43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
43 "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.
43 "This is the way it is with you. God's kingdom will be taken back from you and handed over to a people who will live out a kingdom life.
43 "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
43 I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.
22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
22 Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
22 And he said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
22 He went on to say to his disciples, "The days are coming when you are going to be desperately homesick for just a glimpse of one of the days of the Son of Man, and you won't see a thing.
22 Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
22 Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns, but you won't see it.
(Read Luke 17:20-37)
The kingdom of God was among the Jews, or rather within some of them. It was a spiritual kingdom, set up in the heart by the power of Divine grace. Observe how it had been with sinners formerly, and in what state the judgments of God, which they had been warned of, found them. Here is shown what a dreadful surprise this destruction will be to the secure and sensual. Thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. When Christ came to destroy the Jewish nation by the Roman armies, that nation was found in such a state of false security as is here spoken of. In like manner, when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the world, sinners will be found altogether regardless; for in like manner the sinners of every age go on securely in their evil ways, and remember not their latter end. But wherever the wicked are, who are marked for eternal ruin, they shall be found by the judgments of God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 21:43
Commentary on Matthew 21:33-46
(Read Matthew 21:33-46)
This parable plainly sets forth the sin and ruin of the Jewish nation; and what is spoken to convict them, is spoken to caution all that enjoy the privileges of the outward church. As men treat God's people, they would treat Christ himself, if he were with them. How can we, if faithful to his cause, expect a favourable reception from a wicked world, or from ungodly professors of Christianity! And let us ask ourselves, whether we who have the vineyard and all its advantages, render fruits in due season, as a people, as a family, or as separate persons. Our Saviour, in his question, declares that the Lord of the vineyard will come, and when he comes he will surely destroy the wicked. The chief priests and the elders were the builders, and they would not admit his doctrine or laws; they threw him aside as a despised stone. But he who was rejected by the Jews, was embraced by the Gentiles. Christ knows who will bring forth gospel fruits in the use of gospel means. The unbelief of sinners will be their ruin. But God has many ways of restraining the remainders of wrath, as he has of making that which breaks out redound to his praise. May Christ become more and more precious to our souls, as the firm Foundation and Cornerstone of his church. May we be willing to follow him, though despised and hated for his sake.