John Calvin Commentary Matthew 21:35

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

And wounded one, and killed another. Here Mark and Luke differ a little from Matthew; for while Matthew mentions many servants, all of whom were ill-treated and insulted, and says that afterwards other servants were sent more numerous than the first, Mark and Luke mention only one at a time, as if the servants had been sent not two or three together, but one after another. But though all three Evangelists have the same object in view, namely, to show that the Jews will dare to act towards the Son in the same manner as they have repeatedly done towards the prophets, Matthew explains the matter more fully, namely, that God, by sending a multitude of prophets, contended with the malice of the priests.⁴⁵ Thus, it becomes clear how obstinate their malice was, for the correction of which no remedies were effective.⁴⁶

⁴⁵ “Que Dieu ne s’est point lassé pour la cruauté des sacrificateurs, d’envoyer des prophetes; mais les suscitant comme par troupes, a combatu contre leur malice;” — “That God did not, on account of the cruelty of the priests, fail to send prophets; but raising them up — as it were — in troops, fought against their malice.”;” — “That God did not, on account of the cruelty of the priests, fail to send prophets; but raising them up — as it were — in troops, fought against their malice.”

⁴⁶ “Veu que tous les mayens et remedes que Dieu y a employez n’ont rien servi;” — “since all the means and remedies which God employed for it were of no avail.”;” — “since all the means and remedies which God employed for it were of no avail.”