Matthew 21:34-38

21:34 When the harvest time was near, he sent his slaves ¹  to the tenants to collect his portion of the crop. ²  21:35 But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, ³  killed another, and stoned another. 21:36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way. 21:37 Finally he sent his son to them, ⁴  saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 21:38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’

¹ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.

² tn Grk “to collect his fruits.”

³ sn The image of the tenants mistreating the owner’s slaves pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.

⁵ sn The owner’s decision to send his son represents God sending Jesus.