Parables - Teaching 14
A Story about a Vineyard
“Listen to another illustration. A landowner planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to vineyard workers and went on a trip.
“When the grapes were getting ripe, he sent his servants to the workers to collect his share of the produce. The workers took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned a third to death. So the landowner sent more servants. But the workers treated them the same way.
“Finally, he sent his son to them. He thought, ‘They will respect my son.’
“When the workers saw his son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him and get his inheritance.’ So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
“Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those workers?”
They answered, “He will destroy those evil people. Then he will lease the vineyard to other workers who will give him his share of the produce when it is ready.”
Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
The Lord is responsible for this,
and it is amazing for us to see’?
That is why I can guarantee that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce what God wants. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken. If the stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person.” Matthew 21:33-44
Like the first two parables in this series (wineskin and mustard seed), this third parable was also recorded by Luke, Mark and Matthew.
And again, Jesus told a story (a parable) in answer to a question.
Here Jesus was again directly talking to (and about) the Pharisees, the religious leaders of that day, who were ever present everywhere He and His group went -- forever listening but not accepting.
This parable is one of the more direct offensives Jesus ever made to the religious leaders at that time. And definitely one that touched a nerve, enough to make them want to put Jesus to death -- which they eventually did making this parable all the more real.
Characters
In the story, the landowner is God in heaven.
The vineyard was the Promise land (or its people).
The tenants are the Pharisees.
The servants are the Prophets who God sent from time to time to bring His word to His people.
The Son is Jesus.
And the other workers are us, the Gentiles, non Jews.
They Understood
The Pharisees weren't that thick, they understood Jesus was talking about them. But still they would not accept what He was telling them.
Read the parable again below, with the intended characters put in.
Listen to another illustration. God planted the Land of Promise - Israel. He put a wall around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to the Pharisees and went on a trip.
“When the grapes were getting ripe, he sent Prophets to the Pharisees to collect his share of the produce. The Pharisees took His Prophets and beat one, killed another, and stoned a third to death. So God sent more Prophets. But the Pharisees treated them the same way.
“Finally, he sent His Son, Jesus to them. He thought, ‘They will respect my Son.’
“When the Pharisees saw His Son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him and get his inheritance.’ So they grabbed him, threw him out of the Promised Land, and killed him.
“Now, when God, comes, what will he do to those Pharisees?”
They answered, “He will destroy those evil people. Then he will lease the vineyard to Gentiles (you and me) who will give him His share of the produce when it is ready.”
Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone (Jesus) that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
The Lord is responsible for this,
and it is amazing for us to see’?
That is why I can guarantee that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you (Israel) and given to a people (Gentiles - Non Jews) who will produce what God wants. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken. If the stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person.”
Now, it makes sense. The question is are we listening or are we like the Pharisees, ever hearing but never listening.
“Listen to another illustration. A landowner planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to vineyard workers and went on a trip.
“When the grapes were getting ripe, he sent his servants to the workers to collect his share of the produce. The workers took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned a third to death. So the landowner sent more servants. But the workers treated them the same way.
“Finally, he sent his son to them. He thought, ‘They will respect my son.’
“When the workers saw his son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him and get his inheritance.’ So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
“Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those workers?”
They answered, “He will destroy those evil people. Then he will lease the vineyard to other workers who will give him his share of the produce when it is ready.”
Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
The Lord is responsible for this,
and it is amazing for us to see’?
That is why I can guarantee that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce what God wants. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken. If the stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person.” Matthew 21:33-44
Like the first two parables in this series (wineskin and mustard seed), this third parable was also recorded by Luke, Mark and Matthew.
And again, Jesus told a story (a parable) in answer to a question.
Here Jesus was again directly talking to (and about) the Pharisees, the religious leaders of that day, who were ever present everywhere He and His group went -- forever listening but not accepting.
This parable is one of the more direct offensives Jesus ever made to the religious leaders at that time. And definitely one that touched a nerve, enough to make them want to put Jesus to death -- which they eventually did making this parable all the more real.
Characters
In the story, the landowner is God in heaven.
The vineyard was the Promise land (or its people).
The tenants are the Pharisees.
The servants are the Prophets who God sent from time to time to bring His word to His people.
The Son is Jesus.
And the other workers are us, the Gentiles, non Jews.
They Understood
The Pharisees weren't that thick, they understood Jesus was talking about them. But still they would not accept what He was telling them.
Read the parable again below, with the intended characters put in.
Listen to another illustration. God planted the Land of Promise - Israel. He put a wall around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to the Pharisees and went on a trip.
“When the grapes were getting ripe, he sent Prophets to the Pharisees to collect his share of the produce. The Pharisees took His Prophets and beat one, killed another, and stoned a third to death. So God sent more Prophets. But the Pharisees treated them the same way.
“Finally, he sent His Son, Jesus to them. He thought, ‘They will respect my Son.’
“When the Pharisees saw His Son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him and get his inheritance.’ So they grabbed him, threw him out of the Promised Land, and killed him.
“Now, when God, comes, what will he do to those Pharisees?”
They answered, “He will destroy those evil people. Then he will lease the vineyard to Gentiles (you and me) who will give him His share of the produce when it is ready.”
Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone (Jesus) that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
The Lord is responsible for this,
and it is amazing for us to see’?
That is why I can guarantee that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you (Israel) and given to a people (Gentiles - Non Jews) who will produce what God wants. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken. If the stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person.”
Now, it makes sense. The question is are we listening or are we like the Pharisees, ever hearing but never listening.
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