Then began he to speak to the people this
parable
According to the other evangelists it seems to be spoken to the
chief priests, Scribes, and elders; and certain it is, that they
looked upon themselves as struck at in it; it might be spoken to
both. Christ having silenced the sanhedrim, turned himself to the
people, and delivered the parable of the vineyard to them, though
his principal view was to the priests:
a certain man planted a vineyard;
the people of the Jews are designed by the vineyard, and the
"certain man", or "householder", as Matthew calls him, ( Matthew
21:28 Matthew
21:33 ) is the Lord of hosts; and the planting of it is to be
understood of his bringing and settling the people Israel in the
land of Canaan. Luke omits certain things which the other
evangelists relate, as setting an hedge about it, digging a
winepress, and building a tower in it; and the Persic version
here adds, "and planted trees, and set a wall about it"; all
which express the care that was taken to cultivate and protect
it; and signify the various blessings and privileges the Jew's
enjoyed under the former dispensation; Gill on "Mt
21:33"
and (See Gill on Mark
12:1).
and let it forth to husbandmen;
put the people of the Jews under the care not only of civil
magistrates, but of ecclesiastical governors, who were to dress
this vine, or instruct these people in matters of religion, that
they might be fruitful in good works:
and went into a far country for a long time;
for a long time it was, from the times of Moses and Joshua, when
the first settlement, both of the civil and ecclesiastical state
of the Jews, was made, to the time of Christ; it was fourteen or
fifteen hundred years; see the notes, as above.
