Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
The Parable of the Labourers. MATTHEW XXI. The Authority of Jtsus Questioned.
his vineyard. 3. And lie went out about the third hour—about uine o'clock, or after a fourth of the working day had expired: the day of twelve hours was reckoned from six to six. and saw others standing Idle—' unemployed'—in the market-place. 4. And said unto them, Go j e also into tlie vineyard j and whatsoever Is riglit —'just,' 'equitable,' iu proportion to their time—I will givt you. And they went their way. 5. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour—about noon, and about three o'clock afternoon—and did likewise—hiring and sending into his vineyard fresh labourers each time. 6. And about the eleventh hour—but one hour before the close of the working day; a most unusual hour both for offering and engaging—and found others standing Idle, and saith, Why stand ye here all the day idle I Oi course they had not been there, or not been disposed to offer themselves at the proper time ; but as they were «ow willing, and the day was not over, and "yet there have wrought in Christ's service all their days may, by the spirit which they manifest at the last, make it too evident that, as between God and their own souls, they never were chosen workmen at all.
17-28. Third explicit Announcement of His approaching Sufferings, Death, and Resurrection— The Ambitious Request of James and John,'and thb Reply. (=Mark 10. 32-45; Luke 18. 31-34.) P'or the exposition, see on Mark 10. 32-45.
29-34. Two Blind Men Healed. (=Mark 10. 46-52; Luke 18. 35-13.) For the exposition, see on Luke 18. 35-^
CHAPTER XXI.
Ver. 1-9. Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem ON THE First day of the Week. (=Mark 11. 1-11; Luke 19. 29-10; John 12. 12-19.) For the exposition of this majestic scene—recorded, as will be seen, by all the Evangelists—see on Luke 19. 29-40.
was room," they also are engaged, and on similar terms with all the rest. 8. So when even was come—i.e., the reckoning - time between masters and labourers (see Deuteronomy 24. 15); pointing to the day of final account—the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward — answering to Christ Himself, represented "as a Son over His own house " (Hebrews 3. 6 ; see ch. 11. 27 ; John 3.
10-22. Stir about Him in the City—Second Cleansing OF the Temple, and Miracles there—Glorious Vindication of the Children's Testimony—The Barren Fig Tree Cursed, with Lessons from it. (=Mark
II. 11-26; Luke 19. 45-^8.) For the exposition, see Luke 19. after v. 44 ; and on Mark 11. 12-26.
S5; 5. 27)—Call the labourers and give them their liire, begiuning from the last unto the first—Remarkable direction tliis— ' last hired, first paid.' 9. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny—a full day's wages. 10. But when llie first came, they supposed that they should have received more—This is that calculating, mercenary spirit which had peeped out—though perhaps very sliglitly—iu Peter's question (ch. 19. 27), and which this parable was designed once for all to put down among the servants of Christ. 11. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of tlie house—rather, 'the householder,' the word being tlie same as in v. 1 Vi, Saying, These last have wrougiit [but] one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto
2;i-l6. The Authority of Jesus Questioned, and the Reply—The Parables of the Two Sons, and of the Wicked Husbandman. (—Mark 11. 27-12.12; Luke 20.
1-19.) Now commences, as Alford remarks, that series of parables and discourses of our Lord with His enemies, in which He develops, more completely than ever before, His hostility to their hypocrisy and iniquity: and so they are stirred up to compass His death.
The Authority of Jesus Questioned, and the Reply (v. Zi-Z7), 23. By what aiithority doest thou tliese thljigs !—referring particularly to the expulsion of the buyers and sellers from the temple— and who gave tliee this autliority J 24. And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing . . . 25. The baptism of John—meaning, his whole mission and ministry, of which baptism was the proper character—witence was it 1 from heaven, or of men 1—What wisdom there was in this way of meeting their question will best appear by tlieir reply. If we shall say, From heaven ; he will say unto us, Wliy did ye not tlien believe him 7—'Why did ye not believe the testimony which he bore to Me, as tlie promised and expected Messiah?' for that was the burden of liis whole testimony. 26. But If we shall say, Of men ; we feai
US, which have borne the burden and heat—
' the burning heat '—of the day—who have wrought not only longer but during a more trying period of the day. 13. But he answered one of them—doubtless the spokesman of the complaining party — and said. Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny 7. . . 15. f N it not lawful for me to do what 1 will with mine own 1 Is thine eye evil, because I am good \—q. d., 'You appeal to justice, and by that your mouth is sliut; tl»e people—rather the multitude. In Luke (20. 6) it is, "all the people will stone us"—'stone us to death'—for all holfl John as a prophet—Crooked, cringing hypocrites! No wonder Jesus gave you no answer. 27. And they answered Jesus, and said. We cannot tell—Evidently their difficulty was, how to answer, so as neither to shake their determination to reject the claims of Christ nor damage their reputation with the people. For the truth itself they cared nothing whatever. Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things—What composure and dignity of wisdom does our Lord here display, as He turns their question upon themselves, and, while revealing his knowledge of their hypocrisy, closes their mouths! Taking advantage of the surprise, silence, and awe produced by this reply, our Lord followed it Immediately up by the two following parables.
