But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
The leaders clearly saw that His parables, above all the parable of the wicked husbandmen, were spoken against them with a meaning too plain to misunderstand, and when they wanted to seize Him they held back because they feared the people who regarded Him as a prophet. Through that parable He laid bare their purposes and corrupt practices and declared that the kingdom would be taken from the Jewish nation for its contempt and cruelty toward God's servants and given to those who would obey. The exposure brought no repentance, but filled their hearts with hatred and murderous resolve to silence the voice that troubled them and threatened their popularity. They were held back by fear of the multitude, who were impressed by His words and mighty works as those of a prophet sent from God, and by God's restraining power, so they abandoned open violence for treachery and plots to entrap Him in His words. Their breach of trust in withholding from God the service He required warns all who receive light that persistent pride, hypocrisy and disobedience forfeit His favor and bring judgment, a warning that stands for the church before Christ's second coming.
Setting and Meaning
Matthew 21 belongs to the account of Christ's triumphal entry journey to Jerusalem and His final work in the temple, when though He knew efforts to reform the corrupt priesthood would be futile He still gave an unbelieving people evidence of His divine mission. It is a powerful chapter to be studied and understood, giving warning by the pretentious fig tree that bore no fruit, which represents those who profess to serve God and whose names are on the church books but who bear no fruit in their lives to the glory of God. It points to the despised and rejected Christ crowned and seated upon His throne.
The chief priests, scribes and Pharisees clearly perceived that His parables were spoken against them, especially the parable of the vineyard about the wicked husbandmen, with an application too plain to misunderstand or misapply. They knew the parable referred to them and exposed their deceptions. Through it He read every purpose of their souls, rebuked their methods and practices, and exposed their deceptions and base practices.
He declared that the Lord of the vineyard would punish the Jewish nation with fearful severity because they had treated His servants with contempt, injustice and cruelty, and that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to those who would obey its ruler, pointing them out as the very ones whose sentence they themselves had pronounced. When they sought to lay hands on Him and seize Him, they held back because they feared the multitude, because the people took Him for a prophet.
The exposure did not lead them to repentance. Their hearts were filled with hatred and murder, and they were ready to carry out the husbandmen's resolve to kill the heir and to silence His voice so He would no longer annoy them. Though cut to the heart and seeing a sign of divine character in His words, they dreaded to hear the truth, feared He would lay their wicked deeds before the people and end their popularity, and were filled with anger against Him.
They were restrained by fear of the people and by God, who put restraining power upon them so they could not carry out their murderous designs, and their pride, hypocrisy and fear of the people kept them from acting openly. When they tried to stir the people by accusing and denouncing Him they found public sentiment in His favor. The multitude had been impressed by His words as words of truth and believed Him to be a prophet sent from God, and many who had seen His mighty works believed Him to be a prophet of the Most High and would have been angered by an attempt to take Him.
The leaders therefore rejected open violence and turned instead to treachery and to planning to entrap Him in His words.
Warning and Application
The men who sought to lay hands on Him were the husbandmen of the vineyard parable, who withheld from God the service He required of them. They denied His right to teach and to correct them, and they labored to turn the people against Him and to bring about His destruction. By rejecting Him they made themselves responsible for the sin and ruin of the nation.
The parable lays bare the breach of trust committed by the chosen people, and it warns everyone who receives light from God that disobedience forfeits His blessing and sustaining favor. God forgives all who repent, but from those who persist in sin, exalt themselves, and misrepresent Him, He withdraws His favor. Upon such, terrible judgments fall.
It was pride and hypocrisy that led the chief priests and Pharisees to reject the Saviour, though they clearly perceived that His parables condemned them. They wanted to seize Him, but they feared the multitude because the people took Him for a prophet, and that fear of the people restrained them from acting openly. Israel's sin in this stands as a warning to the church before Christ's second coming, for the same influences that worked to bring about the rejection of Jesus are still at work.
The goodly vine is Christ, the Son of the owner of the vineyard, whom Israel despised and cast out. They bruised and trampled Him, believing they had destroyed Him. God took the Vine from their reach and planted it beyond the wall where it could not be harmed, yet its branches can still extend over the wall to receive grafts.
