Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 21].
the path of righteousness. Compare the two ways in Mt 7:13,14
and "the way of God" (22:16).
21:33 {A hedge} (\phragmon\). Or fence as a protection against
wild beasts. {Digged a winepress} (\•ruxen l•non\). Out of the
solid rock to hold the grapes and wine as they were crushed. Such
wine-vats are to be seen today in Palestine. {Built a tower}
(\•ikodom•sen purgon\). This for the vinedressers and watchmen
(2Ch 26:10). Utmost care was thus taken. Note "a booth in a
vineyard" (Isa 1:8). See also Isa 24:20; Job 27:18. Let it
out (\exedeto, exedoto\ the usual form). For hire, the terms not
being given. The lease allowed three forms, money-rent, a
proportion of the crop, or a definite amount of the produce
whether it was a good or bad year. Probably the last form is that
contemplated here.
21:34 {His servants} (\tous doulous autou\). These slaves are
distinguished from {the husbandmen} (\ge•rgoi\, workers of the
soil) or workers of the vineyard who had leased it from the
householder before he went away. The conduct of the husbandmen
towards the householder's slaves portrays the behaviour of the
Jewish people and the religious leaders in particular towards the
prophets and now towards Christ. The treatment of God's prophets
by the Jews pointedly illustrates this parable.
21:35 {They will reverence my son} (\entrap•sontai ton huion
mou\). Second future passive from \entrep•\, to turn at, but used
transitively here as though active or middle. It is the picture
of turning with respect when one worthy of it appears.
21:38 {Take his inheritance} (\sch•men t•n kl•ronomian autou\).
Ingressive aorist active subjunctive (hortatory, volitive) of
\ech•\. Let us get his inheritance.
21:41 {He will miserably destroy those miserable men} (\kakous
kak•s apolesei autous\). The paronomasia or assonance is very
clear. A common idiom in literary Greek. "He will put the
wretches to a wretched death" (Weymouth). {Which} (\hoitines\).
Who, which very ones of a different character.
21:42 {The stone which} (\lithon hon\). Inverse attraction of the
antecedent into the case of the relative. {The builders rejected}
(\apedokimasan hoi oikodomountes\). From Ps 118:22. A most
telling quotation. These experts in building God's temple had
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