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Explanation for:
Matthew
21
:
43
Therefore I say to you, that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation yielding the fruits thereof.
10
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"In conclusion, to make them aware of the peril of facing multiple rejections, He highlights the imminent consequences: whoever “shall fall on this stone shall be broken, and on whom it falls shall be crushed.” Here, Christ illustrates a dual form of destruction: one resulting from stumbling and temptation, as indicated by “he shall fall on this stone;” and the other, resulting in captivity, disaster, and total devastation, clearly expressed in the phrase “he shall be crushed.” Through these very words, He also points to His resurrection. The prophet Isaiah recounts how He reproves the vineyard, symbolizing the people, and here He also rebukes the leaders among them. In Isaiah, He poses the rhetorical question, “What more should I have done for My vineyard that I have not done to it?” (Isaiah 5:4). Additionally, in Jeremiah, He asks, “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in Me?” (Jer. 2:5), and in Micah, He queries, “My people, what have I done to you, and what have I burdened you with?” (Micah 6:3). This imagery serves to illustrate the ingratitude of the Jewish nation, which, despite receiving His abundant blessings, responded in opposition to Him. The intensity of this message is heightened here. Instead of merely asking, “What more should I have done... that I have not done?” He poses the scenario where they themselves pronounce the verdict that all has been provided for them, thus condemning themselves. Their statement, “These evildoers shall be put to an evil death, and the vineyard shall be given to other vinedressers,” signifies that they have issued the harshest sentence upon themselves. Moreover, Stephen admonishes them for this, particularly emphasizing how, despite continuously enjoying God's profound care, they have repaid their Benefactor in a grievous manner (Acts 7:51-52). This clearly illustrates that it was not the punisher but the punished who were responsible for the judgment rendered against them. This truth is further affirmed through both parable and prophecy. Christ did not limit Himself to a single parable; He also referenced two additional prophecies, one from David and another concerning Himself. When the Jews heard these words, what should have been their response? Should they not have worshiped the Lord? Should they not have marveled at God’s providence towards them, both in ancient times and thereafter? If no amount of grace could lead them to improvement, should they not have at least been stirred to awareness by the fear of impending judgment? Yet, they did not."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"In various instances, I have previously stated that the kingdom of God should be understood by the Jews as the Holy Scriptures, which the Lord has removed from them and entrusted to us so that we may bear their fruit. This is the vineyard entrusted to caretakers and vine cultivators; those who do not toil in this vineyard, even if they merely possess the title of Scriptures, will forfeit the produce of the vine."},{"author-name":"Anonymous Commentary (Opus Imperfectum)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"A person who has committed a significant sin is often inclined to pursue even greater transgressions, as he has lost hope in God. As Solomon states, with the arrival of the wicked comes disdain (Proverbs 18:3). Similar to a suffering individual who, despite intense pain, longs for healing and avoids harmful food, a sinner who realizes his condition is beyond cure will not hold back from further wrongdoing. The one who sins to a lesser extent still retains hope for redemption and tries, to the best of his ability, to avoid additional sins. However, when a person recognizes the weight of his grave sins and abandons hope, he inevitably acknowledges that he is bound by God’s judgment for his actions. What a tragic fool! Just as there is a hierarchy of punishment for wickedness, with each person receiving consequences according to their deeds, so too is there a hierarchy of glory for righteousness, where each is rewarded in accordance with their good works. The chief priests of the Old Testament, having lost faith in God due to their overwhelming wickedness, openly confronted God Himself (recognizing Christ as the Son of God) and were no longer restrained from committing evil. Does this strike you as startling? Every evildoer, through the exercise of his will, raises his hand against God and seeks to extinguish Him. Those who do not hesitate to provoke God's anger violate His commandments, disregard His name, blaspheme, and complain against Him. They look up to heaven with ire, gesture angrily towards God, and if it were possible, would wish to eliminate Him so that they could sin without consequence."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The kingdom of God signifies God’s protection through which His followers are nurtured, and it encompasses those who produce good fruit in accordance with the values of Christian believers."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Because the Jewish leaders turned away from Jesus Christ as the cornerstone of the church, failing to recognize Him as both the Son of God and the Messiah, who He truly is. \\"It shall be taken away from you,\\" refers specifically to those Jews who rejected Christ. \\"The kingdom of God\\" signifies the church and all its spiritual blessings. They were meant to be the first members of this kingdom, the heirs of Christ's church, as they were a chosen people, carefully groomed by God to welcome the Messiah, yet they proved to be unworthy and incapable. \\"And it shall be given to the people,\\" indicates all future members of God's kingdom, or Christ's church. They are seen as one people, reflecting the one nation historically chosen by God (the physical Israel is now represented by the spiritual Israel), illustrating the unity of this community and the essence of the law of love. \\"To him that bringeth forth his fruits\\" refers to the genuine fruits of faith and virtue that define the new kingdom, as noted in Matthew 3:8."