Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 21:35

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

The tenants—the persons in charge and authority: kings, priests, and teachers. These united in doing evil to the owner’s servants. They were not themselves his servants. They did not deserve such an honorable title.

Beating, killing, and stoning represent various forms of maltreatment, which the Lord’s prophets received at the hands of Israel’s tenants—the religious rulers of the nation. Those to whom the vineyard was leased were traitors to the chief landlord and did violence to his messengers, for in their hearts they desired to keep the vineyard to themselves.