Matthew 21:38Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What actions have they taken? In a moment when they ought to seek forgiveness for their wrongdoings, they persist in their ways, even engaging in new evils that are even more dreadful than those before. This is precisely what Christ highlights when He states, ‘But add to the measure of your fathers’ (Matt. 23:32). The prophets previously charged them with similar faults, declaring, ‘Your hands are full of blood’ (Isaiah 1:15) and, ‘Bloodshed follows bloodshed’ (Hos. 4:2), along with, ‘They that build up Zion with blood’ (Micah 3:10). Yet, despite this significant commandment given to them, ‘Thou shalt not kill’ (Exodus 20:13), which instructed them to refrain from various other sins, they remained unrepentant, clinging to their wickedness. What is their response upon seeing the Son?

When the vineyard workers recognized the Son, they declared, 'This is the heir; let us go and put Him to death.' Thus, the same Jews who proclaimed, 'This is the Christ,' were the ones who nailed Him to the cross.

Upon seeing the Son arrive, they declared, "This is the heir to the vineyard; let us seize him and put him to death, so that the inheritance will belong to us." Indeed, they crucified the Son, yet the inheritance of the vineyard was entrusted to the Gentiles, fulfilling the words spoken: "For to whomever has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away" (cf. Matt. 13:12, Matt. 25:29).

Observe the completeness with which He foretold what was to come. Nevertheless, He was not slain as the Son of God. Rather, He was put to death as the Heir of the Vineyard, specifically as the King of Israel. Witnessing the miracles He performed and listening to His profound teachings, they recognized Him as the prophesied King of Israel. Yet, consumed by jealousy and blinded by their own malice, they lost sight of this truth and conspired to eliminate Him, aiming to seize His inheritance, namely the people: "Come," as Mark recounts (Mark 12:7), "let us kill him, and our inheritance shall be ours." They, of course, were completely unaware of the subsequent events, despite His repeated warnings, admonitions, and threats throughout His ministry.

The bishops and Pharisees, observing Jesus Christ as He imparted the Divine Scriptures and the commandments of God with extraordinary wisdom and grace, confronted their own transgressions with remarkable consistency. He performed miracles with unmatched power and authority, even raising the dead from their graves. Although they did not acknowledge Him as the Son of God or recognize His divine nature, they understood that He possessed a celestial authority capable of accomplishing all things. Consequently, ‘they gathered together the assembly of the Hierarchs and Pharisees, and said, “What shall we do, because this man does many signs?”’ (John 11:47-48).

The vineyard workers, noticing the son approaching, conferred among themselves, "This is the sole heir, the one destined to inherit the vineyard; let us go and eliminate him to claim his estate." Taking hold of him, they led him away from the vineyard and put him to death.

In the same manner of vivid expression, the Lord continued to disclose that due to their obstinacy and deliberate defiance, not just they but the entire nation was forfeiting the privilege of first entry into the kingdom of the Messiah. The new parable, which was directed not only at the Pharisees but also at the crowd (Luke 20:9-19), was drawn from the imagery of a vineyard, where the Lord entrusted the land not for personal gain but to a group of workers tasked solely with gathering its fruits. He sent messengers not once, but multiple times; yet the wicked tenants mistreated some, killed others, and stoned still more. Finally, He sent His Son, yet the tenants plotted to murder Him as well, intending to seize control of His inheritance by force.

It appeared that the moment had arrived for the owner to reclaim His vineyard from the evil vine-dressers, yet in His kindness, He resolved to give them one final opportunity: "I have," He declared, "a beloved Son; I will send Him; surely they will not reject Him; they will likely feel remorse and give Him what is rightfully His." Thus, the owner’s Son was sent to the vine-dressers; however, upon seeing Him from afar, they recognized Him as their rightful heir. Fearing He might take the vineyard from them, they plotted to eliminate Him. "Let us put Him to death," they conspired, "and then the vineyard will belong to us forever." With this determination, they seized Him, killed Him, and cast Him out of the vineyard.

In the end, he dispatched his son, who was both known to them and impossible to mistake. However, they subjected him to violence, expelled him, and took his life.

"This is the heir," referring to the anticipated owner of the vineyard. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, is acknowledged as God's heir (Heb. 1:2) in that all creation is entrusted to Him by His Father (Matt. 11:27), establishing Him as the Lord of all and, therefore, the Lord of the church, His spiritual vineyard. "And we shall take possession of his inheritance," meaning His vineyard or church, implies that it is not He who possesses it, but rather we, His followers. While this aspect of the parable may not accurately reflect the precise thoughts and intentions of the Jewish leadership, it could simply serve to enhance the eloquence of the narrative. In parables, not every specific detail carries profound significance. Nonetheless, it remains true that through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Jewish authorities believed they could hinder Him from establishing His church and maintain their control over His spiritual vineyard rooted in the Old Testament.