Matthew 21:40 – 46

Wicked Vinedressers 2

40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.

44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.

46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

Jesus asks those listening to the parable (the chief priests and elders, verse 23) what their opinion of the story is, what will the owner of the vineyard do after they had refused to pay him what was do and killed his son.

Jesus then begins opening their eyes to the understanding of the parable by reminding them of a prediction made in the Old Testament. (Psalm 118:22 – 24)

Jesus points out to these leaders of the Jewish nation they are the ones which are spoken of in the parable and the verses in Psalm 118. The kingdom of God was to be taken from them and given to the Gentiles. It does not mean the Jews would be barred from the kingdom of heaven (church) but they would no longer be God's chosen people in his earthly kingdom, but would share the work in the kingdom with the Gentile world.

The stone referred to in verse 44 is Jesus who had been rejected by the builders, the leaders of the Jewish nation.

The leaders of the Jews cast aside Jesus as the Messiah because if they eliminated the heir to the kingdom then they believed the kingdom would be theirs.

The stone they stumbled over became the head stone on which the kingdom was built, it was the stone which fell on them in 70AD and crushed the Jewish nation by the use of the Roman army's destruction of Jerusalem.

We can use this message to see how we as individuals can stumble at the word, if we are offended by Jesus Christ the king, then we will be crushed by the full weight of Christ's authority and sent into the lake of fire.

(1 Peter 2:7 - 8[7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.])

(Matthew 25:46[And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”])

The Jewish nation as a whole would suffer the fate predicted in the parable, but the Chief priests and the Pharisees were particularly responsible and they recognized this parable pointed at their guilt when they heard it.

They were so incensed by this parable's exposing of their guilt they wanted in the worst way to get their revenge upon Jesus, but because of the multitudes' belief in Him as a man of God, they knew they would face an uprising of the people if they arrested Jesus.

As followers of Christ, as Christians, we need to realize we are not to place our trust in the leaders of the religious world here on earth, many of today's religious leaders are no better than the Chief priests and Pharisees of Jesus time. Many of today's leaders want the limelight, the glory, and the benefits which goes with it that all belong to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and His Father, our God in Heaven. We need to read, and study His word.

(2 Timothy 2:15[Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.])

We need to know His word because it leads us to salvation

(2 Timothy 3:15[and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The scriptures leads us to salvation because it is inspired by God.

(2 Timothy 3:16 - 17[All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.])

Jesus is the word:

(John 1:1 - 2[In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. ])

If we keep His word, we show our love for Him

(John 14:23[Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.])

(John 14:21[He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”])