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Due to your stubbornness and lack of faith, you will face rejection. Therefore, I declare that the Kingdom of God, which you so fervently seek yet fail to comprehend, will be taken from you and given to those who produce its fruits. Ultimately, the deceit and hypocrisy of the Pharisees compelled the Lord to clearly state their rejection and indicate that the Kingdom of God would be removed from the people of Judah and entrusted to other nations. Following such a forthright declaration, the members of the Sanhedrin could no longer feign ignorance; their facade of hypocrisy was stripped away.\\n\\nSt. Chrysostom notes that even at this moment, the Lord refrained from directly identifying the Gentiles as heirs to the Kingdom of God, seeking to avoid provoking the Jews against Himself, merely indicating that it would be given to the nation that yields its fruits. It is likely for this reason that He shared this parable, so that the Jews themselves would render a judgment, much like David responded to Nathan's parable. Consider how just the judgment is when those being chastised condemn themselves! To illustrate that this is not only demanded by justice, but also foretold by the grace of the Holy Spirit, which God has ordained, Jesus Christ references a prophecy. He describes Himself as the stone, with the Jewish leaders as the builders; a sentiment echoed by the prophet Ezekiel, who states that when they construct a wall, they cover it with plaster (Ezekiel 13:10). How did they \\"reject it\\"? When they claimed, \\"This man is not from God\\" (John 9:16), and \\"You are a Samaritan, and you have a demon\\" (John 8:48). Ultimately, to make it clear that they risk more than just one form of rejection, the implications of their actions lead to their own demise."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"As Jesus continued to admonish His listeners, He inquired, \\"Have you never read in the Scriptures that the stone the builders rejected has been made the cornerstone, and that this is the work of the Lord, astonishing all? Therefore, know this: whoever falls on this stone will be shattered, and it will crush anyone upon whom it falls. You have rejected this stone; thus, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation that produces its fruits.\\" In referencing the stone rejected by the builders and citing the Scriptures, Jesus alluded to Psalm 118 and the prophecy found in Isaiah (Isaiah 8:13-15). Archbishop Innocent elucidates these words in this manner: \\"Psalm 118 contains the solemn hymn through which David expresses gratitude to God in the temple following the defeat of his foes. The Jewish people are likened to a structure, with Saul and the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel serving as the builders. The rejected stone represents David, whom the Lord appointed as the cornerstone—making him king and granting him victory. David serves as the archetypal figure of his great descendant, the Messiah, and many aspects of his reign and personal experiences mystically connect to Jesus Christ. We can infer that Jesus had in mind these verses from the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 8:14-15): 'And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel...' Many will stumble and be broken. In this context, Jesus identified Himself as the rock. Those who fall upon this rock are the Jews who, lured by His humbled appearance, failed to receive His message. For them, repentance was accessible, and their consequence was merely the loss of divine favor. However, there were others among the non-believers upon whom the stone would fall to bring destruction, as their sins arose from malice and defiance, not from ignorance and weakness; they were unrepentant and thus undeserving of mercy. One such disastrous fall was witnessed during the destruction of Jerusalem.\\""},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"When the master of the vineyard arrives, what action will he take against these vine growers? The audience, perhaps influenced by the Pharisees who were determined to display their disdain for the implications of this parable, responded, “He will bring these wicked men to a dreadful end and lease the vineyard to other caretakers who will produce its fruit for him.” Once again, they found themselves providing an answer that ultimately implicated them: they unwittingly admitted that God's justice demanded the removal of their privileged position, transferring it to the Gentiles."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"For this reason, the Lord declared, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and entrusted to those who produce its fruits – to the spiritual Israel, made up of the heirs of Abraham through faith, as stated in Romans 4:16, which includes not only the Jewish people but also the Gentiles. The Jews, due to their steadfast unbelief, dismissed the cornerstone, to their own peril, for whoever stumbles upon that stone will be shattered, and it will bring about their ruin. Some stumbled over the stone, swayed by the humble appearance of the God-Man; as a result, they missed out on the grace offered in the Kingdom of Christ and suffered significant loss. Others, who stubbornly cleared their path through malice and unyielding hearts, prepared themselves for ultimate destruction through their disbelief. The overwhelming force of this stone was witnessed by the apostate Jews when the Romans ultimately subjugated them, and all who replicate their lack of faith will face a similar fate at the final judgment."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"To further emphasize the theme of the chosen people's rejection due to their stubborn defiance, the Lord referenced the words of the prophet and Psalmist, who had long ago prophesied the astonishing reality that the builders would dismiss the very stone intended to be the cornerstone. He also indicated that other workers would be gathered for the vineyard of the Lord. Drawing from the imagery of a psalm, He conveyed the same message through the metaphor of a rock: those who stumble upon this rock will be shattered, and upon it they shall fall. This first shattering represents the repentance that leads to embracing the kingdom of the Messiah, while the second shattering signifies the divine judgment, akin to the vision Daniel received, which resulted from a stone striking the feet of the statue (Dan. 2:45; cf. Is. 8:14-15)."}]}
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