What is the meaning of Matthew 21:40? Therefore The word signals that Jesus is drawing a clear conclusion from the parable He has just told (Matthew 21:33-39). • The vineyard is a familiar Old Testament picture of Israel (Isaiah 5:1-7). • The evil tenants represent the religious leaders who rejected the Master’s servants (the prophets) and finally His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). • “Therefore” points to an inevitable consequence. Just as the landowner in the story must act, so God will act in real history. Scripture always moves from cause to consequence; “For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7). when the owner of the vineyard returns Jesus speaks of the owner’s personal return, underscoring that God Himself will intervene, not merely send another emissary. • This return images the Lord’s coming day of reckoning (Matthew 16:27; James 5:7-9). • It affirms God’s patience has limits; after “He sent his son” (v. 37), there remains only the direct appearance of the Owner (Hebrews 10:26-31). • The literal expectation of God’s future judgment is woven through Scripture: “Behold, the Judge is standing at the door” (James 5:9). what will he do Action follows presence. God’s holiness demands He respond to flagrant rebellion. • The tenants presumed the vineyard was theirs, echoing the leaders’ grip on religious power (Luke 20:14-16). • Judgment and loss replace privilege and control. “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit” (Matthew 21:43). • Justice is both punitive and redemptive—He vindicates His servants and secures the vineyard’s fruitfulness (Romans 2:6-8; Revelation 19:1-2). to those tenants? The question forces the listening crowd—and every reader—to declare the verdict that God Himself will carry out (v. 41). • “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end” (Matthew 21:41). The leaders’ fate is sealed by their own admission. • The vineyard is then leased “to other tenants who will give him his share” (v. 41), pointing to the faithful remnant of Israel and the inclusion of believing Gentiles (Acts 13:46-48; 1 Peter 2:9-10). • Accountability is personal: “Each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). God’s ownership rights are non-negotiable. summary Matthew 21:40 presses home the certainty of divine judgment. Because God truly owns the vineyard—His people and His world—He will personally return, confront rebellion, strip the unfaithful of their stewardship, and entrust His kingdom to those who honor His Son. The verse calls believers to faithful, fruitful service, confident that the Lord’s justice and plan will prevail exactly as Scripture declares. |
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