Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 21:35

"And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another." — Matthew 21:35 (ASV)

And beat one. The word here translated beat properly means to flay, or to take off the skin. Hence, it means 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 apart. See Luke 13:34; Hebrews 11:37; 1 Samuel 22:18; 1 Kings 19:10.

And stoned another. This was, among the Jews, a common way of punishment, Deuteronomy 13:10; Deuteronomy 17:7; Joshua 7:26.

Especially was this the case in times of popular tumult and of sudden indignation among the people, Acts 7:58; Acts 14:19; John 8:59; John 10:31.

This does not necessarily imply that those who were stoned died; they might only have been 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, 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 toward the prophets. All these things had been done to them. See Hebrews 11:37; Jeremiah 44:4–6; 2 Chronicles 36:16; Nehemiah 9:26; 2 Chronicles 24:20–21.

Matthew 23:34–37; Acts 7:52; 1 Thessalonians 2:15; Hebrews 11:36–37.