The leaders clearly saw that His parables, above all the parable of the wicked husbandmen, were spoken against them with a meaning too plain to misunderstand, and when they wanted to seize Him they held back because they feared the people who regarded Him as a prophet. Through that parable He laid bare their purposes and corrupt practices and declared that the kingdom would be taken from the Jewish nation for its contempt and cruelty toward God's servants and given to those who would obey. The exposure brought no repentance, but filled their hearts with hatred and murderous resolve to silence the voice that troubled them and threatened their popularity. They were held back by fear of the multitude, who were impressed by His words and mighty works as those of a prophet sent from God, and by God's restraining power, so they abandoned open violence for treachery and plots to entrap Him in His words. Their breach of trust in withholding from God the service He required warns all who receive light that persistent pride, hypocrisy and disobedience forfeit His favor and bring judgment, a warning that stands for the church before Christ's second coming.
Setting and Meaning
Matthew 21 belongs to the account of Christ's triumphal entry journey to Jerusalem and His final work in the temple, when though He knew efforts to reform the corrupt priesthood would be futile He still gave an unbelieving people evidence of His divine mission. It is a powerful chapter to be studied and understood, giving warning by the pretentious fig tree that bore no fruit, which represents those who profess to serve God and whose names are on the church books but who bear no fruit in their lives to the glory of God. It points to the despised and rejected Christ crowned and seated upon His throne.
The chief priests, scribes and Pharisees clearly perceived that His parables were spoken against them, especially the parable of the vineyard about the wicked husbandmen, with an application too plain to misunderstand or misapply. They knew the parable referred to them and exposed their deceptions. Through it He read every purpose of their souls, rebuked their methods and practices, and exposed their deceptions and base practices.
He declared that the Lord of the vineyard would punish the Jewish nation with fearful severity because they had treated His servants with contempt, injustice and cruelty, and that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to those who would obey its ruler, pointing them out as the very ones whose sentence they themselves had pronounced. When they sought to lay hands on Him and seize Him, they held back because they feared the multitude, because the people took Him for a prophet.
The exposure did not lead them to repentance. Their hearts were filled with hatred and murder, and they were ready to carry out the husbandmen's resolve to kill the heir and to silence His voice so He would no longer annoy them. Though cut to the heart and seeing a sign of divine character in His words, they dreaded to hear the truth, feared He would lay their wicked deeds before the people and end their popularity, and were filled with anger against Him.
They were restrained by fear of the people and by God, who put restraining power upon them so they could not carry out their murderous designs, and their pride, hypocrisy and fear of the people kept them from acting openly. When they tried to stir the people by accusing and denouncing Him they found public sentiment in His favor. The multitude had been impressed by His words as words of truth and believed Him to be a prophet sent from God, and many who had seen His mighty works believed Him to be a prophet of the Most High and would have been angered by an attempt to take Him.
The leaders therefore rejected open violence and turned instead to treachery and to planning to entrap Him in His words.
Warning and Application
The men who sought to lay hands on Him were the husbandmen of the vineyard parable, who withheld from God the service He required of them. They denied His right to teach and to correct them, and they labored to turn the people against Him and to bring about His destruction. By rejecting Him they made themselves responsible for the sin and ruin of the nation.
The parable lays bare the breach of trust committed by the chosen people, and it warns everyone who receives light from God that disobedience forfeits His blessing and sustaining favor. God forgives all who repent, but from those who persist in sin, exalt themselves, and misrepresent Him, He withdraws His favor. Upon such, terrible judgments fall.
It was pride and hypocrisy that led the chief priests and Pharisees to reject the Saviour, though they clearly perceived that His parables condemned them. They wanted to seize Him, but they feared the multitude because the people took Him for a prophet, and that fear of the people restrained them from acting openly. Israel's sin in this stands as a warning to the church before Christ's second coming, for the same influences that worked to bring about the rejection of Jesus are still at work.
The goodly vine is Christ, the Son of the owner of the vineyard, whom Israel despised and cast out. They bruised and trampled Him, believing they had destroyed Him. God took the Vine from their reach and planted it beyond the wall where it could not be harmed, yet its branches can still extend over the wall to receive grafts.