What does Matthew 21:43 Mean?

Study Notes

you
i.e. national Israel, the barren vine. Matthew 21:33-41 , Isaiah 5:1-7 .

kingdom of God
Note that Matthew here as in Matthew 21:31 uses the larger word, kingdom of God: (Cf) .

The kingdom of heaven; . See Scofield " 1 Corinthians 15:24 " will yet be set up. Meantime the kingdom of God and his righteousness is taken from Israel nationally and given to the Gentiles. Romans 9:30-33 .

you

i.e. national Israel, the barren vine. Matthew 21:33-41 , Isaiah 5:1-7 .

The kingdom of God is to be distinguished from the kingdom of heaven (See Scofield " Matthew 3:2 ") , in five respects:

(1) The kingdom of God is universal, including all moral intelligences willingly subject to the will of God, whether angels, the Church, or saints of past or future dispensations Luke 13:28 ; 1 Corinthians 15:24-2840 ; Hebrews 12:22 ; Hebrews 12:23 while the kingdom of heaven is Messianic, mediatorial, and Davidic, and has for its object the establishment of the kingdom of God in the earth (See Scofield " Matthew 3:2 ") 1 Corinthians 15:24 ; 1 Corinthians 15:25 .

(2) The kingdom of God is entered only by the new birth John 3:3 ; John 3:5-7 the kingdom of heaven, during this age, is the sphere of a profession which may be real or false. (See Scofield " Matthew 13:3 ") Matthew 25:1 ; Matthew 25:11 ; Matthew 25:12

(3) Since the kingdom of heaven is the earthly sphere of the universal kingdom of God, the two have almost all things in common. For this reason many parables and other teachings are spoken of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew, and of the kingdom of God in Mark and Luke. It is the omissions which are significant. The parables of the wheat and tares, and of the net Matthew 13:24-30 ; Matthew 13:36-43 ; Matthew 13:47-50 are not spoken of the kingdom of God. In that kingdom there are neither tares nor bad fish. But the parable of the leaven Matthew 13:33 is spoken of the kingdom of God also, for, alas, even the true doctrines of the kingdom are leavened with the errors of which the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Herodians were the representatives. (See Scofield " Matthew 13:33 ") .

(4) The kingdom of God "comes not with outward show" Luke 17:20 but is chiefly that which is inward and spiritual Romans 14:17 while the kingdom of heaven is organic, and is to be manifested in glory on the earth. (See "Kingdom (O.T.)," Zechariah 12:8 , note; (N.T.),; Luke 1:31-33 ; 1 Corinthians 15:24 , note; Matthew 17:2 , note.) (See Scofield " Zechariah 12:8 ") , Luke 1:31-33 See Scofield " 1 Corinthians 15:24 " See Scofield " Matthew 17:2 "

(5) The kingdom of heaven merges into the kingdom of God when Christ, having put all enemies under his feet, "shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father" 1714028633_3 (See Scofield " Matthew 3:2 ")

Verse Meaning

This verse continues to explain the parable of the wicked tenant farmers. Because Israel"s leaders had failed to produce the fruit God desired and had slain His Song of Solomon , He would remove responsibility and privilege from them and give that to another "nation" or "people" (Gr. ethnei). What God did was transfer responsibility for preparing for the kingdom from Israel and give it to a different group, namely, the church (cf. Acts 13:46; Acts 18:5-6; Romans 10:19; 1 Peter 2:9). David Turner argued that those who received the responsibility were the faithful Jewish remnant represented by Jesus" apostles. ^[1] This is a very similar view since Jesus" apostles became the core of the church. [source][source]

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" Matthew 21:43 could be the key verse in the entire argument of Matthew." ^[2] [source]

The unusual term "kingdom of God" rather than Matthew"s customary "kingdom of heaven" probably stresses the fact that the kingdom belongs to God, not the leaders of Israel. [source][source]

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Jesus did not mean that God would remove the kingdom from Israel forever (cf. Romans 11:26-27). When Jesus returns to the earth and establishes His kingdom, Israel will have the most prominent place in it ( Genesis 12; Genesis 15; 2 Samuel 7; Jeremiah 31). [source][source]

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"For the first time the King speaks openly and clearly to someone outside of the circle of the disciples about a new age. This is full proof that the kingdom was no longer near at hand." ^[3] [source]

Context Summary

This parable is based on Isaiah 5:1-7. The husbandmen are the religious leaders of the people. The vineyard is of course the Hebrew nation. The servants sent for the produce refer to the prophets and others raised up from time to time to speak for God and to demand "fruits meet for repentance." Notice that when He speaks of the mission of the Son, our Lord severs Himself, by the sharpest possible line, from all merely human messengers and claims sonship in the most intimate and lofty sense of the word.

It is said that in the building of Solomon's Temple, a curiously shaped stone, sent from the quarry, was left to lie for many months in the entangled undergrowth, till suddenly its fitness was discovered for a place in the Temple walls. Then it was put into its right position, which it occupied thenceforward. This incident may be referred to in Psalms 118:22. How truly it portrays men's treatment of our Lord! Is He your corner-stone?

The questions on Section 36-74, to be found on pp. 73-75, will serve as a review at this point. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 21

¹  Jesus rides into Jerusalem upon a donkey
¹²  drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple;
¹⁷  curses the fig tree;
²³  puts to silence the priests and elders,
²⁸  and rebukes them by the parable of the two sons,
³³  and the husbandmen who slew such as were sent to them