This parable is based on Isaiah 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 Psalms 118:22. How truly it portrays men's treatment of our Lord! Is He your corner-stone?
The questions on Section 36-74, to be found on pp. 73-75, will serve as a review at this point. [source]
Chapter Summary: Matthew 21
1Jesus rides into Jerusalem upon a donkey 12drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple; 17curses the fig tree; 23puts to silence the priests and elders, 28and rebukes them by the parable of the two sons, 33and the husbandmen who slew such as were sent to them
Greek Commentary for Matthew 21:46
Took him [ειχον] Descriptive imperfect of εχω echō to hold. This fear of the people was all that stayed the hands of the rabbis on this occasion. Murderous rage was in their hearts towards Jesus. People do not always grasp the application of sermons to themselves. [source]
Luke 20:19To lay hands on him [επιβαλειν επ αυτον τας χειρας] Second aorist active infinitive of επιβαλλω epiballō an old verb and either transitively as here or intransitively as in Mark 4:37. Vivid picture here where Mark 12:12; Matthew 21:46 has “to seize” (κρατησαι kratēsai). [source]
Luke 7:1After [επειδη επει ανδ δη] This conjunction was written επει epei dē in Homer and is simple δη epei with the intensive επει δη περ dē added and even επειδη epei dē per once in N.T. (Luke 1:1). This is the only instance of the temporal use of επει epeidē in the N.T. The causal sense occurs only in Luke and Paul, for επληρωσεν epei is the correct text in Matthew 21:46. [source]
What do the individual words in Matthew 21:46 mean?
AndseekingHimto lay hold ofthey fearedthecrowdsbecauseasa prophetthey were holding
Greek Commentary for Matthew 21:46
Descriptive imperfect of εχω echō to hold. This fear of the people was all that stayed the hands of the rabbis on this occasion. Murderous rage was in their hearts towards Jesus. People do not always grasp the application of sermons to themselves. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 21:46
Dative of the present middle participle. Here it is reverential fear as in Acts 10:2; Colossians 3:22. The bad sense of dread appears in Matthew 21:46; Mark 6:20; Luke 12:4. [source]
Second aorist active infinitive of επιβαλλω epiballō an old verb and either transitively as here or intransitively as in Mark 4:37. Vivid picture here where Mark 12:12; Matthew 21:46 has “to seize” (κρατησαι kratēsai). [source]
This conjunction was written επει epei dē in Homer and is simple δη epei with the intensive επει δη περ dē added and even επειδη epei dē per once in N.T. (Luke 1:1). This is the only instance of the temporal use of επει epeidē in the N.T. The causal sense occurs only in Luke and Paul, for επληρωσεν epei is the correct text in Matthew 21:46. [source]