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MATTHEW 21:45 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 21:44Matt 21:46
“And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. The religious leaders' perception that the parables were about them is the recognition that they cannot act on: they are the tenants who killed the servants and the son, and the parable has announced their judgment. The perception without repentance is the hardening that the parables communicate.

Church Fathers on Matthew 21:45

Hard as were the hearts of the Jews in unbelief, they yet perceived that the Lord’s sentence was directed against themselves.

Jerome · 4th century

Here is the difference between good and bad men. The good man when taken in a sin has sorrow because he has sinned, the bad man is grieved not because he has sinned, but because he is found out in his sin; and he not only does not repent, but is indignant with him that reproved him. Thus they being taken in their sins were stirred up to still greater wickedness; 'And they sought to lay hands on him, but feared the multitude, because they took him for a Prophet.'

Pseudo-Chrysostom · 5th century · in fin. Hom. xxxix

One thing they know which is true concerning Him; they esteemed Him a Prophet, though not understanding His greatness in respect of His being the Son of God. But the rulers feared the multitude who thought thus of Him, and were ready to fight for Him; for they could not attain to the understanding which the multitude had, seeing they thought nothing worthy concerning Him.

Origen · 3rd century
Read all 5 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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