifts.
Lies the Food of Man.
By Horatius Bonar0MAT 21:33JHN 15:12TI 2:62TI 2:15JAS 5:7The preacher delves into the concept of the hardworking farmer as described in the Bible, emphasizing the patience, diligence, and discipline required in spiritual work, drawing parallels between the farmer's labor and the Christian life. The sermon highlights the importance of preparation, endurance, and faithfulness in the ministry, using the metaphor of the farmer to illustrate the daily discipline and perseverance needed in serving God and reaping spiritual rewards.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard--(See on Luk 13:6). and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower--These details are taken, as is the basis of the parable itself, from that beautiful parable of Isa 5:1-7, in order to fix down the application and sustain it by Old Testament authority. and let it out to husbandmen--These are just the ordinary spiritual guides of the people, under whose care and culture the fruits of righteousness are expected to spring up. and went into a far country--"for a long time" (Luk 20:9), leaving the vineyard to the laws of the spiritual husbandry during the whole time of the Jewish economy. On this phraseology, see on Mar 4:26.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Hear another parable,.... Which, though Luke says was spoken to the people, who, were gathered round about him, yet was directed to, and against the chief priests; who continued with him till it was delivered, and the application of it made; when they perceived it was spoken of them. The design of it is, to set forth the many favours and privileges bestowed on the Jewish nation; their unfruitfulness, and the ingratitude of the principal men among them; and their barbarous usage of the servants of the Lord, and particularly of the Son of God himself: the consequence of which would be, the removal of the Gospel from them, and the miserable destruction of them. So that this parable is partly a narrative, of some things past, and partly a prophecy of some things to come: there was a certain householder: by whom the great God of heaven and earth is meant; who may be so called, either with respect to the whole world, which is an house of his building, and the inhabitants of it are his family, who live, are nourished, and supplied by him; or to the church, the house of the living God, the family in heaven and in earth, called the household of God, and of faith; or to the people of Israel, often called the house of Israel, the family, above all the families of the earth, God took notice of, highly favoured, and dwelt among, Which planted a vineyard: of the form of a vineyard, the manner of planting it, and the size of it, the Jews say many things in their Misna (f), "He that plants a row of five vines, the school of Shammai say, "it is a vineyard"; but the school of Hillell say, it is not a vineyard, unless there are two rows--he that plants two vines over against two, and one at the tail or end, , "lo! this is a vineyard"; (it was a little vineyard;) but if two over against two, and one between the two, or two over against two, and one in the midst, it is no vineyard, unless there are two over against two, and one at the tail or end. Again (g), "a vineyard that is planted with less than four cubits (between every row), R. Simeon says, is no vineyard; but the wise men say it is a vineyard. And the decision is according to them. Now by this vineyard is meant, the house of Israel and the men of Judah, the nation of the Jews, as in Isa 5:7 from whence our Lord seems to have taken many of the ideas expressed in this parable; who were a people separated from the rest of the world, and set with valuable plants, from whom fruit might reasonably be expected: the planting of them designs the removing them out of Egypt, the driving out the natives before them, and settling them in the land of Canaan, where they were planted with choice vines, such as Joshua, Caleb, &c. and where they soon became a flourishing people, though for their iniquities, often exposed to beasts of prey, the neighbouring nations, that were suffered at times to break in upon them. The Jews often speak (h) of the house of Israel, as the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, and even call their schools and universities vineyards: hence we read (i) of , the vineyard in Jabneh, where the scholars were placed in rows, as in a vineyard, And hedged it round about; as it was usual to set a hedge, or make a wall round a vineyard, which according to the Jewish writers, was to be ten hands high, and four broad; for they ask (k), "rdg hz ya, "what is a hedge?" That which is ten hands, high. And elsewhere (l), "An hedge that encompasses a vineyard, which is less than ten hands high, or which is ten hands high, but not four hands broad, it has no circuit (or void place between that and the vines)--an hedge which is ten hands high, and so a ditch which is ten hands deep, and four broad, lo! this is lawful to plant a vineyard on one side of it, and herbs on the other; even a fence of reeds, if there is between the reeds the space of three hands, lo! this divides between the vineyard and the herbs, as an hedge. By this "hedge" is designed, either the law, not the oral law, or the traditions of the elders, which the Jews (m) call , "an hedge for the law", which was none of God's setting, but their own; but either the ceremonial law, which distinguished them from other people, was a middle wall of partition between them, and the nations of the world, and kept them from coming among them, and joining together; or the moral law, which taught them their duty to God and man, and was the means of keeping them within due bounds; or else the protection of them by the power of God, which was an hedge about them, is here intended; and which was very remarkable at the time of their three feasts of passover, pentecost, and tabernacles; when all their males went up to Jerusalem, and the whole country was, left an easy prey to the nations about them; but God preserved them, and, according to his promise, suffered not their neighbours to have any inclination or desire after their land, And digged a winepress in it; which is not "the ditch", that went through a, vineyard; for this cannot be said of a winepress, and is Dr. Lightfoot's mistake (n); but "the winefat", in which they squeezed the grapes and made the wine, and this used to be in the vineyard: the rule about it is this, "Mrkbv tgh, the winepress that is ten hands deep and four broad, R. Eliezer says, they may set in it; but the wise men do forbid it (o). By this may be meant, the altar where the drink offerings of wine were poured forth; and so the Targumist (p) renders it by "my altar I have given them, to atone for their sins": though one of their commentators (q), by it, understands the prophets, who taught Israel the law, that their works might be good before God and men; they urged and pressed them to the performance of them, as grapes are squeezed in the winepress: and built a tower; the same the Jews call "the watch house"; which was an high place, in which the watchman stood to keep (r) the vineyard, and which was built in the vineyard; of this they say, "Mrkbv hrmwv, the "watch house which is in the vineyard", that is ten hands high and four broad, they set in it (s). By this is meant, either the city or Jerusalem, which stood in the midst, and on the highest part of the land of Israel; or the temple, which stood on the highest part of Jerusalem, where the priests and Levites kept their watch every night; and so the Targumist (t) interprets it, by "my sanctuary I built among them": that is, the temple: and let it out to husbandmen; of which there were different sorts, as there were different methods of hiring and letting out fields and vineyards among the Jews: one sort was called and such was he, who hired of his neighbour a field to sow in it, or a vineyard to eat of the fruit of it, for a certain sum of money yearly; see Sol 8:11 another sort was called and this was one that hired a field, or a vineyard, and agreed to give the proprietor of it yearly, so many measures of the fruit thereof, whether it yielded more or less; and there was a third sort, called or and such was he, who agreed to give the owner half, or a third, or a fourth part of the increase of the field, or vineyard (u). Now it is not of the former, but of the latter sort of letting out and farming, that this is to be understood; not of letting it out for money, but for fruit, as appears from Mat 21:34 and by the husbandmen are meant, the rulers of the Jews, civil and ecclesiastical, especially the latter; the priests, Levites, and Scribes, who were intrusted with the care of the Jewish people, to guide and instruct them, and cultivate the knowledge of divine things among them, that they might bring forth fruits of righteousness; and to offer their gifts and sacrifices, and the like, which are meant by letting out the vineyard to them: and went into afar country; which must be interpreted consistent with the omnipresence of God, who is every where, and cannot be said properly to move from place to place; but fills heaven and earth with his presence, and cannot be contained in either: but this phrase seems to design his taking up his residence in the thick darkness, in the tabernacle and temple, when the civil and ecclesiastical state of the Jews was settled, and God did not appear to them in that visible manner he had done before; but having fixed their order of government, worship, and duty, left them to themselves and their rulers; for many years; in which he expressed much longsuffering and patience towards them, (f) Misna Kilaim, c. 4. sect. 5, 6. Maimon. Hilch. Kilaim, c. 7. sect. 7. (g) Ib. c. 5. sect. 2. Maimon ib. sect. 1. (h) Tzeror Hammor, fol. 148. 2. Zohar in Exod. fol. 2. 1. (i) T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 7. 4. T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 42. 2. (k) Misn. Kilaim, c. 4. sect. 3. (l) Maimon. Hilch. Kilaim, c. 7. sect. 14, 15. (m) Pirke Abot. c. sect, 1. (n) Horae in Mark xii. 1. (o) Misn. Kilaim, c. 5. sect. 3. (p) Targum Jon. in Isa. v. 2. Vid. T. Hicros. Succa, fol. 54. 4. (q) R. David Kimchi in loc. (r) Maimon. in Misn. Kilaim, c. 5. sect. 3. Aben Ezra in Isa. v. 2. (s) Misn. Kilaim, c. 5. sect. 3. Maimon. Hilch. Kilaim, c. 7. sect. 22. (t) Targum Jon. in Isa. v. 2. (u) T. Hieros. Demai, fol. 25. 1. Gloss in T. Bab. Moed. Katon, fol. 11. 2. & in Bava Metzia, fol. 103. 1. in Avoda Zara, fol. 21. 2. Maimon. Hilch. Shecirut, c. 8. sect. 1, 2. Bartenora in Misn. Pea, c. 5. sect. 5. & in Demai, c. 6, sect. 1.