Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Verse
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46

Matthew 21:40
ESV When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"
NIV "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"
NASB Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?'
CSB Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?"
NLT When the owner of the vineyard returns,' Jesus asked, 'what do you think he will do to those farmers?'
KJV When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
NKJV “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

What does Matthew 21:40 mean?

Jesus now asks a question of His listeners about His parable. He has described tenants who refuse to pay the owner of the vineyard their agreed rent. Instead, they have mistreated and killed every servant the owner has sent to collect his share of the crops. They have even killed his son in hopes of taking the inheritance of the vineyard for themselves (Matthew 21:33–39).

The question this raises comes with an obvious answer (Matthew 21:41), but Jesus asks for the sake of emphasis. The answer in the following verse might very well be spoken by one of the chief priests or elders Jesus has been talking to (Matthew 21:23). If so, the answer reveals their own condemnation. Whoever answers is clearly indignant about what these tenants have done to this vineyard owner, as they ought to be. God, as well, has a right to be angry about the way His messengers were mistreated (Matthew 23:37), and those meant to care for Israel wound up abusing her, instead (John 10:12–13).
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app:
BibleRef.com is part of Got Questions Ministries

For answers to your Bible questions, please visit