Appendix 2 Additional Study Notes
Matthew 21: 33 — 43
Introduction
The commentary on the Holy Bible (Ed., Dummelow) makes this comment by way of introduction.
The doctrinal importance of this parable, which belongs to oldest tradition, is great. In it Christ claims to be in a unique sense the Son of God. He calls Moses and the prophets slaves and bondservants, and places Himself at an immense elevation above them as the beloved Son of the Householder, and the sole heir of His possessions. The parable contains a remarkable prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans (v. 41).
Verse 34 The Fruits Required
For your information, Euthymius (early 12th Century Byzantine theologian) in his commentary stated:
'And the fruits of the vineyard are the keeping of the commandments of the Law, and the practice of the virtues; and the servants are the prophets who when sent to demand from Israel obedience to the Law and a virtuous life, were variously maltreated'
A Byzantine Interpretation: Verses 33 — 39
We offer a comment by Theophylact (11th Century Byzantine Biblical scholar).
'The householder is God, who on account of His tender love is called a man. The vineyard is the people of the Jews planted by God in the land of promise. The hedge is the Law, which hindered them from mingling with the nations, the winepress the altar of sacrifice, the tower the Temple, the husbandmen, the teachers of the people, i.e. the Pharisees and scribes. And the householder (God) departed, when He no longer spoke to them in the pillar of cloud, or perhaps the departure of God is His longsuffering; for God seems to sleep and to be in a far country, when He is longsuffering, and does not call men to account for their sins the moment that they are committed'
Verse 42 (Dummelow)
The stone, etc.] Psalm.118: 22; Ac 4: 11. The 'stone', of course, is Christ. The 'builders' are the Jews. The 'head of the corner' is the most important position in a building, so that Christ represents Himself as the foundation upon which the Kingdom of God was to be built up in spite of His rejection by the Jews.
In the Psalm. the 'stone' is the Jewish nation, rejected and despised by the Gentiles during the captivity, but after the return restored to a place of honour among the nations of the earth. But on the principle that what is said of Israel applies especially to the Messiah, the rabbis interpreted the passage Messianically, e.g. Rabbi Salomo on Mic 5: 1 said, 'It is the Messiah the Son of David, of whom it is written, The stone which the builders rejected,' etc.
The quotation from the manuscripts of Rabbi Salomo is especially significant in view of the rabbinic interpretation by Jesus.
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