Mat 21:35, 44 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 35. And beat one . The word here translated beat , properly means to flay , or to take off the skin. Hence to beat, or to whip, so that the skin in many places is taken off. And killed another . Isaiah is said to have been put to death by sawing him asunder. See . And stoned another . This was, among the Jews, a common way of punishment, . Especially was this the case in times of popular tumult, and of sudden indignation among the people, . This does not imply of necessity that those who were stoned died , but they might be only severely wounded. Mark says, "At him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away," etc. There is a little variation in the circumstances, as mentioned by Matthew, and by Mark and Luke; but the substance is the same. Mark and Luke are more particular, and state the order in which the servants were sent one after another. They all denote the dealing of the people of Israel towards the prophets. All these things had been done to them. See ; . (x) "And the husbandman"

Matthew 21:35

Verse 35. And beat one. The word here translated beat, properly means to flay, or to take off the skin. Hence to beat, or to whip, so that the skin in many places is taken off.

And killed another. Isaiah is said to have been put to death by sawing him asunder. See Lk 13:34, Heb 11:37, 1Sam 22:18, 1Kgs 19:10.

And stoned another. This was, among the Jews, a common way of punishment, De 13:10, 17:7, Josh 7:26. Especially was this the case in times of popular tumult, and of sudden indignation among the people, Acts 7:58, 14:19, Jn 8:59, 10:31. This does not imply of necessity that those who were stoned died, but they might be only severely wounded. Mark says, "At him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away," etc.

There is a little variation in the circumstances, as mentioned by Matthew, and by Mark and Luke; but the substance is the same. Mark and Luke are more particular, and state the order in which the servants were sent one after another. They all denote the dealing of the people of Israel towards the prophets. All these things had been done to them. See Heb 11:37, Jer 44:4,5,6, 2Chr 36:16, Neh 9:26; 2Chr 24:20,21.

(x) "And the husbandman" 2Chr 36:16, Neh 9:26, Jer 25:3-7, Mt 5:12 Mt 23:34-37, Acts 7:52, 1Thes 2:15, Heb 11:36,37 Rev 6:9

Matthew 21:44

Verse 44. Whosoever shall fall, etc. There is an allusion here, doubtless, to Isa 8:14,15. Having made an allusion to himself as a Stone, or a Rock, Mt 21:42, he proceeds to state the consequences of coming in contact with it. He that falls upon it, shall be broken; he that runs against it--a corner-stone, standing out from the other parts of the foundation--shall be injured, or broken in his limbs or body. He that is offended with my being the foundation, or that opposes me, shall, by the act, injure himself; make himself miserable by so doing, even were there nothing farther, But there is something farther.

On whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. That is, in the original, will reduce him to dust, so that it may be scattered by the winds. There is an allusion here, doubtless, to the custom of stoning as a punishment among the Jews. A scaffold was erected, twice the height of the man to be stoned. Standing on its edge, he was violently struck off by one of the witnesses; if he died by the blow and the fall, nothing farther was done; if not, a heavy stone was thrown down on him, which at once killed him. So the Saviour speaks of the falling of the stone on his enemies. They who oppose him, reject him, and continue impenitent, shall be crushed by him in the day of judgment, and perish for ever.

(g) "it will grind" Heb 2:2,3