Matthew 21 35

Matthew 21:35 kjv

And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Matthew 21:35 nkjv

And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.

Matthew 21:35 niv

"The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

Matthew 21:35 esv

And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.

Matthew 21:35 nlt

But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.

Matthew 21 verses

Matthew 21 35 Meaning

This verse, within the Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers (Matthew 21:33-46), illustrates the escalating rejection and brutal persecution by the tenants (representing Israel's religious leadership and, more broadly, the nation) of the vineyard owner's (God's) servants (His prophets and messengers). It portrays a consistent pattern of defiance against divine authority, moving from mere beatings to outright murder and public execution by stoning, signifying the gravest form of opposition to God's chosen instruments.

Matthew 21 35 Context

Matthew 21:35 is situated within the "conflict narratives" section of Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus is in Jerusalem, just days before His crucifixion. Following His Triumphal Entry and the cleansing of the Temple, Jesus engages in direct confrontation with the chief priests and elders, challenging their authority (Matthew 21:23-27). The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers (21:33-46) is delivered immediately after this challenge, serving as a powerful allegory and a direct indictment of the religious leaders.

Historically and culturally, the parable taps into Israel's understanding of itself as God's chosen vineyard, a common prophetic image from the Old Testament (e.g., Isaiah 5:1-7). The sending of servants to collect fruit echoes God's sending of prophets throughout their history to call the people back to obedience and covenant faithfulness. The violent rejection of these servants accurately reflects the historical record of how many of God's prophets were mistreated, imprisoned, or killed by the very people they were sent to minister to. The escalating violence in the parable directly points to the increasing rejection of divine messengers, culminating in the killing of the "son" (Matthew 21:37), an obvious reference to Jesus Himself, whom the leaders were at that very moment conspiring to put to death. The parable thus served as a potent challenge and warning to those who heard it, especially the Jewish religious authorities.

Matthew 21 35 Word analysis

• And the husbandmen (οἱ γεωργοί - hoi geōrgoi):

  • Word Level: Geōrgoi literally means "workers of the earth," but here it refers specifically to "vine-dressers" or "tenants."
  • Significance: These were not the owners but entrusted custodians. Their actions reveal a fundamental disregard for the owner's authority and rightful claim, implying an usurping of ownership. They are representatives of those entrusted with God's spiritual vineyard—Israel's religious leaders.

• took (λαβόντες - labontes):

  • Word Level: The aorist participle labontes implies a decisive, aggressive action—they seized or laid hold of the servants. It suggests intentional capture, not accidental encounter.
  • Significance: This verb denotes a proactive hostile action, showing a clear intent to inflict harm rather than a spontaneous outburst of anger.

• his servants (τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ - tous doulous autou):

  • Word Level: Doulous are "slaves" or "bond-servants." In a spiritual context, they are obedient messengers or prophets of God. Autou indicates "his," linking them directly to the owner.
  • Significance: These are not mere emissaries, but bond-servants who fully belong to the owner, sent on his specific business. Their mistreatment is an offense directly against the owner himself. The parable shows God sending a succession of His prophets, consistently identifying them as His own.

• and beat one (καὶ ὃν μὲν ἔδειραν - kai hon men edeiran):

  • Word Level: Edeiran means "they flayed" or "severely beat." It implies a brutal whipping, more than just a light strike.
  • Significance: This is the first level of violence. It points to the common mistreatment and humiliation faced by prophets, signifying physical abuse, mockery, and unjust suffering for speaking God's truth. (e.g., Jer 20:2, 2 Chr 16:10).

• and killed another (ὃν δὲ ἀπέκτειναν - hon de apekteinan):

  • Word Level: Apekteinan means "they murdered" or "put to death." This is the strongest word for killing.
  • Significance: This indicates an escalation from abuse to outright murder. It reflects the history of Israel's direct killing of prophets (e.g., Uriah in Jer 26:23, likely referring to others whom the people put to death such as some mentioned in Neh 9:26 or Jer 2:30).

• and stoned another (ὃν δὲ ἐλιθοβόλησαν - hon de elithobolēsan):

  • Word Level: Elithobolēsan specifically means "they pelted with stones" or "stoned to death." Stoning was a prescribed judicial execution method under Mosaic Law, used for grave offenses against God (e.g., blasphemy).
  • Significance: This represents the gravest and most public form of persecution and murder. Stoning carried the connotation of a "community verdict," often falsely, implying the prophet was deemed worthy of death by religious and communal consensus, making the rejection even more egregious (e.g., Zechariah son of Jehoiada in 2 Chr 24:20-21). It also strongly foreshadows the death of Stephen (Acts 7).

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the husbandmen took his servants...": This phrase establishes the authority of the husbandmen over the servants once they arrive. The power dynamic immediately shifts, showing the tenants usurping control that rightly belongs to the owner, by seizing the messengers sent from him. This signifies a blatant disrespect for the owner's delegated authority.

• "...and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.": This powerful progression of actions ("beat," "killed," "stoned") is crucial. It reveals not an isolated incident but a pattern of increasing depravity and rebellion. It highlights:

  1. Escalation: From physical violence (beating) to taking a life (killing), to the most severe and public execution (stoning), each step indicates a deeper level of defiance and moral corruption.
  2. Repetitive Nature: "one...another...another" emphasizes that this was not a one-time event, but a repeated behavior over time, characteristic of Israel's historical rejection of God's numerous prophets (as noted in Matt 23:37 and Acts 7:52).
  3. Deliberate Malice: The systematic abuse and murder demonstrate conscious and extreme hostility towards God's representatives and, by extension, towards God Himself.

Matthew 21 35 Bonus section

The description "beat one, killed another, and stoned another" subtly implies a diversity in the specific types of persecution endured by God's prophets across generations. Some suffered non-fatal beatings and public shaming, others met a quick end, while still others endured the excruciating and communally sanctioned death by stoning. This variety highlights the pervasive nature of hostility toward God's voice within Israel, reflecting numerous historical instances beyond specific scriptural mentions. It reinforces the parabolic imagery that the rejection was not uniform but always intensely malicious. Furthermore, the persistent sending of "servants" by the owner despite their abuse speaks volumes about God's patience and long-suffering love before the ultimate judgment, demonstrating His continuous effort to call His people back to Himself before sending His Son.

Matthew 21 35 Commentary

Matthew 21:35 serves as the core illustration of Israel's history of rebellion against God, particularly as manifested through their treatment of His messengers, the prophets. The meticulous depiction of escalating violence—from beating and physical assault, to outright murder, and finally to death by stoning—underscores the depth of rejection and animosity directed at divine truth and authority. The tenants, representing the leaders of Israel, treated God's servants not as honorable envoys, but as adversaries to be brutalized and eliminated. This progressive violence highlights their persistent refusal to acknowledge God's claim over His vineyard (Israel) and their unwillingness to render the expected spiritual "fruit" of righteousness. This verse, therefore, is not merely a descriptive detail within a parable but a condemning indictment of an ingrained pattern of faithlessness and resistance to God's patient yet firm call to repentance and obedience throughout their national story.