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Explore the Bible

Authority                                    26 APR 26

In Matthew 21:33-45 Jesus gave the parable of the wicked husbandmen. He spoke it to the chief priests and Pharisees, the Sanhedrin (21:45) or religious representatives of the Jewish nation. In the parable Jesus depicted the history of Jehovah's efforts to lead Israel to honor the Mosaic covenant. In the parable the owner of a vineyard leased it to husbandmen. At harvest time the owner sent a series of servants to collect his rent. But the tenants mistreated some of the servants and killed others. Finally the owner sent his son, but the tenants killed him also. Then Jesus asked what the owner would do in response. The Jewish leaders said he would seize the vineyard and give it to oth­ers who would pay their rent. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits 'thereof' (v. 43). "And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them" (v.45). In 1 Peter 2:1:1-10 Peter combined the language of Exodus 19 and Matthew 21 to show Christians are the people of God.”

MATT 21:33-39 Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs in his book an exposition of the gospel of Matthew, Baker Book House, 1965, page 296-297 wrote “"Hear another parable," said Jesus. And with these words He introduced one of the most momentous things that He ever uttered. He exercised kingly authority indeed.

The parable pictured a man who possessed an excellent vineyard (v. 33). Having made every preparation for fruitfulness, he leased it to certain husbandmen, and departed to a far country. At harvest time he sent a series of servants to receive his share of the fruits. But the husbandmen refused to pay him his due. In turn they "beat one, and killed another, and stoned another" (vv. 34-36). Finally, thinking that they would respect his sons he sent him to collect his fruits (v. 37). But the husbandmen reasoned that if they killed "the heir" they could seize his inheritance. So they killed him (vv. 38-39).

It is quite evident from this parable that Jesus had in mind Isaiah 5:1-7, a parable with which these Jewish rulers were familiar. Under similar circumstances God is the owner of the vineyard which He identifies as "the house of Israel, and•... Judah" (Isa. 5:7). He planted it with "the choicest vine" or the Sorek grape. But when He came seeking grapes, "it brought forth wild grapes" (Isa. 5:4), literally "stinking grapes."

So in Jesus' parable again the owner of the vineyard is God. The vineyard here also is the house of Israel and Judah or the Jewish nation. The "husbandmen" in this case were the religious rulers (If the Jews in that and former generations. So this parable actually views the entire scope of the Israelite nation from its beginning until the moment that Jesus was speaking.”

Now Dr. Hobbs wrote clearly about Israel of the Old Covenant in words rarely heard from any pastor, teacher, professor, or scholar. He made it perfectly clear that IF was the key word, which most ignore because of their enchantment with Jews supposedly being a special salvation case from God. This is not so then or now. So repeating this critical fact from Dr. Hobbs’ book is both essential and fundamental to the Gospel.

Dr. Hobbs, page 297 “Shortly after Israel's deliverance from Egypt God entered into a covenant with the new nation. This is recorded in Exodus 19:1-8. I t was a covenant whereby Israel was to be a priest-nation to the rest of the world. Note the words of this covenant. "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation" (Exod. 19:5-6, author's italics). Note the "if" and "then." It was a conditional covenant involving both privilege and responsibility. Only as Israel kept the responsibility could she claim the privilege.

But the nation rejected the responsibility and thought only of the privilege. [My bolding] The history of Israel from that time on was just a series of events in which God sent His "servants" to call the priest-nation back to its responsibility of bearing fruit in winning the other nations to the worship of Jehovah. It is not necessary to identify with exactness the servants who were beaten or killed. But certainly one is reminded of such prophets as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah (cf. II Chron. 24:21f.) . The point is that repeatedly Israel refused to render fruit unto God.

Now in these latter days God sent His Son. Surely they will reverence or respect Him, and, if not Him, then nobody. The Jewish, rulers (husbandmen) refused Him. And at this very moment they were plotting His death, thinking thereby to secure their "place and nation" (John 11:48). The picture was so vivid and applicable that we cannot fail to catch its import. But apparently the Jewish rulers did not yet see the point.”

MATT 21:40 The question Jesus asked cuts to the quick of the matter. It is almost a rhetorical question. Dr. Hobbs, pages 297-298 “However, when Jesus asked them a question regarding the parable there could be but one answer. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?" (Matt. 21:40). They replied, "He will miserably wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which will render him the fruits in their seasons" (v. 41, author's italics). Note the words "wicked men." Not one time did Jesus refer to the husbandmen as "wicked." These were the words of the rulers themselves. [My bolding] Mark and Luke record Jesus' words "he will come and destroy the husbandmen." Probably Jesus repeated the idea contained in their words. And when they heard them, they evidently got the point of the parable. For Luke reports them as saying, "God forbid" (20:16). But they themselves had pronounced their own sentence. The Revised Version translates their words, "He will miserably destroy those miserable men." And Weymouth renders it, "He will put the wretches to a wretched death." They were "wicked men," and their end will be in keeping with their character.”

