Matthew 21:45

“And when the chief priests and Pharisees, etc.] Which latter, though not before mentioned, were many of them of the grand sanhedrim, as well as the chief priests, scribes, and elders: “had heard his parables”; that of the two sons being sent into the vineyard, and that of the letting out the vineyard to husbandmen, they perceived that he spake of them: they plainly saw that they were designed by the son, that promised to go into the vineyard, but did not; only talked of works, but did not do them: and that they were the husbandmen that acted the ungrateful part to the householder, and the cruel one to his servants, and would to his son, their own consciences told them they were the men. They…”

“And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables--referring to that of the Two Sons and this one of the Wicked Husbandmen. they perceived that he spake of them.”

“The parable of the vineyard - This is also recorded in Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19. Matthew 21:33 Hear another parable - See the notes at Matthew 13:3. A certain householder - See the notes at Matthew 20:1. Planted a vineyard - A place for the cultivation of grapes. It is often used to represent the church of God. as a place cultivated and valuable. Judea was favorable to vines, and the figure is frequently used, therefore, in the sacred writers. See Matthew 20:1. It is used here to represent the “Jewish people” - the people chosen of the Lord, cultivated with care, and signally favored; or perhaps more definitely, “the city of Jerusalem.” Hedged it round about - This means he enclosed it,…”

“21:45 This explanation fits with Matthew’s theme of God’s judgment on the Jewish leaders who misled the people of Israel (see 23:13-15).”

“they: Mat 12:12; Luk 11:45, Luk 20:19 Matthew 21:46”