Matthew 21:41Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Matthew records that it was the Jews who rendered the verdict. This is not contradictory; both statements hold true. They delivered a sentence upon their own heads and subsequently, upon recognizing the implications of the parable, exclaimed, ‘Let it not be!’ In response, He refuted them using the prophet’s words, ensuring them that the outcome would inevitably manifest. Even then, He did not directly refer to the Gentiles, seeking to avoid provoking them against Him; instead, He implied it by stating: ‘He will give the vineyard to others’ (Luke 20:16). It is clear that He shared the parable also so that the Jews would ultimately pass judgement, akin to David, who, upon grasping Nathan's parable, judged himself. Consider how righteous the judgement is when those who are corrected bear witness against themselves.

He will transfer His vineyard to different caretakers, referring to the apostles and faithful Christian leaders. The vineyard can also symbolize the Holy Scriptures: the hedge represents the written word; the dug-out furnace signifies the profound depths of the spirit; the tower stands for the elevated theological teachings. Initially, this Scripture was handed over to the unfaithful caretakers, namely the Pharisees and scribes, but later God entrusted it to us, who strive to nurture it earnestly. In this context, the Pharisees were responsible for the Lord's death outside the vineyard, acting in opposition to what the Old Testament Scriptures proclaimed concerning Christ.

The vineyard has been entrusted to us, contingent upon our offering to the Lord the fruits of our labor at the appointed season, and being aware at all times of what we should say or do.

The Lord's parable did not deter the obstinate. They closed their eyes to avoid seeing, and they shut their ears to evade hearing. Consequently, the light of the gospel failed to illuminate their path. Oh, the profound darkness of the Jews! They pass judgment upon themselves, not fully grasping the implications of their words. When the Lord inquired, "What will the owner of the vineyard do to the tenants?" they inadvertently spoke the truth: He will bring ruin upon the wicked, as justice demands severe punishment for those who act unjustly, and He will assign the vineyard to others who will yield fruitful harvests at the appointed time (Matthew 21:40-41). In this way, the chief priests and Pharisees unwittingly prophesied.

Due to their wickedness, they will face severe punishment. They even predict the future without intending to. The forthcoming Lord of the vineyard—Christ, who triumphed over death and was endowed with authority—entrusted their fate to the Romans for destruction and looting. The stewardship of the vineyard was given to the Christian bishops, who, during Christianity's flourishing period, bore various virtues as their fruits. However, Matthew notes that they condemned themselves, while Mark (Mark 12:9) and Luke (Luke 20:16) indicate that Christ condemned them. It seems likely that they initially passed judgment, and then Christ reiterated their words to affirm their verdict.

When the Master of the vineyard arrives, what will be the fate of those workers? They replied, He will punish those who act wickedly, and He will assign the vineyard to other workers who will render Him the proper fruits in their time. Jesus relayed this parable in the presence of the leaders and elders who approached Him while He was teaching in the temple (Matthew 21:23). He posed to them a question regarding the treatment of those laboring in His vineyard: ‘When the Master of the vineyard comes, what will He do to those who work it?’ They responded, ‘He will bring destruction upon them for their wrongdoing.’ But who were those who gave this reply?

It appears that their hardened consciences enabled them to feign ignorance of their own reflection and to dissociate themselves from the parable entirely, maintaining a facade of impartial reasoning. The Lord, as recorded by the holy Evangelist Luke, affirmed their judgment, saying, “Thus, He will come and destroy those unworthy vinedressers and entrust the vineyard to others.” However, the authoritative tone and piercing gaze of the Lord made it clear that His grave words were directed squarely at the members of the Sanhedrin.

In essence, the message of the parable was as evident to them as it is to us today. However, had they given the slightest indication of acknowledging themselves as the unrighteous vinedressers, the crowd would likely have reacted with violence against them. This fear led to an increase in their audacity and arrogance, and in an attempt to distance themselves from the parable, they responded to Jesus' inquiry: "So, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vinedressers?" They replied, "Surely he will put these wrongdoers to a severe death and assign the vineyard to other vi

When the master of the vineyard arrives, what will he do to those tenants? The crowd, in their earnest belief, or the Pharisees present, who aimed to express their disdain for the deeper meanings of this parable, responded, “He will bring a wretched end to these unrighteous men and will entrust the vineyard to other tenants who will render to him the fruit in due time.” Once again, they were forced to provide an answer that ultimately condemned themselves: they acknowledged, through their own words, that divine justice necessitated the removal of their exclusive privileges in favor of the Gentiles.

"He will lease the vineyard to others": the response of the Jewish leaders was fair; this was indeed the action that the vineyard owner ought to take. However, the Jews, failing to comprehend the deeper message of the parable, inadvertently condemned themselves through their own words. The Lord intended to reveal to them that it was rightful and proper to strip them of the privileges granted to the chosen people, as they were unworthy of such honor. Had He addressed them directly about this issue, they would have been unwilling to listen; yet through the parable, He gently led them to recognize this truth themselves, prompting them to vocalize the justice of the impending judgment against them.

A certain master established a vineyard, arranged it meticulously, took all necessary measures for its success, entrusted it to tenant farmers, and departed to his own residence. When the season for harvesting the fruit arrived, he dispatched his servants to the farmers to collect what was due. However, the farmers mistreated all the servants and even killed some of them. The master then sent a larger group of servants, yet the farmers met them with the same violence. Ultimately, he sent his son, believing that they would have remorse or fear regarding the death of his son. Yet, they murdered the son as well, thinking they could seize the inheritance for themselves. This, dear listeners, is the parable told by Christ to the chief priests and Pharisees among the Jews.