MATT 21:41 Dr. Hobbs continued in his Studying Life and Work Lessons, January-March 1992 “In Matthew 21:41 the religious leaders of Israel themselves said that the vineyard would be taken from the rebellious tenants and given to those who render its fruit. Jesus interpreted this to mean that the kingdom of God was taken from Israel and given to another people (Christians) who would bring forth the fruits thereof (see MATT. 21:43). So the parable of the marriage feast is an enlargement upon this idea. But it also sounds a definite evangelistic note.” Please read this again. The responsibility AND the privilege is now with the Church. It will NEVER be given back to Israel. The most a Jew can do to be a part of the responsibility and privilege is to join the Church, i.e. become saved [ACTS 20:21].

MATT 21:42 Dr. Hobbs’ book, page 298 “And then Jesus applied the lesson. "Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?" (v. 42). This passage is taken from Psalm 118:22f. And it is more meaningful when we note that it proceeds immediately the words "Save now" (hosanna), the very words adopted by the shouting multitude during Jesus' royal entry. The multitude recognized and accepted Jesus as the Messiah, the chief cornerstone, but the "builders" (Jewish rulers) rejected Him. However, God's purpose will not be defeated by them. He will yet make Him "the head of the corner."”

MATT 21:43-44 “Taken away from you and given to a nation” means taken from the Jews and given to the church, which is now composed largely of Gentiles. (1 Pet 2:9-10 RSV) "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy."

                Dr. Hobbs’ book, page 299 “The Jewish rulers rejected Jesus because of what they considered to be a flaw, His role as the Suffering Servant. But it was around this very role that God proposed to build His redemptive purpose.

We may well imagine that the Sanhedrin remembered these words of Jesus when Peter said to them, "The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted ... a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:30-31). But they rejected Jesus then as they did when He confronted them with God's rejection of them.”

MATT 21:45 Dr. Hobbs’ book, pages 299-300 “It is worthy to note the words "bring forth." They rend word meaning "to make" or to produce. The implication is as a nation Israel had not only failed to give but to produce fruits intended of God.

The new nation to which Jesus referred is called by Peter "a nation" (I Peter 2:9). At this point it would be well to read passage in I Peter 2:4-10, and compare its wording with Exodus 19:5-6 and Matthew 21:42-44. Peter was writing to Chris people "which in time past were not a people, but are now people of God ..." (I Peter 2:10). Peter was familiar with passage in Exodus 19:5-6. With his own ears he had heard J' words in Matthew 21:42-44. So he combines their meaning show that henceforth God's purpose will not run through constituted nation as such. It will be "a holy nation," a "per of God," a spiritual Israel composed of all who receive the as their Lord and Saviour.

Did this mark a change in God's purpose? No. For His "eternal purpose" (Eph. 3:11). Nor did it mark a change in method. For we must not confuse national Israel as such with spiritual Israel. "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel (Rom. 9:6). Even in the Old Testament we find a "remnant' the true Israel within the nation of Israel. Only those Israel who "will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant ... shall be a peculiar treasure unto me ... a kingdom of priests, and holy nation" (Exod. 19:5-6)….… the King-Messiah… was rejecting the Jewish rulers, and, as we shall soon see, by the nation as s But within that nation there were some who did receive Him is they and others, not of Israel's fold but who receive the Messiah of God, who now comprise this "holy nation" "which in time were not a people [a constituted nation], but are now the people.”

MATT 21:46 The Pharisees certainly did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah. But if Jesus was a prophet, then the people might think He was “Elijah”, whom today Jews still think is coming and thus set a plate for him at the Sabbath meal. This could be almost as bad for the Jewish leadership.

                Dr. Hobbs’ book. page 300 “"The chief priests and Pharisees ... perceived that he spake of them" (v. 45). From our vantage point it would seem that they would have cried out for mercy. However, so fixed were they in their rejection of Jesus that His words served only to drive them forward in their evil designs. But for their fear of the multitude they would have seized Him there. It is a pitiful picture indeed. For not only did they plunge on blindly to their ruin. They took their nation with them.

Jesus presented Himself to them as their King-Messiah. And they rejected Him. The King did not need them as being indispensable in His purpose. But they desperately needed Him. Let this be a lesson to us. Christ still presents Himself. He wants to use us in His purpose. But our refusal does not defeat Him or His cause. We may delay it, but we will not destroy it. For God is marching on. A very striking definition of successful living is to determine in which direction God is moving, and then to move with Him.”

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