fbr the sum you agreed for is paid you. Your case being disposed of, with the terms I make with other labourers you+iave notliing to do; and to grudge the benevolence shown to others, wlien by your own admission you have been honourably dealt with, is both unworthy envy of your neighbour, and discontent with the goodness that engnged and rewarded you in his service at all.' 16. So the last shall be first, and the first last q.d., 'Take heed lest by indulging the spirit of these "murmurers" at the " penny " given to the last hired, ye miss your own penny, though first in the vineyard; while the consciousness of having come in so late may inspire these last with such a humble frame, and such admiration of the grace that lias hired and rewarded them at all, as will put them into the foremost place in the end.' for many be ealletl, but few chos»-n—Tliis is another of our Lord's terse and pregnant sayings, more than once uttered in dil Tel-ent connections. (See ch. 19.30; 22.14.) The "calling" of which the New Testament almost invariably speaks Is what divines call cec<«aZ calling, carrying with it a supernatural openvt ion on the will to secure Us consent. IJut that cannot be the njeanlng of it here ; the " called " being emphatically distiiiguislied from the "chosen." It can only mean here the ' invited.' And so the sense is. Many receive the invitations of the Gospel whom God has never "chosen to salvation tlirough s.-uictlflcation of the Bpiritnnd Ijelief of the trutli " (2 Thpssalonlans 2. 13). But what, it may be asked, has this to do with the subject of our parable? Probably this—to teaoh us that men wlio 52
Iarable of the Two Sons (v. 2S-32). 28. But wliat think yet A certain man liad two sons ; and lie cnme to the first aitd said. Son, go work to-day in my vineyard for true religion is a practical thing, -i "l)ringing forth fruit unto God." 29. lie answered and said, I will not -Trench notices the rudeness of this answer, and the total absence of any attempt to e.xcusesuch disobedience, both characteristic; representing careless, reckless sinners resisting God to His face. 30. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and snld, I [go], sir—' I, sir.' The emphatic " I," here, denotes the self-righteous complacency which says, "God, I thank thee that J am not as other men " (Luke 18. 11). and went not—He did not "afterward repent" and refuse to go;
Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen, MATTHEW XXII. who Slew such ax were Stat unto Ihem.
reverentially welcoming God's Son. 38. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves —Cf. Genesis 37.18-20; John 11. 47-53 — This is the heir Sublime expression this of the great trutli, tliat God's inheritance was destined for, and in due time is to come Into the possession of. His own Son in our ?ir(/it) e (Hebrews
Tor there was here no intention to go. It Is the class that "say and rto not" (ch. 23. 3)—a falseness more abominable to God, says Stier, than any " I will not." 31. WhetUer of tJiem twnin dl»l the -will of hiU Father J They say luito him, The llrst—Now comes the application. Jesus •Hith unto them, Verily I gay unto you, That the publIcAns and the harlots go—or 'are going;' even now en-
1. 2). come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance—that so, from mere servants, we may become tering, while ye hold back—Into the kingdom of God before you—The publicans and the harlots were the first eon, who, when told to work In the Lord's vineyard, lords. This is the deep aim of the depraved heart; this is emphatically "the root of all evil." 39. And tliey caught him, and cast him out of tlie vineyard—cf. Hebrews 13. 11-13 (" without thegate—without the camp"); 1 Kings 21.
