Matthew 21:38 (KJV)

What does Matthew 21:38 mean?

Matthew 21:38 describes how the tenant farmers, seeing the landowner’s son, decide together to kill him so they can take his inheritance for themselves. The verse shows their deliberate plan to remove the rightful heir in hopes of gaining control over what does not belong to them.

In this part of Jesus’ parable, He is speaking to the chief priests and elders in Jerusalem. The “husbandmen” are tenant farmers working someone else’s vineyard, and the “son” represents the landowner’s heir. The verse highlights the tenants’ greed and willingness to commit violence for personal gain, setting up the main point of the story about rejecting rightful authority.

The Greek behind Matthew 21:38

• ἡ κληρονομία (hē klēronomia, “inheritance”): This word refers to what is passed down as a legal right, often land or property. Here, it emphasizes that the son is the legitimate heir, making the tenants’ plot especially unjust.
• κληρονόμος (klēronomos, “heir”): This term underlines the son’s unique status as the one who rightfully inherits everything. The tenants’ recognition of him as “the heir” shows they know exactly what they are doing.
• κατασχῶμεν (kataschōmen, “let us seize”): The Greek verb carries the sense of taking possession by force. The tenants are not just rejecting the son; they are actively trying to take what is not theirs.

Why Matthew 21:38 matters

• This verse clarifies that the tenants’ actions are not out of ignorance but from a calculated decision to oppose the rightful heir, which deepens the seriousness of their offense.
• The story connects directly to the leaders Jesus is addressing, showing how those entrusted with God’s “vineyard” have rejected His messengers and now plot against His Son.
• Understanding the tenants’ motivation helps make sense of the coming judgment in the parable and the larger message about rejecting God’s authority.