(Matthew 21:33-41)
33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and he leased it to vine-growers and went on a journey. 34 And when the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his fruit. 35 And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they did the same things to them. 37 But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let’s kill him and take possession of his inheritance!’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” 41 They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other vine-growers, who will pay him the fruit in the proper seasons.”TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:
In Rome and in the Israeli region of Galilee, there were many wealthy landowners. Therefore the people who were hearing this parable could understand its concept. These landowners typically were so rich, that they could go off and live a life of leisure somewhere far away, while having trusted overseers. But this particular landowner, who is benevolent (and only seems far away, because He is unseen), represents God.
Not all slaves were involuntary forced laborers. There were some slaves that had debts that they couldn't pay, and once they had worked a specific amount of time, they were set free. Especially if the master was benevolent, some of these slaves would become voluntary bondslaves (bondmen), choosing to disregard their own interests and devote themselves to the interests of their benevolent master. Thus, the slaves in this parable would be the latter, representing God's prophets.
Tenants would rent or lease land for a predetermined amount or percentage of profit, which was rendered at harvest time. Interestingly, in ancient business documents, profit was often called "fruit". Spiritually, fruit represents good and righteous outcomes from one's service. This represents how God works through those who believe in Him, and willingly obey Him, in His will, all to His glory.
To those listening to Jesus' parable, the peasants would have been the ones to praise the benevolent landowner. But the aristocrats would have considered this landowner naive, especially because, who in their right mind would have been so patient and appealed to their sense of honor this long. They would have considered this folly. Typically, landowners had power, socially and legally, to enforce their will. Some even had hired assassins to deal with presumptuous, troublesome tenants. But in this parable, the tenants acted as if they were the landowners with power, and exploited it mercilessly.
The outrageous actions of the tenants would have horrified everyone hearing this parable, from the peasants to the spiritual leaders. Yet, the tenants in this story represented the kings and spiritual leaders of Israel who had martyred many of God's prophets. And in just a little while, the spiritual leaders listening to this, were going to crucify Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus reminded those who fancied themselves rulers of Israel, that they were appointed by God to be merely custodians over His vineyard. But just like the selfish, wicked and stupid tenants, the spiritual leaders presumed they would inherit and own everything (illegally), by getting rid of Jesus.
Unlike the landowner in this story, God always knew that He would have to come to earth in flesh to suffer and die for all sin, for all people, of all time, and be raised up to have victory over sin and death. Whether one accepts or rejects Him, the Lord did this because He loves us. He did this because He desires that we all come to know Him personally. But it is our choice to make.
Because, including those pious spiritual leaders, we are all born as slaves to sin, evil and death is our master, for now and all eternity, UNLESS we humble our hearts and accept the freedom that Jesus offers us. Our one and only hope is to accept Jesus' payment of redemption (His death in place of our eternal death). Repenting of our sins is to give Him our sins in exchange for His forgiveness and eternal life with Him. In salvation and freedom, we get to serve, honor and worship the most benevolent Master, Lord, Savior, King and heavenly Father.
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