Daily Writing

Thursday, 6 August 2026

And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” Matthew 21:44

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And the ‘having fallen upon the stone, this,’ he will be pulverized. Upon whoever, also, if it should fall, it will winnowize him.” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus told the leaders He had been talking to that the kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. He next says, “And the ‘having fallen upon the stone, this,’ he will be pulverized.”

A new word, sunthlaó, to dash together, as it shattering or breaking, is seen here. It is seen only here and in the comparable passage in Luke 20:18. Properly, it signifies to “pulverize, crushing parts together into dust” (HELPS Word Studies). This is a reference to Isaiah 8 –

“He will be as a sanctuary,
But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense
To both the houses of Israel,
As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
¹⁵ And many among them shall stumble;
They shall fall and be broken,
Be snared and taken.” Isaiah 8:14, 15

Jesus is the chief Cornerstone for the temple that God is building. It is a house formed out of people from any people group. This is alluded to many times by Paul, such as, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Paul is a Jew, and he is writing to the Gentiles in Corinth. His letters are prescriptive for the church age, anywhere and at any time.

This would have been unthinkable to the Jews. They were supposedly what God is doing in the world. For Gentiles to be so prominently included, and at the same level as them, was an intolerable idea. This is what Isaiah is referring to.

Jesus’ words mean that those who fell upon this stone, rejecting the notion that the Messiah would set up such an edifice, would be pulverized in the process. They would be completely aghast at the notion, and in rejecting it, they would find judgment. Jesus next says, “Upon whoever, also, if it should fall, it will winnowize him.”

Another new word is seen here, likmaó. There is no English word that matches the meaning. It is from likmos (a basket used for winnowing). Thus, it signifies to powderize something to a state where the winds will winnow it. Winnowize is a coined word that satisfactorily meets the intent. A suitable paraphrase is seen in the NAS: “it will scatter him like dust.” This word is also only seen here and in Luke 18:20.

Jesus’ words refer to the judgment of those on whom His (Jesus, the Stone) wrath falls. It will be as if they never were. This is what occurred in the judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70. The people were destroyed, and they were scattered even to the furthest parts of the world, as if winnowed.

Jesus’ words are connected to everything He has been saying since He started the parable of the vinedressers. In verse 41, it said, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably.” Jesus confirms the analysis with His citation of the Psalm and the reference to Isaiah.

Life application: The words of Jesus are limited to the immediate context. It is true that Jesus will judge the world and that all who fail to come to Him will be sent to the Lake of Fire. However, the context of His words here is that of judgment upon Israel for rejecting Him.

They failed to accept that He had a plan for the salvation of the whole world, utterly rejecting any notion that they would not be the “thing” God was doing any longer. The judgment that came upon them, as described here, does not belong to those in the world today. As such, this is not a verse that can be used when referring to rejecting Jesus today.

Unfortunately, this is what is commonly the case when this verse is cited. As always, we must maintain the appropriate context to obtain the appropriate meaning of what is being conveyed. Remember this: context is king when evaluating Scripture. If you hold to this, you will save yourself from getting misdirected.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to carefully and responsibly evaluate Your word. May we not stray from staying within the context that is presented. Help us to remember this as we dive into Your wonderful word. Amen.

Wednesday, 5 August 2026

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. Matthew 21:43

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen) 

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Through this, I say to you that it will be lifted from you, the ‘kingdom, the God,’ and it will be given to ethnicity producing the ‘fruits, it’.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus cited Scripture to the chief priests and Pharisees, concerning the stone which the builders rejected being the chief cornerstone. Based on that, He next says, “Through this, I say to you that it will be lifted from you, the ‘kingdom, the God’.”

Israel was selected among the nations of the world to bear the message of the One true God, keeping a remembrance of Him and representing Him before the nations. The Law of Moses was given to the people to guide their conduct and to regulate their society.

The tabernacle (and later temple) with its sacrificial system, as prescribed in the law, was how the nation maintained a right relationship with God. These things were given to them as types and pictures of the coming Messiah.

