A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
Matthew 21:23-46
Lesson #52
THE BLESSINGS OF GOD SPURNED
- Memory verse: Matthew 12:50
- Read Mat 21:23-27 Jesus’ authority
- The attempt to trap Jesus in a question about his authority only succeeded in trapping themselves.
- It was part of the duty of the Sanhedrin to distinguish between true and false prophets, true and false doctrine.
- They said they did not know whether or not the baptisms that John the Baptist performed were from God.
- Notice that their motivation was not a quest for truth but a desire to preserve their power and position.
- When they did not answer Jesus’ question, they demonstrated their ignorance and their failure to perform their duties.
- Why did Jesus not answer the chief priests and elders?
- They did not want to know truth.
- They did not consider, “what is truth?” They considered it more important “what is safe to say?”
- Read Mat 21:28-32 The parable of 2 sons and the vineyard
- Background:
- This parable and the next are based on Isa 5:1-7 which was called the song of the vineyard and sung at annual festivals.
- The man with two sons represents God.
- The two disobedient sons:
- Notice that both sons are disobedient and neither is to be considered worthy of being a role model for us. Neither son did his father’s will at the first and without hesitation.
- Who does the first son represent?
- Sinners (tax collectors and harlots). See verse 31
- These are people who had neither the profession of religion, nor the outward practice of religion, nor the inward faith.
- He said he would not obey, but eventually he did.
- Who does the second son represent?
- Religious leaders (chief priests, elders, and Pharisees). See verse 31
- Did they know Jesus was talking about them?
- The two disobedient sons:
Yes. See Mat 21:45
Because they knew the truth, they plotted to kill him.
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- These were the hypocrites who had a profession of religion, an outward practice of religion but not an inward faith. He said he would obey but he never did.
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- Doesn’t God call both of them “sons” here?
- Yes, he calls them both sons only because of the fact that God is the creator of all. They are potential sons.
- Read Gal 4:5-7
- This passage tells us that all men are not “sons” of God. Only those who have accepted Jesus Christ and done the will of God is a true son. The terms father and son indicate a personal relationship.
- There is therefore, no such thing as the universal “fatherhood of God, and brotherhood of man” in the Bible. All men are not your brothers. Only those who have accepted Jesus Christ are part of the family of God.
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- What does the vineyard represent? Israel by reason of Isa 5:1-7
- What is the central truth of the parable?
- God set aside a people, the Jews, of which all were sinners.
- Some did the will of God by repenting of their sins, while the religious leaders did not repent.
- Jesus therefore condemns the methods of the religious leaders.
- Vs. 31: Notice that Jesus did not say that the sinners would go into the kingdom instead of the religious leaders, but before them. Jesus was still offering them salvation. Some of the religious leaders did repent, such as Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimethaea, Saul of Tarsus.
- God has set aside working nationally with the Jews in order to work with the Gentiles during this church age. He will again work with the Jews in the future tribulation period.
- At the second coming of Christ the nation of Israel will accept Jesus as their Messiah and become an obedient son.
- Application:
- God is looking for people who will have a soft heart toward Him; those who will do His will and repent of their sins.
- As long as we cling to our self-righteousness, our pride, and outward religiosity, we don’t see a need for a savior, and we will not do God’s will to receive Jesus. (2Pet 3:9)
- Extension of the application:
- One son is not to be desired over the other, neither son did God’s will from the beginning.
- God wants us to be obedient to Him from the beginning.
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- Read Mat 21:33-46 The Parable of the Householder and the Heir
- Background:
- Remember that this parable is related to the last one. It is also related to Isa 5:1-7. There are the same objects in Isaiah 5 as we have in Matthew 21.
- The householder: The man who owns the vineyard represents God.
- The vineyard represents the land of Israel.
- Read Psa 80:8-15
- In Isaiah 5:2, it tells us that God dug the vineyard and took out the stones.
- God promised the land to the Jews and then helped them defeat and get rid of their enemies in the land.
- It then tells us that God planted the vineyard with the choicest vine = the bloodline of Christ.
- What is meant by “being hedged about” (Mat 21:33)?
- In a vineyard, the hedge was a thick thorn hedge to keep out wild boars and thieves who would raid the vines.
- To be made separate from other nations and promised protection from their enemies if they would just be God’s people.
- In Isa 5:5 notice it says that God will remove the hedge of protection because of their failure to be God’s people and the vineyard would be trampled down. As a result we have seen thousands of years of persecution against the Jews as well as enemy nation after enemy nation march across and control the Promised Land.
- Isa 5:6 says there would be no rain on it. Rain is another spiritual symbol of the Holy Spirit. Ezekiel 10 is his vision of the glory of God departing from the temple.
- What does the winepress represent? (Rev 19:11-16)
- Read Rev 19:11-16 winepress = judgment
- The winepress in the vineyard is the cross of Jesus Christ where sin was judged. (Rom 6:10 2Cor 5:21)
- What does the tower represent? (Isa 5:2)
- Isa 5:2 tells us that God built a tower in the midst of the vineyard = God gave them the Word of God which was to be a light to the Gentiles.
