Matthew 21:40
“When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?””
What does Matthew 21:40 mean?
Jesus is asking his listeners to imagine themselves as judges in a straightforward case: a landowner rents out his vineyard, the farmers refuse to pay or return it, and now the owner is coming back. What should happen? He's not really asking for their answer, though, because the question itself reveals what they already know is right and just. This parable is aimed at religious leaders who have forgotten their responsibility to God and his people, and by asking the question this way, Jesus makes them pronounce judgment on themselves before they realize it. It's a powerful teaching moment where people grasp truth more deeply when they discover it themselves rather than being told.