said, I will not; but afterwards repented and went. Their early life was a flat and flagrant refusal to do what they were commanded; it was one continued rebellion against the authority of God. " The chief priests and the elders of the people," with whom our Lord was now speaking, were the second son, wlio said, I go, sir, but went not They were early called, and all their life long professed obedience to God, but never rendered it; their
13; John 19. 17—and slew him. 40. Wlien tlte lord therefore of the vineyard cometh—This represents 'tlie settling time,' which, in the case of tlie Jewish ecclesiastics, was that judicial trial of the nation and its leaders which issued in the destruction of their whole state, wliat will he do unto those husbandmen I 41. Tliey say unto him. He will, miserably destroy those wicked men—an emphatic alliteration not easily conveyed in En.i;lisl!
life was one of continued disobedience. 33. For John came unto you In the way of righteousness—i. e., ' calling you to repentance;' as Noah is styled 'a preacher of righteousness' (2 Peter 2. 5), when like the Baptist he warned the old world to "flee from the wrath to come." and yo believed him not—"They did not reject him;"
' He will badly destroy those bad men,' or ' miserably destroy those miseral)le men,' is sometliing lilce it. and will let out Ills vineyard unto other husbnndincn, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons— If this answer was given by the Pharisees, to wliom our Lord addressed the parable, they thus unwittingly pronounced their own condemnation: as did David to Nathan the prophet (2 Samuel 12. 5-7), and Simon the Pharisee to our Lord (Luke 7.43, &e.). But if it was given, as the two other Evangelists agree in representing it, by our Lord Himself, and the explicitness of the answer would seem to favour that supposition, then we can better explain the exclamation of the Pharisees which followed it, in Luke's report—"And when they heard it, tliey said, God forbid" — His whole meaning now bur Ang upon them. 4t3. Jesus salth unto them, Did ye never rea<l n.Ty, they "were willing for a season to rejoice in his light" (John 5.3.5); but they would not receive his testimony to Jesus, but the publicans and the harlots believed him—Of the publicans this Is twice expressly recorded, Luke 3. 12; 7.29. Of the harlots, then, the same maybe taken for granted, though the fact is not expressly recorded. These outcasts gladly believed the testimony of John to the coming Saviour, and so hastened to Jesus when He came. See Luke 7. 37; 15. 1, &c. and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him—Instead of being " provoked to jealousy" by their example, ye have seen them flocking to the Saviour and getting to heaven, unmoved.
111 the Scriptures (Psalm 118. 22, 23), The stone which the builders rejected, &c. A bright Messianic prophecy, which reappears in various forms (Isaiah 28. l(i, &c.), and was made glorious use of by Peter before tlie Sanhedrim (Acts 4. 11). He recurs to it in his first epistle (1 Peter 2.
Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen (v. 33-46). 33. Hear auntlier paraltle : There was a certain householder, wlticlt planted a vineyard— See on Luke 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 Isaiah 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
4-6). 43. Tlierefore say I unto you. The kingdom of God— God's visible Kingdom, or Churcli, upon earth, which up to this time stood in the seed of Abraham—shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fi-ults thereof—i. e., the great evangelical community of the faithful, which, after the extrusion of tlie Jewish nation, would consist chiefly of Gentiles, until "all Israel should be saved" (IJomans 11. 25, 26). This vastly important statement is given by Matthew only. 44. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken : but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder—The Kingdom of God is here a Temple, fruits of righteousness are expected to spring up. and went Into a far country—"for a long time" (Luke '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 Mark 4.26. 34. And when tlie time of tlie fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen—By these "servants" are meant the prophets and other extraordinary messengers, raised up from time to time. See on ch. ^. 37. that they might receive the fruits of it—See again on Luke 13. 6. 35. And the husbandmen took his servants, aitd beat one—see Jeremiah .37. 15; 3S. 6—and killed another—see Jeremiah
In the erection of which a certain stone, rejected as unsuitable by the spiritual builders, is, by the great Lord of the House, made the key-stone of the whole. On that Stone the builders were now "falling" and being "broken"' (Isaiah 8. 15). They were sustaining great spiritual hurt; but soon that Stone should "fall upon them" and "grind them to powder" (Daniel 2. 34, 85; Zechariah 12. 2)—in ihelr corporate capacity, in the tremendous destruction of Jerusalem, hut personally, as unbelievers, in a more awful sense still. 45. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard lUs parables—referring to that of the Two Sons and this one of the Wicked Husbandmen—they perceived that he spake of them. 4C. But when they sougltt to lay hands on him—which Luke (20. 19) says they did " the same hour," hardly able to restrain their rage — they feared the multitude — rather, 'the multitudes'—because they took him for a prophet—just as they feared to say John's baptism was of men, because the masses took him for a prophet (u. 26). Miserable creatures! So, for this time, "they left Him and went their way" (Mark 12. 12).