Within the law itself, as spoken through the prophets, a New Covenant was promised (as indicated in Jeremiah 31). A New Covenant implies the ending of the Old Covenant. With that occurring, there would be a new order of things within God’s economy, as metaphorically seen in the vineyard parable.

Those who once were the stewards of the covenant would be removed, allowing for new stewards to come in and tend to the vineyard. Because the leaders of Israel rejected Christ, as indicated in His citing of the psalm, something known by God in advance and as prophesied there, the kingdom of God would be lifted from them, “and it will be given to ethnicity producing the ‘fruits, it’.”

The word ethnicity is described by Strong as, “race (as of the same habit), i.e. A tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan) — Gentile, heathen, nation, people.”

Here, it is singular. This does not mean a single nation of people would be given the kingdom. Rather, it is a singular group comprised of all nations, including those Jews who would believe the message. As such, and as the nation of Israel comprises only a teeny percent of the people of the world, this would be a prominently Gentile led group.

That is explicitly stated by Paul as Acts was ending –

“So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: ‘The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, ²⁶ saying,

“Go to this people and say:
‘Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;
And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
²⁷ For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’”

²⁸ Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!’ ²⁹ And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.”  Acts 28:25-29

Paul speaks of this further in his epistles. In Christ, there is one group formed out of many. It is inclusive of Jews and Gentiles, with none being considered any more special than any other.

Life application: Jesus never addresses the millennial kingdom here. He simply states a fact concerning Israel as a nation and what would happen in regard to the New Covenant. What He said is just what came about. God did take the vineyard from Israel, and He did give it to another nation.

To assume that this is the end of the story for Israel is to assume too much. If the church will end at the rapture, as is clearly described in Paul’s writings, it would be ludicrous to think that the people on earth would be left without a working economy where God continues to deal with man.

Where will such a system come from? It is explained in Scripture. The nations of the world will be led by Israel. Israel will be led by their worship of Christ Jesus, the One they had long-rejected as their Messiah.

To say that Israel is out (which is currently true) and that they have no useful purpose as a nation in the future is to disregard a large portion of Scripture from both testaments. It is a very poor handling of what God has laid out in His word. Be assured that His rejection of them during this dispensation will have an end after the church is taken to glory.

Lord God, give us wisdom in understanding Your word. Help us to consider what it says is reliable and will come to pass if promises have been made that are as yet unfulfilled. Nothing in Your word will be left undone. Grant us this understanding so that we will always keep things in their proper context. Amen.

Tuesday, 4 August 2026

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”  Matthew 21:42

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“He says to them, the ‘Jesus’,

‘Never you read in the Scriptures?
“Stone – which they rejected, those building – this,
It has become to ‘head, corner’.
From ‘Lord’, it was, this,
And it is marvelous in ‘eyes, ours’.”’” (CG).

In the previous verse, the response to Jesus concerning what the housemaster would do was that he would come and destroy them and lease his vineyard out to others willing to render him the fruits when they were ready. Next, it says, “He says to them, the ‘Jesus’.”

Mark and Luke seemed to differ in who the speaker was in the previous verse, but all three agree that Jesus is the One who says the next words, beginning with, “Never you read in the Scriptures.”

Jesus returns to Scripture to make His point. He cites Psalm 118:22. Depending on who the author of the Psalm is, it would have been between four hundred and a thousand years old at the time of Jesus.

What is implied in His quoting this psalm is that He understood that the Scriptures were both reliable and authoritative. Further, there was a context to the words that was to be understood at the time when they would be fulfilled.

Various interpretations of what the psalm was referring to were made, such as that it references David or Israel the nation. However, the context within the psalm clearly identifies it as referring to the Messiah who would be recognized by His rejection at some point.

As for the words, they come from the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Jesus begins the citation with, “‘Stone – which they rejected, those building – this’.”

The metaphor of a stone suddenly comes forward. But it is not inconsistent. The last reference in the parable was that of the son. Jesus is saying that the son in the parable is the Stone in the psalm.

