What does "last of all, he sent his son" reveal about Jesus' mission? Setting the Scene Matthew 21:37 records, “Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.” Jesus places this line in the parable of the vineyard owner and the tenants, revealing God’s climactic response to Israel’s long history of rejecting His messengers. Context in the Parable • Owner = God the Father • Vineyard = Israel (Isaiah 5:1-7) • Tenants = religious leaders entrusted with God’s people • Servants = prophets, repeatedly mistreated or killed • Son = Jesus, sent “last of all,” uniquely bearing the Father’s authority What “Last of All, He Sent His Son” Reveals about Jesus’ Mission 1. Culmination of Revelation • Hebrews 1:1-2: “In the past God spoke to our fathers… but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.” • Jesus is God’s final and fullest word—nothing higher, nothing more authoritative. 2. Unique Sonship and Authority • Mark 12:6 adds, “He had one left to send, a beloved son.” • Unlike the servants, the Son shares the owner’s nature and rights (John 5:22-23). 3. Mission of Sacrificial Redemption • The tenants’ murder of the son prefigures the cross (Matthew 21:38-39). • John 3:16; Romans 5:8—God sends the Son knowing the cost, so that through His death sinners might live. 4. Final Appeal before Judgment • The owner’s patience reaches its zenith in the Son’s arrival; rejection leaves no further remedy (Hebrews 12:25). • Acts 4:12 affirms there is salvation in no one else. 5. Fulfillment of Prophetic Promise • Galatians 4:4: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son.” • Jesus embodies every messianic hope, gathering all God’s promises into Himself (2 Corinthians 1:20). Supporting Scriptures • Isaiah 53:3-7 – prophecy of the rejected, suffering Servant • John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” • 1 John 4:9-10 – love displayed in the sending of the Son • 1 Peter 2:6-8 – cornerstone accepted by believers, stumbling stone to the disobedient Implications for Today • God’s ultimate message has been delivered; listening to Jesus is non-negotiable. • The cross showcases both the severity of human rebellion and the depth of divine love. • Receiving the Son means inheriting the blessings of the vineyard—fellowship with God, fruitfulness, and a share in His kingdom (John 15:1-5). |
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