26. 20-23— and stoned another— see 2 Chronicles 21. 21. Compare with this whole verse ch. 23. 37, where our Lord reiterates these charges in the most melting strain. 36. Again, he scut other servants more than tlie first ; and they did unto them likewise—see 2 Kings 17. 13 ; 2 Chronicles 36. 16, 18; Nehemiah 9.26. 37. But last of all he •ent unto them his son, saying. They will reverence my son—In Mark (12.6) this is most touch ingly expressed
"Having yet therefore one son, His well-beloved, He Bent Him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son." Luke's version of It too (20. 13) is striking
"Then said the lord of the vineyard. What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: It may be they will reverence Him when they see Him." Who does not see that our Lord here severs Hitriself, by the sharpest line of demark Btion, from all merely human messengers, and claims for Himself iS»n«/ii/) in Its loftiest sense? (Cf. Hebrews 3. 3-6.) The expression, "It may be they will reverence my son,"
CHAPTER XXII.
Ver. 1-14. Parable of the Markiaoe of the Kmf'» Son. This Is a diflerent parable from that of the Ureiu
Is deslgued to leach the almosi/ unimaginable guilt of not
Marriage of the Kinrfs Son. MATTHEW XXIII. The Calling oj the Gentile*.
Go ye therefore into the highways—the great outlets and thoroughfares, whether of town or country, where
Supper, in Ijtike 14. 15, &c., and is recorded by Mattliew nloiie. -Z. Tln! kingdom of Iieaveii is like unto a certain! king, wliicU inntle a marriage for his son—'In human beings are to be found, and as many as ye shall llnd bid to the marriage—i.e., just as tliey are. 10. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered togetlicr all as many as tliey found, botlii bad and good—». e., without making any distinction between open sinners and the morally correct. The Gospel call fetched in Jews, Samaritans, and outlying hcalhen alike. Thus far the parable answers to tliat of 'the Great Supper,' Luke 14. 16, 6ic. But the distinguishing feature of our parable is what follows: 11. And when the king came in to see tlie guests Solemn expression this, of that omniscient inspection of every professed disciple of the Lord Jesus from age to age, in virtue of which his true character will hereafter be judicially proclaimed ! lie saw tlkere a man—This shows that it is the judgment of individuals which is intended in this latter part of the parable: the first part represents rather national judgment—which had not on a wedding garment—The language here Is drawn from the following remarkable passage in Zephaniah 1. 7, 8:—" Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God ; for the day of the Lord is at hand : for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice. He hath bid His guests. And it sliall come to pass in the day of ihe Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with sti'auge apparel." The custom in the East of presenting festival garments (see Geuesis 45. 22 ; 2 Kings 5. 22), even though not clearly proved, is certainly presupposed here. It undoubtedly means something which they bring not of their own—for how could they have any such dress who were gathered in from the highways indiscriminalclj' 7—but which they receive as their appropriate dress. And what can tliat be but what is meant by "putting on the Lord Jesus," as "The Lord OUR Righteousness ?" (See Psalm 45. 13, 14.) Kor could such language be strange to those in whose ears had so long resounded those words of prophetic joy: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God ; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels" (Isaiah 61. 10).
