And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
De Con Evan, ii, 70: Matthew indeed subjoins that they answered and said, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men,” which Mark here says was not their answer, but that the Lord after putting the question, as it were answered Himself. But we may easily understand either that their answer was subjoined without the insertion of, “they answered,” or “they said,” which at the same time was implied; or else, that their answer, being the truth, was attributed to the Lord, since Healso Himself gave this answer concerning them, being the Truth.
In Marc., 3, 42: Or else, the hedgeis the wall of the city, the wine fat is the altar, or those wine fats, by which three psalms receive their name.
Not by any change of place, but He seemed to go away from the vineyard, that He might leave the husbandmen to acton their own freewill. It goes on: “And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.”.
By the servant who was first sent we must understand Moses, but they beat him, and sent him away empty, because “they angered Moses in the tents.” .
Or else, this is not said in ignorance, but God is said to doubt, that freedom of will may be left to man.
The Lord proves most clearly that the chiefs of the Jews did not crucify the Son of God through ignorance, but through envy; for they understood that this was He to whom it was said, “I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance.” But these evil husbandmen strove to seize upon it by slaying Him, when the Jews...
After the Lord had closed the mouths of His tempters by a wise question, He next shows their wickedness in aparable.Wherefore it is said: “And He began to speak unto them by parable. A certain man planted a vineyard.”
God the Father is called aman by a human conception. The vineyard is the house of Israel; the hedge is the guardianship of Angels; the wine fat is the law, the tower is the temple, and the husbandmen, the priests.
The servants who were sent were the prophets, the fruit of the vineyard is obedience; some of the prophets were beaten, others wounded, others slain. Wherefore it goes on: “And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.”.
The well-beloved son and the last is the Only-begotten; and in that He says, “They will reverence myson,” He speaks in irony.
Or else, the vineyard is given to others, that is, to those who come from the east, and from the west, and from the south, and from the north, and who sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
This rejected stone, which is borne by that corner where the lamb and the bread met in the supper, ending the Old and beginning the New Testament, does things marvellous in our eyes as the topaz.
Or, the hedge is the law, which prohibited their mingling with strangers. There follows: “And went into a far country.”.
Or else, by the first servant, understand the prophets who lived about the time of Elias, forZedekiah the false prophet beat Micaiah ; and by the second servant whom they wounded in the head, that is, evil entreated, we may understand the prophets who lived about the time of Hosea and Isaiah; but bythe third servant understand the prophets who flourished about the time of Daniel and Ezekiel. It goes on: “Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, Perchance they will reverence my son.”.
Or else, He said this not as thought He were ignorant of what was to happen, but to show what it was right and fitting that they should do. "But those husbandmen said amongst themselves, This is the heir, come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.”.
That is, without Jerusalem, for the Lord was crucified out of the city.
The Lo...