Jesus implies here that because the psalm speaks of the Stone, which is the son in the parable, He is the fulfillment of the Psalm. He further implies that He is the Son of the Housemaster as conveyed in the parable. Everything is being tied together, and the leaders would fully understand His intent. Of this rejected Stone, He continues with, “It has become to ‘head, corner’.”

A stone was looked over in the quarry for shape, size, beauty, etc. When it was considered, those doing the building rejected it. Jesus is telling them, in advance, that He would be rejected by them, just as the son was rejected by the vinedressers.

In Jesus’ case, Isaiah 53 says that the Messiah would have no form or comeliness and that there was no beauty in Him that made Him desirable. He was overlooked as someone unfit for ruling, or so they thought. However, the One who was rejected became the very foundation stone of the temple. Jesus continues, “From ‘Lord’, it was, this.”

This was God’s design all along. He determined when His Messiah would come, what He would look like, where He would grow up, etc. Every aspect of who Jesus is was determined by the Lord to perfectly fit His designs. Once this was understood by those seeing it, Jesus finishes with, “And it is marvelous in ‘eyes, ours’.”

Those who see who Jesus is and how God orchestrated all things in relation to His being the Messiah, would consider it marvelous. Two thousand years later, this continues to be true. Each person who comes to God by seeing what He has done through Jesus finds it wondrous.

Someday, even those who rejected Jesus will stand before God and consider His ways. They too will find it wondrous, but for them, it will be too late.

Life application: Consider the love of God in what He has done in the giving of Jesus. If God wanted to rule over the people from the start with a brutal fist and a demanding hand, He could have done so. Instead, He slowly and methodically laid forth the plan of redemption both in literal history and in typology found in stories from that same history.

That way, He could lead the world to Jesus while showing what He had done and would do in Jesus’ coming, and even till the end of the age. Throughout it all, the story continuously brings us back to God’s care for those who demonstrate faith in who He is and what He has done and will do.

For us, that faith is in the giving of His Son. He was willing to send Jesus to bring us back to Himself, and all He asks of us is to believe. What a great, glorious, and loving God to do what He has done.

Lord God, thank You for Your tender mercies which You have lavished upon us. Thank You that while there was enmity, You came forward to offer peace. We love You and praise You for Your tender mercies. Amen.

Monday, 3 August 2026

They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” Matthew 21:41

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“They say to Him, ‘Worthless! Badly, he will destroy them, and the vineyard, he will lease to other farmers who, they will give him the fruits in the ‘junctures, theirs’.” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus asked Israel’s leaders what the housemaster would do when he comes to his vineyard. In response, “They say to Him, ‘Worthless! Badly, he will destroy them.’”

If the response is from the leaders, they have admitted with their own mouths that such treatment is from worthless people who deserve to be destroyed. The reason for the “if” will be explained later. As for the continued words, they say, “and the vineyard, he will lease to other farmers.”

The leaders of Israel were the ones being spoken of. They rejected Christ, failed their people, and were set for a bad end. However, the vineyard won’t simply be left unattended. God is working in the world for the redemption of man.

The economy in which this takes place will be a new cultural setting. In fact, it is one that spans the entire world of cultures. Anywhere the gospel is believed and churches are formed, the leaders of those churches bear the responsibility for tending to God’s vineyard. As for those responding to Jesus, they say these new vinedressers will be those “who, they will give him the fruits in the ‘junctures, theirs’.”

When the fruits are ready, they will be offered to God accordingly. This will come about in the various ways people are brought to saving faith, discipled in doctrine, reassured through preaching, raised up to become ministers, etc. As for the words of this verse, it appears that the response to Jesus is from the leaders. However, in Mark and Luke, the answer appears to be given by Jesus –

“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.” Mark 12:9

“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶ He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.”
And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!” Luke 20:15, 16

So how can this be reconciled? There are at least a couple of possibilities. One is that the leaders, in fact, spoke to Jesus as is recorded in Matthew. After that, Jesus then responded with their own words in a manner that made them understand He was referring to them, such as “He WILL come and destroy those vinedressers…” while looking directly at them.

