Matthew 21:33-43

Devotionals, Articles, and Bible Study Resources on Matthew 21:33-43

33Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
34When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit.
35But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.
36Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them.
37Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’
39So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those tenants?”
41“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.”
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This is from the Lord,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
— Matthew 21:33-43

Related Resources from Heartlight

Disregard for the Servants!
Illustration of Matthew 21:33-36 NLT

Illustration of Matthew 21:33-36 NLT -- "Listen to this story: There was a man that owned a vineyard. He put a wall around the field and dug a hole for a wine press. Then the man built a tower. He leased the land to some farmers. Then he left for a trip. Later, it was time for the grapes to be picked. So the man sent his servants to the farmers to get his share of the grapes. "But the farmers grabbed the servants and beat one. They killed another one and then killed a third servant with rocks. So the man sent some other servants to the farmers. The man sent more servants than he sent the first time. But the farmers did the same thing to the servants that they did the first time."

I'll Send My Son
Illustration of Matthew 21:37-39 NLT

Illustration of Matthew 21:37-39 NLT -- "So the man decided to send his son to the farmers. The man said, 'The farmers will respect my son.' "But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the owner's son. This vineyard will be his. If we kill him, then it will be ours!' So the farmers took the son, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him."

Harsh Justice
Illustration of Matthew 21:40-41 NLT

Illustration of Matthew 21:40-41 NLT -- "So what will the owner of the vineyard do to these farmers when he comes?" The Jewish priests and leaders said, "He will surely kill those evil men. Then he will lease the land to some other farmers. He will lease it to farmers that will give him his share of the crop at harvest time."

Stumbling Over the Truth
Illustration of Matthew 21:42-44 NLT

Illustration of Matthew 21:42-44 NLT -- Jesus said to them, "Surely you have read this in the Scriptures: 'The stone that the builders did not want became the cornerstone. The Lord did this, and it is wonderful to us.' So I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you. God's kingdom will be given to people that do the things God wants in his kingdom. The person that falls on this stone will be broken. And if the stone falls on a person, then it will crush that person."

Cross References for Matthew 21:33-43

Cross References Provided by Open Bible

The Berean Standard Bible

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