The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 321

Ver. 87.-Last of all; 1/,rnpov: afteruJMds, &uthority while he was present and working later on. The parable now e.llegorizes the in their midst. Were he removed, their near present, and future, in such a way as position would he eafe, their claims undis- for the rµoment to conceal its bee.ring, puted. Hence their conspiracy and i ta and to lead the hearers to pronounce their result--a. reeult very far from what they own condemnation. His son. Even Jesus expected. They ha<l their own way, but Obrist, who was now among them, ince.mate, their gain was ruin. Says Bt. Augustine, teaching, and demanding of them fruitB of "Ut possiderent, occiderunt; et quia. occi- righteousness. Here was the authorization derunt, perdiderunt." which they had required (vcr. 23). God Ver. 39.-Cast him out of the vineyard, sent his Son. They will reverenoe my Bon. and slew him. This is prophecy, and alludes God condescends to speak in human lan- to a particular circumstance attending the guage, as hoping for a good result from death of Christ, viz. that he suffered with- this last effort for man's aal vation. He, as out the city Jerusalem, Calvary being out- it were, puts aside his foreknowledge, and side the walls (see John xii:. 17, and thfl gives scope to man's free-will Though the parallel passages in the other evangelists, ee.d issue is known to him, be often acts and especially Heh. xiii. 11, 12, where it towards men 11s if be had hope that they is significantly noted that Jesus "suffered would still use the occasion profitably. In without the gate"). The words me.y also the present oase, whereas the immediate contain e. reference to the fact that he was result of the last mes.sure was disastrous, excommnnicated and given over to the the expectation was ultimately realized in heathen to be judged and condemned, thus the conversion of many Jews to Christianity, suffering not actually at the hands of " the which led to the bringing of all nations to h11Sbe.ndmen" (comp, Acts ii 23; iv. 27). the obedience of the faith. Christ, in his Divine prescience, speaks of Ver. 38.-When the husband.men saw the his Passion and death as already accom- Bon. As soon as they recognized this new plished. and important meBBenger. This is the great Ver. 40.-When the lord therefore of the element in the guilt of his rejection. They vineyard cometh; u,hen thesej<Yre the llYl"d, might have had the same consciousness of eto. Christ eaks his hearers, who are both Ohrist'a Divine mission as Nicodemus (John rulers and people, what in their opinion will iii. 2), having possessed the same opportu- be the course taken by the lord when he nities of judging. Ancient prophecy, the visits his vineyard, knowing all that he.a signs of the times, the miracles and teaching transpired. So Isaiah (v. 3) makes the of Christ, the testimony of the Baptist, people give the verdict: "And now, 0 in- pointed to one evident conclusion; evidence habitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, had been acoumulai;ing on all aides. A judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vine- latent feeling had grown up that he was yard." the MeBBiah (see John xi. 49-52), and it Ver. 41.-They uy unto him. The was obstinate prejudice and perversity alone Pharisees probably me.de the reply, not at that prevented his open ooknowledgment. the moment apprehtJnding the sense of the "If I had not come and spoken unto them," parable. Or the words were spoken by some said Obrist, "they had not had sin; but of the bystnnders, and taken up and em- now they he. ve no cloke for their sin" (John pho.tice.lly repeated by our Lord with an xv. 22; comp. John ix. 41). They said unmistakable application (ver. 43), The among themselves. They plotted his destruc- conclusion wo.s e. necessary consequence, tion (see Johnxi. 53). We are reminded of and this will account for Mark and Luke the conspiracy against Joseph, his father's apparently me.king them a part of Christ's well-belowed son (Gen. xxxvii. 20). Let us speech. By their answer they blindly con- seize on (1<a.-dtTX"'I'"'• take po1Besllion of, demn themselves, as David did at hearing keep as our own) his inheritanoe. It would Nathan's parable (2 Sam. xii. 5). Ke will have been a wild and ignorant scheme of miserably (1<a1<0,s) destroy those wioked men the husbandmen to oonsider that by murder- (1<a11olis, miserable men); or, he unll emlly ring the heir they could obtain and hold destroy those e-vil men ; Vulge.te, Malos male poaaesaiou of the vineyard. Here the parable perdet. He will make their punishment eq ue.l bur&ta from the e.llegorioal form, and becomes their crime. The slaughter and mortality history and prophecy. In foot, the possession at the siege of Jerusalem accomplished this which the rulers coveted was suprem,1cy prediction to the letter. Unto other husband- over the minds and consciences of men ; men; i.e. the Christian ministry, which took they wished to lord it over God's heritage; the plo.ce of the Jewish priests a11d teachers. to retain their"rights and prerogatives in the As the husbe.ndmen in the pomble wero present system. This ambition Christ's rather the rulers and rabbis thnn the whole teaching and uction entirely overthrew. nntion (which, indeed, only followed their They felt no security in their poesessio11 of guides), so these others are not the whole 328 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. (orr. llL 1-46.