Matthew 21 38

Matthew 21:38 kjv

But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

Matthew 21:38 nkjv

But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'

Matthew 21:38 niv

"But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.'

Matthew 21:38 esv

But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.'

Matthew 21:38 nlt

"But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'

Matthew 21 verses

Matthew 21 38 Meaning

Matthew 21:38 presents a pivotal moment in the Parable of the Wicked Tenants. It reveals the deliberate recognition by the tenants of the landowner's son as the rightful heir, followed by their internal conspiracy to murder him. Their motive is clear: by eliminating the heir, they intend to unlawfully seize possession of the inheritance for themselves, thereby usurping ownership of the vineyard. In a broader, allegorical sense, this verse signifies the recognition by the Jewish religious leadership of Jesus' divine claim (as God's Son and Messiah) and their subsequent plotted rejection and execution of Him, aimed at maintaining their own power and control over the 'vineyard' (Israel or the Kingdom of God).

Matthew 21 38 Context

Matthew 21:38 is a key verse within the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46), one of several parables Jesus tells during His final week in Jerusalem. This parable is specifically directed at the chief priests and the elders of the people (Matthew 21:23), who had challenged Jesus' authority immediately beforehand. It serves as a direct indictment of their spiritual stewardship and their coming rejection of God's Son. Historically, it reflects the pattern of Israel's leadership rejecting God's prophets and culminating in their planned crucifixion of Jesus, whom they recognized as a claimant to messianic authority, thereby threatening their existing power structure and interpretation of the Law. This parable therefore directly sets the stage for Jesus' impending passion, framing it as a premeditated act by human rebellion against divine design.

Matthew 21 38 Word analysis

• But when the tenants (Οἱ δὲ γεωργοὶ - Hoi de geōrgoi):
  • georgoi (γεωργοί): Means "farmers," "husbandmen," or "tenants." This word emphasizes their role as caretakers, not owners. They were entrusted with the vineyard, implying a responsibility to the owner and his produce. In the parable, these "tenants" symbolize the religious leaders of Israel who were entrusted with God's people (the vineyard) but failed to yield fruit and rejected His messengers.
  • Significance: Highlights their stewardship gone wrong and usurpation of authority.
• saw the son (εἶδον τὸν υἱόν - eidon ton huion):
  • eidon (εἶδον): The aorist form of horaō, meaning "to see," but here implying more than mere physical sight; it connotes recognition, perception, or understanding of his identity. They perceived who he truly was.
  • huion (υἱόν): "Son." This term, without the definite article in some manuscripts but commonly understood with it, unequivocally points to the owner's sole male heir. In the allegory, it identifies Jesus as the uniquely divine Son of God, not just another messenger or prophet.
  • Significance: They were not ignorant of his identity. Their rejection was based on knowing who he was and acting against that knowledge. This elevates their sin to a profound level of rebellion against God Himself.
• they said to themselves (εἶπον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς - eipan en heautois):
  • Indicates an internal, private conversation and shared deliberation among the tenants. It suggests a premeditated, collective conspiracy.
  • Significance: This was not an impulsive act but a thought-out plot. This detail reinforces the malice and deliberate nature of the religious leaders' conspiracy against Jesus.
• 'This is the heir. (Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κληρονόμος - Houtos estin ho klēronomos):
  • Houtos (οὗτος): "This (one)," a demonstrative pronoun, points directly and firmly to the son's specific identity.
  • klēronomos (κληρονόμος): "Heir," the legal successor entitled to the inheritance. Their recognition is absolute. They acknowledge his indisputable right to the property.
  • Significance: This statement is the absolute pivot of the verse. Their full recognition of his legal claim underscores their deliberate criminality. They acknowledge His right, but rebel against it.
• Come, let us kill him (δεῦτε ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτόν - deute apokteinōmen auton):
  • deute (δεῦτε): An exclamation, "Come!" or "Come here!" serving as an urgent summons or invitation to action.
  • apokteinōmen (ἀποκτείνωμεν): "Let us kill" or "let us murder." It's a deliberative subjunctive, reflecting their firm resolution to commit homicide.
  • Significance: It's an active, immediate call to action born of their perceived need and malicious intent. It is premeditated murder, directly foreshadowing the historical plot and crucifixion of Jesus.
• and get his inheritance!' (καὶ σχῶμεν τὴν κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ - kai schōmen tēn klēronomian autou):
  • schōmen (σχῶμεν): "Let us possess," "let us have," or "let us gain." It signifies taking permanent possession and control.
  • klēronomian (κληρονομίαν): "Inheritance." The object of their greed and motive for murder. This inheritance is the vineyard itself, symbolizing God's Kingdom or the nation of Israel and its spiritual blessings.
  • Significance: This phrase reveals the tenants' ultimate selfish motive: greed, usurpation of authority, and desire for power. They saw Jesus not as the legitimate heir but as an obstacle to their personal gain.

Matthew 21 38 Bonus section

• The parable reveals that human free will, though capable of heinous rebellion, cannot thwart God's ultimate plan. Despite their murderous intent, the vineyard (the Kingdom) would ultimately be taken from them and given to those who would yield its fruit (Mt 21:43).
• The phrase "said to themselves" highlights that the plot was internal, insidious, and not merely a reaction but a calculated design. This aligns with the Gospel accounts of the Jewish leaders meeting in secret councils to determine how to put Jesus to death.
• This verse directly sets up Jesus' subsequent quoting of Psalm 118:22, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," powerfully linking His current experience with ancient prophecy concerning the Messiah.
• The parable's original hearers (the chief priests and elders) understood its implications immediately (Mt 21:45), revealing the potency of Jesus' allegorical teaching. They recognized themselves as the wicked tenants, and Jesus as the Son.

Matthew 21 38 Commentary

Matthew 21:38 forms the moral and theological crux of the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, deeply mirroring the events leading to Jesus' crucifixion. The tenants' "seeing" of the son signifies a clear, unmissable recognition of Jesus' identity and claim as the rightful Heir to God's authority and covenant with Israel. Their ensuing conspiracy, "let us kill him and get his inheritance," highlights the core motivation of the religious leaders: fear of losing their power, prestige, and control over the people and the Jewish institution (John 11:48). They did not merely dismiss Jesus; they actively plotted to eliminate Him to secure their perceived domain, acting as if the vineyard, symbolizing God's Kingdom and people, belonged to them, not to the rightful owner. This act reveals an ultimate act of rebellion against God, His authority, and His final revelation in His Son. The "inheritance" the tenants sought was the unbridled control over the spiritual economy of Israel, a control they believed was theirs, not God's or His Son's. Their actions are thus characterized by greed, profound spiritual blindness, and violent defiance against divine ownership and sovereign rule.