"PARABLE OF THE LANDOWNER"

Parallel Gospel accounts -

Matthew 21:33-46 - make three observations

Mark 12:1-12 - make three observations

Luke 20:9-19 - make three observations

Proposition - As we look to God’s word this morning we are going to see 1) the presentation, 2) the explanation, and 3) the ramification of the parable about the landowner.

Interrogative question - How are you responding to Jesus?

In the Old Testament, vineyards provide imagery for poetry (Job 24:6, 18; Psa 107:37; Song 1:14; 2:15; 7:12), wisdom literature (Prov 24:30; 31:16), parables (Isa 5:1–7), divine pronouncements (Jer 12:10), laments (Ezek 19:10), analogies (Isa 1:8), depictions of deliverance (Isa 27:2; 65:21), and messages of judgment (Jer 35:7–9; Amos 4:9; 5:11, 17; Zeph 1:13). Jesus continued this tradition, using vineyards in many of his parables (Matt 20:1–8; 21:28–41; Mark 12:1–9; Luke 13:6–7; 20:9–16). LePort, B. (2016). Vineyard. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.

vineyard, the plot in which grapes are raised. Vineyards are one of the standard signs of agricultural wealth in Palestine in biblical times. While the proper handling of such property was extensively defined in various law codes (Exod. 22:5; 23:11; Lev. 19:10; 25:3, 4; Deut. 20:6; 22:9; 23:24; 24:21; 28:30), breaches of treatment were found even in royalty (1 Kings 21:1–18). Isaiah’s ‘Song of the Vineyard’ is a masterful review of standard viticulture applied to the life of a people (Isa. 5:1–7). As vineyards were a sign of divine blessing, their absence was a metaphor of divine judgment (Jer. 35:7, 9). The vineyard as a common scene of labor was used in a parable of Jesus found in all three synoptic Gospels (Mark 12:1–9; Matt. 20:1–41; Luke 20:9–16). Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). In Harper’s Bible dictionary (1st ed., p. 1114). Harper & Row.

1. The Presentation of the Parable - vs. 33-39

Matthew 21:33–39 NASB95

33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. 34 “When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. 35 “The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. 36 “Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing 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 us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 “They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

What is a parable?

Who is the landowner? - God

What is the vineyard? - Prepared by God

Who is the vinedressers? - Jewish Leaders

Why did they mistreat the slaves?

Why did each slave get treated worse that the prior?

2. The Explanation of the Parable - vs. 40-41

Matthew 21:40–41 NASB95

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 will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”

Who is the owner?

Why does he call them “wretched?”

Why does he get rent it out to others?

3. The Ramification of the Parable - vs. 42-46

Matthew 21:42–46 NASB95

42 Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. 44 “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. 46 When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be a prophet.

Why is the Kingdom taken away from them?

How do you know that the kingdom will not be taken away from you?

Who is Jesus talking to?

SO WHAT??