This continues the lesson about authority and trust to a story about how not trusting those in power leads to a predictable result.
Matthew 21:36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
Matthew 21:36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.
Again, he sent off different servants, greater than the primary ones, and towards them they acted the same.
People tend to repeat the mistakes they done in the past.
This verse is very statement more typical of Jesus's parables than the previous two verses, which used uncommon words full of double meanings. While in English, it would be hard to tell who the "they" and "them" are in this verse, these words are in forms that make it easier to tell.
The end does have a kind of play on words at the end, typically Jesus's punchlines. The verse ends here with two words from the same root, meaning "the same the same way."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "then" should be something more like "again."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "to them" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "the tenants" should be something more like "they."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "time" doesn't exist in the source.
Again, -- The Greek word translated as "again" means "back," "again," and "contradiction."
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
sent - The "he sent" here is from a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle." It is the same word he used to send the first group of slaves in Matthew 21:34.
other - The word translated as "other" means "different," "other than what is true," "as well," "besides," and "another." It was used to introduce this parable n Matthew 21:33 as "another parable."
servants - The word translated as "servants" means "slaves" and was used in the previous verse.
more than - The Greek word translated as "more than" is an adjective that means "more than" and "greater than."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
first: - The word translated as "the first" takes a lot of different types of "first" meanings from its context also meaning the "best" or "the highest."
and - -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
they - -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
did - The Greek word translated as "they did" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "rendering" as service. It works best here with the sense of "performed" or "acted."
unto -- This word "unto" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.
them -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word means "the same" when used as an adjective.This is the root of the next word.
likewise. - The adverb translated as "likewise" means "in like manner," and "just so." It is literally "this the same." There is a more common way of saying "likewise," but Jesus seems to use this one to emphasize repeated actions so it is used here to describe a repeated line. Its root is the previous word. Jesus only uses this word four times.
Then , -- (WW) The Greek word translated as "then" means "back," "again," and "contradiction."
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
sent - The "he sent" here is from a word that means "to send off" and "dispatch." It is the source of our word "apostle." It is the same word he used to send the first group of slaves in Matthew 21:34.
other - The word translated as "other" means "different," "other than what is true," "as well," "besides," and "another." It was used to introduce this parable n Matthew 21:33 as "another parable."
servants - The word translated as "servants" means "slaves" and was used in the previous verse.
to them, -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "to them" in the Greek source.
more than - The Greek word translated as "more than" is an adjective that means "more than" and "greater than."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
first: - The word translated as "the first" takes a lot of different types of "first" meanings from its context also meaning the "best" or "the highest."
time -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "time " in the Greek source.
and - -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
the tenants - -- (WW) This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
treated - The Greek word translated as "they did" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "rendering" as service. It works best here with the sense of "performed" or "acted."
them -- The word translated as "them" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word means "the same" when used as an adjective.This is the root of the next word.
the same way. - The adverb translated as "likewise" means "in like manner," and "just so." It is literally "this the same." There is a more common way of saying "likewise," but Jesus seems to use this one to emphasize repeated actions so it is used here to describe a repeated line. Its root is the previous word. Jesus only uses this word four times.
πάλιν [23 verses](adv) "Again" is palin, which means "back," "backward," "contradiction," "again," "once more," and "in turn."
ἀπέστειλεν [60 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "He sent" is apostello, which means "to send off," "to send away," or "to dispatch."
ἄλλους [34 verses](adj pl masc acc) "Other" is allos, which means "another," "one besides," "of another sort," "different," "other than what is true," "as well," "besides," {with numerals: "yet," "still," "further"), "of other sort," "other than what is," "untrue," "unreal," "other than right," "wrong," "bad," "unworthy," [with an article] "the rest," "all besides," and [in series] "one...another."
δούλους [56 verses](noun pl masc acc) "Servants" is doulos, which means a "slave," a "born bondsman," or "one made a slave."
πλείονας [15 verses](adj pl masc acc comp) "More than" is pleiôn, which means "more [of number, size, extent]," "longer [of time]," "greater than," "further than," (with an article) "the greater number," "the mass or crowd," "the greater part," "the advantage. As an adverb, "more," or "rather."
τῶν (article sg neut dat) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
πρώτων, [41 verses](adj pl masc gen) "The first" is protos. In place, this means "the foremost." Of time, it means "the initial." In order, it means "the first." In math, it means the prime numbers. Of rank or degree, it means "the highest" or "the best."
καὶ (conj/adv) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just." -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also") and, In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also."
ἐποίησαν [168 verses](verb 3rd pl aor ind act) "They did" is poieo, which means "to make," "to produce," "to create," "to bring into existence," "to bring about," "to cause," "to render," "to consider," "to prepare," "to make ready," and "to do."
αὐτοῖς (adj pl masc dat) "Them" is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as pronouns in English, but it has a few shades of meaning our pronouns do not have. The word technically means "the same," and when used as a pronoun can mean "the true self" as opposed to appearances.
ὡσαύτως. [5 verses](adv)"Likewise' is hosautos, which an adverb that means "in like manner," and "just so." It is literally "this the same."