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By this Christ means to intimate that the Jews would consult together to put him to death: but what is observed about his being the heir, and that by destroying him they might seize his inheritance, is added to complete the parable. It was natural language for husbandmen, in the circumstances here stated, but has nothing to correspond to it in the history of Christ or of the Jews.

39.

And they caught him, "took him," and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

As the husbandmen treated the son of the housholder, so would the Jews treat Christ; conspiring against his life, and actually putting him to death.

40. When the lord, therefore, of the vineyard, "the owner," cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

41. They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their season.

According to the evangelists Mark (xii. 9.) and Luke (xx. 16.) Jesus himself answered the question which he had proposed; and Luke adds, "when they," i. e the priests, "heard it, they said, God forbid." This corresponds perfectly well with the question which Christ puts to them in the forty-third verse, which seems to imply that they had denied the propriety of the conclusion which he had made. It is highly probable, therefore, from these circumstances, that the words, they say unto him, have been introduced into this place by some mistake; a conjecture which is confirmed by the authority of one manuscript copy of the original, which omits them.

42. Therefore I say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation, " to a people," bringing forth the fruits thereof.

The kingdom of God here signifies the rights and privileges of the people of God. The Jews had been hitherto distinguished by benefits and privileges, above all the other nations of the earth: they were on this account esteemed to be a people peculiarly dear to God. Christ now declares that, in consequence of their persecuting and destroying him and other divine messengers, these privileges would be taken away from them, and given to the Gentiles, who should thenceforward be esteemed the people of God, and who would be more worthy of the name.

43.

And Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures; The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

What the Psalmist had said in his own person, Ps. cxviii. 22. Christ applies to himself, as expressing the purposes of divine Providence respecting him. The stone which is the head of a corner in a building occupies the most conspicuous place, and is the most useful: for by its weight it binds close together all the stones which are below it: to such a stone Christ compares himself: he was rejected by the Jewish builders, the priests and elders, as unworthy of a place in that spiritual temple which God was erecting; but to this exalted and important place would God raise him. Such a surprising change would be a subject of admiration to good men in all ages, who could not but perceive the hand of divine Providence in it.

44. And whosoever shall fall on this

stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Christ, having spoken of himself as a stone, goes on to employ the same metaphor, in order to express the unhappy condition of those who rejected him, and the still more wretched state of those whom he should punish for this crime: for as in common life, he who falls upon a stone may break a limb, but he upon whom a stone falls may have all his bones broken, and be crushed to pieces; so, those who took offence at the doctrine of Christ would be hurt thereby, because the kingdom of God would be taken from them; but when he came to destroy the Jewish state, then he would accomplish their complete ruin.

The priests and Pharisees, perceiving the drift of these parables, and that Jesus had them in view, were highly incensed against him, and would have apprehended him immediately; but they were afraid of doing it amidst a crowd of people, by whom he was regarded as a prophet.

45. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

46. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

REFLECTIONS.

1. We We may observe how exactly the prophecies of Christ contained in these two parables have been ac

complished. He foretold that the kingdom of God should be taken from the Jews, and given to another nation; and we find that a people who are not descended from the stock of Abraham, and who were once regarded with contempt by the Jews, now worship the true God, the God of Israel; have just views of his perfections, and obey his laws. We likewise see that the Gentiles, under this new state of things, enjoy the highest degree of prosperity; being the most enlightened, the most distinguished and the happiest of the nations of the earth. The promise of Christ, therefore, has been, in regard to them, most completely fulfilled; nor is his faithfulness less conspicuous in the accomplishment of his threatenings. For the Jews, who were once so high in the divine favour, have experienced every mark of his displeasure: after enduring unparalleled calamities in the land of Canaan, they have been driven from it, their temple destroyed, their power overturned, they themselves dispersed through every quarter of the globe, and every where oppressed and persecuted.---Thus have these husbandmen, who refused to give to the housholder the fruit of his own vineyard, and who stoned and killed those who were sent to demand it, been miserably destroyed by him. Thus has the stone which the builders rejected crushed them to powder. That the calamities of the Jews have befallen them, principally, on account of their rejecting Christ, is evident: for they took place soon after he appeared among them, and they continue to the present day, because the Jews persist in their unbelief: for when they were severely punished for other crimes, by being carried captives into foreign lands, they were restored to their own country and the divine favour, upon their repentance; but no remission of their punishment has taken place here, because there have not appeared the like symptoms of remorse for this offence. Let us learn to adore the hand of Providence in these events, which discover so manifestly the severity of the Divine Being against offenders. Let us rejoice especially, that one who appeared in such mean circumstances, and was once so much despised, is now raised to the most exalted situation.

2. Let Christians take warning from the sufferings of the Jews. Although they may not be guilty of the same crime as the Jews, in rejecting the Messiah; yet, if they bring not forth the fruits of their religion in their season; if they corrupt the purity of its doctrines or ordinances by the inventions of men; if they violate its moral precepts without fear, and thus disappoint the just expectations of the master of the vineyard; they will bring upon themselves calamities, similar to those which the Jews have endured..

The history of the Christian church in past ages, and many striking events which are taking place every day, bear full testimony to this truth. Let us, therefore, learn wisdom from the sufferings of others, and take care to avoid the like evils. The apostle Paul has given us his opinion upon this subject, Rom. xi. 17. 23. "And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wert grafted in amongst them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; boast not against the branches; but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he also spare not thee."

Matthew xxii. 1---14,

1. And Jesus answered, and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

The chief priests and elders being afraid to apprehend Jesus, he continues his discourse, and goes on to represent to the people the rejection of his gospel by the Jews, and the punishment they would bring upon themselves thereby, and, at the same time, the welcome reception it would meet with among the Gen

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