What does the son represent in Matthew 21:37? Full Text Matthew 21:37 — “Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.” Immediate Literary Setting Jesus is in the temple courts during the last week before the crucifixion (Matthew 21:23 ff.). He has just cleansed the temple, cursed the fruitless fig tree, and challenged the chief priests and elders. The parable of the Vineyard (21:33-41) is His answer to their demand for authority. Every character in the story is a deliberate analog: Landowner = Yahweh, Vineyard = Israel (Isaiah 5:1-7), Tenant-farmers = Israel’s leaders, Servants = the prophets, and the Son = Jesus Himself. The Son Identified: Jesus, the Incarnate “Beloved” 1. Matthew’s Gospel has already introduced Jesus as “My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (3:17; 17:5). 2. Mark’s parallel (12:6) explicitly calls Him “a beloved son,” echoing the Septuagint phrasing of Genesis 22:2 (“take your beloved son, Isaac”). 3. Hebrews 1:1-2 summarizes the point of the parable: “God … has spoken to us by His Son.” The Son is the climactic and final messenger; there is no higher emissary. Old Testament Echoes of the Beloved Son Motif • Isaac (Genesis 22) — the father’s unique son offered on a hill; prophetic foreshadowing of Calvary. • Joseph (Genesis 37) — beloved of the father, rejected by brothers, yet becomes their savior. • Psalm 2:7 — “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father,” applied to Messiah by the early church (Acts 13:33). • Isaiah 42:1 — “Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One in whom My soul delights.” Messianic Authority and Finality Sending the Son signals that every prior prophetic avenue has been exhausted. Rejecting the Son is not merely a crime against a messenger; it is rebellion against the Owner Himself (John 5:23). Jesus thus asserts His messianic and divine authority before the very people plotting His death (Matthew 21:45-46). Prophetic Fulfillment: The Rejected Cornerstone Matthew 21:42 immediately quotes Psalm 118:22-23. By identifying Himself as the “stone the builders rejected,” Jesus ties the Son’s rejection and subsequent vindication to prophecy. Acts 4:10-11 and 1 Peter 2:4-7 repeat the same interpretation, underscoring unanimous apostolic understanding. Covenantal Transfer and Eschatological Warning Verse 41 concludes that the vineyard will be leased to others who produce fruit. The “others” (ethne — nations) anticipate a multi-ethnic church (cf. Matthew 8:11-12; 28:19). The Son’s treatment determines stewardship of God’s kingdom. Those who reject Him forfeit participation; those who receive Him become heirs (Romans 8:17). Historical and Manuscript Corroboration • Papyrus 45 (3rd cent.) and Codex Vaticanus (4th cent.) read “his son” (τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ) with no variants of substance, evidencing a stable textual tradition. • Early patristic citations: Origen, Contra Celsum II.9; Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. IV.36 refer to the parable as spoken by “our Lord” about Himself. • The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q521) anticipate a Messianic figure who “raises the dead,” matching Jesus’ self-identification as Son endowed with such authority (John 5:21-27). Archaeological and Cultural Notes on Vineyards First-century leases discovered on ostraca from Wadi Daliyeh outline share-cropping agreements remarkably close to Jesus’ description, confirming historical realism. Terraced vineyard remains near Ein Kerem illustrate the labor‐intensive nature of viticulture, heightening the outrage of tenant violence. Theological Significance 1. Christology — The Son is ontologically distinct yet of the same essence as the Father (John 1:1, 18). 2. Soteriology — His death, assumed in the parable, is the means by which the “fruit” of salvation becomes possible (Matthew 26:28). 3. Revelation — Progressive revelation culminates in the Son; ignoring Him leaves no further word (Hebrews 2:1-3). 4. Ecclesiology — Fruit-bearing tenants symbolize a redeemed community responsive to the Son (John 15:1-8). Practical and Pastoral Application • Reverence for the Son is non-negotiable (John 3:36). • Fruitfulness — authentic discipleship is measured by obedience to the Son’s commands (Matthew 7:21-23). • Leadership accountability — spiritual leaders are stewards, not owners; refusal to honor the Son invites judgment (James 3:1). Answer in Brief In Matthew 21:37 the “son” represents Jesus Christ, the Father’s unique, beloved, and final emissary whose rejection by Israel’s leaders fulfills prophecy, secures redemption through His death and resurrection, and shifts kingdom stewardship to a people who honor Him. |
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