From there, they responded, “Certainly not!” as is recorded in Luke, having realized Jesus was speaking of them. A second option is that the word “they” in Matthew 21:41 is not the leaders, but the other people who were listening. From there, the leaders called out, “Certainly not!”

Either way, there is no reason to assume there is any contradiction.

Life application: God was evaluating the leaders of Israel and held them accountable for their failure to acknowledge Christ in His coming. They were the stewards of the law and should have known perfectly well that Jesus was the Christ. Because of their rejection of Him, they were judged accordingly.

As this is true, there is no reason to assume God will be any less ready to judge those leaders in the church who mislead their people. It has become almost fashionable in liberal churches to deny the resurrection, to make sick claims about Jesus that have no basis in Scripture, etc.

Such people will not fare well when they stand before the Lord to give an account of their lives. Similarly, false prophets and teachers like Joseph Smith and Ellen G. White, among a host of others, will suffer the consequences of their false teachings.

Even if not teachers, each of us should tread carefully when we conduct our affairs before God, treating His name with great honor, exalting Him for His goodness. We will be evaluated on the lives we live, so be sure to keep in mind that you are always in the presence of the Creator.

Lord God, we thank You for the salvation You have provided us in Christ. Help us to remember that You are always present and that we should conduct our lives before You in holiness all our days. May it be so to Your glory. Amen.

Sunday, 2 August 2026

“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” Matthew 21:40

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“When, therefore, he should come, the ‘lord, the vineyard’, what he will do to the agronomists, to those?” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus said that the agronomists took the son, cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. He now questions Israel’s leaders concerning the matter, beginning with, “When, therefore, he should come, the ‘lord, the vineyard’.”

This is the time of judgment that will come upon Israel for their having crucified the Son of God. Paul explains this in 1 Thessalonians –

“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, ¹⁵ who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, ¹⁶ forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

For Israel, there was a certain amount of sin that the Jews could expect to be dismissed by God through His grace and mercy, but there is a point at which that amount would be filled up, and beyond which only destruction could be the result. This same concept is true with any given nation, church, or person. There is a point where sin finally fills up to its measure, and then only wrath can be the inevitable result.

This is what Paul is saying concerning his people of national heritage. They had filled up the measure of their sins, and he knew, as he says, “that wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.” Understanding this, Jesus asks the question: “what he will do to the agronomists, to those?”

The answer is obvious, and Jesus is asking them this for a particular reason. In their response, they will indict themselves. As for Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians, he knew that the time had come, that Israel had r ejected Christ, and that there was no remedy left for them as a nation.

The cup was full, the wrath had been ordained, and it was only a matter of time before the wine would be poured out. This would be realized at the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the nation to the four corners of heaven, just as their response will indicate.

Life application: The words of Isaiah are calling out to the people of Israel, instructing them on exactly what Jesus conveys to them. The leaders, without considering their own Scriptures, were being presented with the fulfillment of the prophetic word –

“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
⁴ What more could have been done to My vineyard
That I have not done in it?
Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,
Did it bring forth wild grapes?
⁵ And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard.”

Israel was filled with bad grapes. To this day, it is that way. There was a portion of the people who believed, but they were a fraction of the whole. Today, this is true as well. The messianic believers who look to Jesus as the fulfillment of their Scriptures are taunted by the observant Jews.

But the observant Jews are observant in a system of pick-and-choose religiosity that ignores precepts of the law they are unable or unwilling to observe, while proclaiming their “holiness” by the things they do observe. They may hold fast to the Sabbath and dietary laws, but they ignore innumerable other laws found in their Scriptures.

It’s the problem with the law. It always reflects back on us. We pick and choose our “holiness” through law. But it doesn’t work. Only when Jesus is our holiness do we come to the point of having fulfilled the law. His righteousness is granted to us. In Him, we now have rest and fellowship with God. Thank God for Jesus.

Lord God, help us to remember to set aside attempts at justifying ourselves before You through our own efforts. Rather, keep us trusting in what Jesus has done. May pride in our accomplishments never cloud our understanding that we need Jesus. He alone is our righteousness. Amen.