- Israel was to be the light of the world because they had the Word of God.
- Who do the tenant farmers represent? Jews; God gave them sacred responsibilities.
- What is the far country?
- After calling the Jews to be His people, giving them His promises, delivering them out of Egypt, helping them gain the Promised Land, they still would not be His people, so He lifted His hand of protection and left them to their own devices for the most part.
- They did not have an extraordinary manifestation of the presence of God after that. (Deu 34:10-12)
- Who do the servants represent?
- Old Testament prophets. They called the people to accountability — in other words like a servant going to collect the rent.
- Isaiah was sawn in two, Jeremiah was stoned, Amos was murdered with a club, John the Baptist was beheaded. (Heb 11:36-38)
- Jesus had reprimanded the Jewish leaders for being the fig tree, having the outward look of being religious but bearing no fruit of bringing people to God. Now He condemns them for being murderers of their own prophets.
- Who is the son?
- Jesus
- This is a prediction of his death.
- Stealing the inheritance (title of lordship) means they sought to retain their prestige, money, and power and be their own lord.
- Notice in Mat 21:40 Jesus asks his hearers what should be done to these tenant farmers for killing the heir.
- Their answer in vs. 41 is prophetic of their own destruction in 70 AD and the grafting in of the Gentiles.
- They pronounced sentence upon themselves.
- Who are the “other farmers” (vs. 41)? (Rom 11). Gentile believers/the church (Rom 11)
- What does the fruit represent?
- Isa 5:2 says that God looked for the vineyard to produce grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. They were to produce the spiritual fruit of bringing people to God, but instead they produced rottenness.
- The term “wild grapes” means small, hard, berries rotten on the vine.
- Jesus
- Read Psa 118:22-23 about the stone.
- Christ as the stone is revealed in three aspects:
- The stone that the builders rejected:
- Jesus Christ was rejected by the leaders of Israel.
- The Messiah came in the form of a suffering servant instead of a reigning king was a stumbling stone to the Jews. (Isa 8:14-15 Rom 9:32-33 1Cor 1:23 1Pet 2:8)
- The “head of the corner” (42)
- To the Christian church, Christ is the foundation stone.
- He is the head of the corner (cornerstone of a building) (1Cor 3:11 Eph 2:20-22 1Pet 2:4-5)
- The stone of destruction (44)
- Christ is the smiting stone or crushing stone of destruction to the Gentile world nations. (Dan 2:34)
- Nations who fight against Christ and Israel will be crushed at His second coming.
- The stone that the builders rejected:
- What is the central truth of the parable?
- God gave a sacred trust to the Jews and gave them many promises and privileges but they failed Him by killing His prophets and rejecting His Son, Jesus Christ.
- God would therefore set aside the Jews for a time and build upon a believing group of Gentiles.
- What do we learn about Jesus?
- In this parable Jesus tells us who He is, the Son of God, and of His coming death at their hands.
- Notice that after Isa 5:1-7, there is a series of 6 curses upon the Jewish leaders.
- That same pattern is repeated here.
- In Matthew 23:13-39 Jesus pronounces curses upon the Jewish leaders of his time.
- What do we learn about God, the Father?
- He has a great deal of trust in man.
- He is very patient.
- He will eventually judge.
- What do we learn about man?
- God has given man great privilege of which man takes for granted.
- We are given a task to do. God gives man the means by which to accomplish the task.
- Man has human free will to choose.
- All men will one day answer to God for what he did or did not do.
- Background:
- Application:
- If God lifted his hand of blessing and protection from the Jews because of their failure to fulfill their responsibilities,
- He will also do the same to the Gentile Christian churches who fail their responsibility of leading others to God. (Rev 2:5; 3:16)
Homework
Matthew 22:1-14
- Application of Mat 21:23-46
- The Jews were not the only ones to whom God gave a sacred responsibility.
- Read Mark 16:15-16. This is the responsibility God gave to every believer in Jesus Christ.
- How are you doing with your sacred trust?
- How can you be a better tenant farmer? Read John 15:1-14
- The Jews were not the only ones to whom God gave a sacred responsibility.
- Preparation of Mat 22:1-14 Parable of the marriage feast and the garment
- Read Mat 22:1-14 and Rev 19:6-9
- Who is the “certain king” (2)?
- Who is the king’s son?
- Who are the servants (3)?
- Who are the “other” servants (4)?
- Who is the “remnant” (6)?
- What does the “marriage“(wedding) represent?
- Who were the guests that came (10)?
- What does the wedding garment represent?
- What does he mean by “many are called but few are chosen” (14)?
- What is the central truth of the parable?
- Read Mat 22:1-14 and Rev 19:6-9
- Memory verse: Rom 10:3
