And His words had another purpose. In asking the question, "When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?" Christ designed that the Pharisees should answer as they did. He designed that they should condemn themselves. His warnings, failing to arouse them to repentance, would seal their doom, and He wished them to see that they had brought ruin on themselves. He designed to show them the justice of God in the withdrawal of their national privileges, which had already begun, and which would end, not only in the destruction of their temple and their city, but in the dispersion of the nation.

Hans ord havde også et andet formål. Ved at stille dem dette spørgsmål: "Når nu vingårdens ejer kommer, hvad vil han så gøre ved de vingårdsmænd?" var det Kristi hensigt, at farisæerne skulle svare, som de gjorde. Han ville, at de selv skulle fælde deres dom. Når hans advarsler ikke kunne vække dem til omvendelse, ville de besegle deres domfældelse, og han ville, at de skulle se, at de selv havde voldt deres undergang. Han havde til hensigt at vise dem Guds retfærdighed ved at fratage dem deres forrettigheder som folk, noget, som allerede var begyndt, og som ville ende ikke blot med templets og deres bys ødelæggelse, men med folkets adspredelse.