Matthew 21:45

“And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.”

Immediate Context

The preceding line reads “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” The titled verse reads “And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.” The following line reads “But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.” Together, these lines place Matthew 21:45 within its immediate canonical and literary sequence.

Reading the Verse

The verse forms part of a Gospel narrative. Meaning depends on the speaker or actor, the immediate setting, and the movement of the episode in which the words occur.

The sentence centres on “And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.” The wording sets the subject and the limits of interpretation.

Biblical Significance

The Gospels bear witness to Jesus Christ through particular sayings, signs, conflicts, encounters, and responses. Accuracy preserves the sequence and emphasis chosen by the evangelist.

Application

The first task is to observe what the verse says about Jesus, his hearers, or the event. Application should follow that observation, encouraging trust, obedience, worship, or self-examination only where the passage supports it.

Read in this setting, Matthew 21:45 speaks through its own wording and context. Its claims and application begin with the KJV text above.