Matthew 21:40

40 "Now, when the owner of the vineyard arrives home from his trip, what do you think he will do to the farmhands?"

Matthew 21:40 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 21:40

When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh
In a way of providence, to call these husbandmen to an account; not only for the fruit they were to bring to him; but for their barbarity to his servants, the prophets, time after time; and especially, for the inhuman usage and murder of his own son;

what will he do unto those husbandmen?
This question is put to the chief priests, elders, and Scribes: and they themselves, who are designed hereby, are made judges in this case, just as the inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah are, in ( Isaiah 5:4 ) which passage of Scripture our Lord had greatly in view when he spake this parable.

Matthew 21:40 In-Context

38 "But when the farmhands saw the son arrive, they rubbed their hands in greed. 'This is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all for ourselves.'
39 They grabbed him, threw him out, and killed him.
40 "Now, when the owner of the vineyard arrives home from his trip, what do you think he will do to the farmhands?"
41 "He'll kill them - a rotten bunch, and good riddance," they answered. "Then he'll assign the vineyard to farmhands who will hand over the profits when it's time."
42 Jesus said, "Right - and you can read it for yourselves in your Bibles: The stone the masons threw out is now the cornerstone. This is God's work; we rub our eyes, we can hardly believe it!
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.