lliis par;ible,' as Trench admirably remarks, ' we see how the Lord is revealing Himself in ever clearer light as the central Person of the kingdom, giving here a far plainer hint than in the last parable of the nobility of His descent. There He was Indeed the Son, the only and beloved one (Mark 12. 6), of the Householder; but here His race is royal, and He appears as Himself at once the King and the King's Son. (Psalm 72. 1.) The last was a parable of the Old Testament history; and Christ is rather the last and greatest of the line of its prophets and teachers than the Founder of a new kingdom. In thiit, God appears demanding something from men; in this, a parable of grace, God appears more as jrivuifir something to them. Thus, as often, tlie two complete each other: this taking up the matter where the other left It.' Thfe "marriage" of Jehovah to His people Israel was familiar to Jewish ears ; and in Psalm 45. this marriage is seen consummated in the Person of Messiah 'the King,' Himself addressed as ' God' and yet as anointed by ' His God' with the oil of gladness above His fellows. These apparent contradictories (see on Luke 20. 41-44) are resolved in this parable; and Jesus, in claiming to be this King's Son, serves Himself Heir to all that the prophets and sweet singers of Israel held forth as to Jehovah's ineffably near and endearing union to His people. But observe carefully, that the Bride does not come into view In this parable ; its design being to teach certain truths under the figure ot guests at a wedding feast, and the want of a wedding garment, which would not have harmonized with the introduction of the Bride. 3. and sent fortli his servants—representing all preachera of the Gospel—to call them that were bidden —here ntining the Jews, who were "bidden," from the first choice of them onwards through every summons addressed to them by the prophets to hold themselves in readiness for the appearing of their King—to the wedding—or the marriage festivities, when the preparations were all concluded, and they would not come—as the Issue of the whole ministry of the Baptist, our Lord Himself, and His apostles thereafter, too sadly showed. 4. My oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all tilings are ready; come unto the marriage—This points to those Gospel calls after Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, and effusion of the Spirit, to which the parable could not directly allude, but when only it could be said, with strict propriety, "that all things were ready." Cf. 1 Corinthians 5.7,8, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore, let us keep the feast:" also John 6.51, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven:
Friend, liow earnest tliou in liither, not Ikavlng a wedding garment! And lie was speechless—being self-condemned. 13. Tl»cn said the king to the servants—the angelic ministers of Divine vengeance (as in ch. 13. 41>—Bind him hand and foot—putting it out of his power to resist—and take lilm away, and cast lilm ln<o outer darkness. So ch. 8. 12; 25. 30. The expression is empliatic—'The darkness which is outside.' To be
'outside' at all—or, in the language of Kevelation 22. 15, to be 'without' the heavenly city, excluded from its joyous nuptials and gladsome festivities—is sad enough of itself, without anything else. But to find themselves not only excluded from the brightness and glory and joy and if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread which I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 5. But they made light of It, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to Ills merchandise : G. And tite remnant took Itis servants, and entreated them spitefully—
' insulted them'—and slew them—These are two dillerent classes of unbelievers: the one s\mp\y indifferent ; the other absolutely hostile— felicity of the kingdom above, but tlirust into a region of "darkness," Willi all its horrors, this is the dismal retribution here announced', that awaits the unworthy at the great day. [tlicre]—in that region and condition—shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. See on ch. 13. 12. 14. Vov many are called, but few are cliosen—So ch. 19. 30. See on ch. '20. 16.
the one, contemptuous scorners; the other, bitter /)c?-«ccutms. 7. But when the king—the Great God, who is the Fatlier of our Lord Jesus Clirist. heard tliereof, he was wroth—at tlie aflfrout put both on His Son, and on Himself who had deigned to invite them, and he sent forth his armies—The Romans are here styled God's armies, just as the Assyrian is styled "the rod of His anger" (Isaiah 10. 5), as being the executors of His judicial vengeance, and destroyed those murderers—and in what vast numbers did they do it! and burned up tlteir city —Ah ! Jerusalem, once " thecity of the Great King" (Psalm
15-40. Eniwngling Questions about Tribute, thk Resurrection, and the Great Commandment, with THE Replies. ( — Mark 12. 13-34 ; Luke 20. 20-40.) For the exposition, see on Mark 12. 13-34.
41-46. Christ Baffi.es the Pharisees by a Question ABOliT David and Messiah. (=- Mark 1'2. 3.'i-<il Luko 20. 41-44.) For the exposition, see on Mark 12. 35-37.
48. 2), and even up almost to this time (ch. 5. 35) ; but now
CHAPTER XXIII.
It Is " their city"—Just as our Lord, a dajor two after this, said of the temple, wliere God had so long dwelt, " Behold
Ver. 1-39. Denunciation OF the Scribes and Pharisees—Lamentation OVER Jerusalem, .\nd FaicgwblIi to the Temple. ( — Mark 12. 38-40; Luke 20.45-47.) For this long and terrible discourse we are Indebted, with th« exception of a few verses in Mark and Luke, to Matthew j/oitr house is k it unto you desolate" (cli. 38)! Cf. Luko ly. 43, 44. t. The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy—for how should those be deemed worthy to sit down at His table who had affronted Him by their traatment of HlB gracious Invitation? 9 54