Believe the King

Scripture Reading

Matthew 21:23–46 NKJV

Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him. “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

I. Jesus’ Authority is similar to John the Baptist

The Chief Priests and Elders are furious that Jesus has challenged their money-gathering operations by permitting a market in the Temple. They challenge his right to do this by asking for his authority.

They are hoping he will say that God gave him the authority to do this, upon which they will have him arrested for blasphemy. Ironically, his authority really does come from God.

They are also hoping he will say that God has appointed him as Messiah, and he is using his royal authority to purify the Temple first. Again, that is in fact who he is and what he is doing. But saying this will have him arrested as a rival King against Rome.

However, Jesus completely sidesteps the verbal trap and ensnares them in the same thing by bring up John the Baptist. He dares them to reveal where John’s authority came from. Everyone knows they didn’t believe the preaching of John (Matt 3:7-10), but rested in their Jewish background to preserve them from God’s coming wrath. They believed they were safe, and didn’t need to repent because they were good enough.

However, since all the people still revere John, they cannot say what everyone knows they believe, since that will make people angry and might start a riot. They can’t lie since it’s known to everyone what they really think, and they can’t tell the truth, because they will start a riot, which is exactly what they think Jesus might do. So they pretend ignorance, and Jesus replies exactly the same way, again managing to make it very clear to everyone that he really does think that he is the Messiah and comes with God’s authority, but because he didn’t say that, the chief priests and scribes have nothing, since the Romans couldn’t possibly understand the subtext of what Jesus was saying.

Furthermore, he challenges them to believe the preaching of John the Baptist. There’s little point in challenging them to believe him if they won’t believe his lesser cousin. Jesus puts himself squarely in the same movement as John, saying that he preaches the same message of repentance that John preached, and the same warnings of impending Judgment.

II. The Parable of the Two Sons

The first son clearly symbolizes the tax collectors and prostitutes, while the second one is the chief priests and scribes. Thus, the first command - Go work in my vineyard - is God’s command through Moses to obey the Law. The tax collectors and prostitutes made no attempt to do what God commanded; the chief priests and scribes are scrupulous in their external observance.

Thus the statement of the sons is equal to obeying the law.

But the actions of the sons represent believing or not believing John the Baptist (v.32). Thus, the lack of faith in John demonstrates that despite the apparent observance of the Law, their lack of repentance shows they really don’t follow God. The repentance of the tax collectors and prostitutes, and their belief in John shows that they had a real change, and now truly worship God.

That is, it is impossible to truly do the Will of God without believing John the Baptist’s preaching, and lack of faith demonstrates that apparent observance of the Law isn’t really doing God’s Will as he demands.

The fact that they didn’t change their minds when they saw bad people repent and become good people shows the real nature of their hearts. If they really loved God as their law-keeping and words state, then they would rejoice when sinners repent, and recognize God’s work in John the Baptist.

III. The Parable of the Vineyard

the Parable - The basic outline of the parable is a common feature of ancient Israel, indeed of the ancient world in general - tenant farmers. The owner of land that he didn’t want to farm himself could rent out that land to others, in return for a set percentage of the harvest. So the “rent” wasn’t money, but the produce of the land which the owner could either use himself, or sell. In this case, the owner improves the land by establishing a vineyard and all the equipment necessary to produce wine. Since wine was storable and valuable, the produce could be given and used over time. But the owner was doubly due the rent. It was his property, and he had further used his resources to establish a vineyard (which took several years), and built the fence to protect from theft, and built the tower and winepress. The tenants would have settled on an agreement before they would be allowed to farm the vineyard.

the elements of the parable are pretty clear

the “Master of the House” is obviously God the Father.

The Vineyard is the Land of Israel

The Tenants are the chief priests and scribes c.f. v.45-46

The servants are the Old Testament prophets Jer 35:15; Jer 7:25 (6x “rising early and sending them”)

Jeremiah 35:15 NKJV

I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me.

Jeremiah 7:25 NKJV

Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them.

The Son is Jesus himself

The obviously evil actions of the tenants is designed to

(1) parallel Israel’s history - the various prophets that have been killed and persecuted Matt 13:57

Matthew 13:57 NKJV

So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”

(2) appall the hearers at their evil actions, so they would be forced to admit Jesus to be right.

(3) judge the present generation as being simply in line with the evil actions of previous ones Matthew 23:29-35

(4) indict the religious leaders for their desire to Kill the Son of God.

The interpretation springs the trap

By quoting Psalm 118:22-23, he very neatly applies this Messianic Prophecy to himself, and shows them that their hatred is proving him to be the Messiah. Also, because he quotes Scripture, they cannot go to the Romans and tell them he is a King, because the Romans’ eyes would immediately glaze over when the Jews start talking about their holy books.

The Kingdom of God is indeed the same Kingdom as the ancient Kingdom of Israel.

Those who lose the Kingdom are the generation of Jesus’ own day; while the people producing its fruits are not the church, but a later generation of Israelites that would truly follow God. How do I know? Because the Kingdom of Israel cannot ever be given to non-Israelites Jer 31:35-37; Romans 11:1.

Jeremiah 31:35–37 NKJV

Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.” Thus says the Lord: “If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the Lord.

Romans 11:1 NKJV

I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

The stone is also an allusion to Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45

Daniel 2:34–35 NKJV

You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:44–45 NKJV

And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”