Parable of wicked vinedressers

Parable of wicked vinedressers (Mt21:33-46) -Lesson 23 4/10/2024

Introduction:

What a great journey we have been on now for our 23rd week going through the parables of Jesus

About the kingdom

About discipleship

About growth

And we are now in about warnings and rewards

We looked at forgiveness

We looked at fruitfulness

Today we will delve into one of the hardest hitting, convicting parables that Jesus gives.

Love one comment I found on this parable from Thielicke

“If we were to survey all the parables of Jesus we would not something that is very remarkable. All the parables that deal with nature --the lilies of the filed, the birds of the air, the shepherd and his sheep --breathe something of peace and safety and order. But whenever man occupies the center -- no matter whether it be the unmerciful servant, the unjust steward, the richman, or whoever it may be -- there is always the element of dramatic tension, conflict, doom, and downfall.”

The religious leaders were already looking to arrest and then kill Jesus, but were somewhat afraid at this point for they believed Jesus was a prophet (insert Mt21:45-46)

Matthew 21:45–46 NASB95

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.

Jesus did not go with the “status quo” he was a revolutionary in going from a standard of works to one of heart, of faith, going from the letter of the Law to the spirit of the Law. Jesus was a great challenge to the religious leaders who saw Him as attacking their comfort and their system they were accustomed to.

You can find this parable in all three of the synoptic gospels, (MT21:33-46; Mk12:1-12, and Luk20:9-18) our focus today since there is very little differences in them will be on the Matthew account.

Insert and read Mt21:33-46 = then ask the usual question

Matthew 21:33–46 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. 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.” 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.

Background:

This parable is given after the triumphal entry (21:1-10)

This parable is given after the cleansing of the temple (21:12-17)

It follows after withering fig tree (21:18-22)

Jesus authority questioned (21:23-27)

Then the parable of the two sons (21:28-32)

So, all of this is at the end of Jesus ministry, in the last week of his earthly life

We can see a common picture He paints at the time that the owner of the land oftentimes lived somewhere else and hired workers to keep, work the vineyard. Absentee landlords were very common at that time. A practice we see still today.

Womack comments

“This incident described very appropriate pictures of Jesus’ day. In fact, as one looks at the criminal climate of our day, it is easy to see strong similarity. Palestine was a very ‘explosive’ place in those days with much crime.”

The crime here is “ the crime of their rejecting God.”

Incense, enraged for the leaders could see themselves in the picture that Jesus paints.

Explaining the text:

All are very similar as noted before, one minor difference is that in Matthew he uses a different Greek word for the planter of the vineyard. From the others it says “certain man,” in Matthew the word used clearly points to “master of the house, or landowner.”

The workers are just that workers, not slaves, hired not bought, and it was workers who were familiar with a vineyard.

Then we have the slaves, as you can see the way it is worded that it was accusative of the Jewish nation as God had previously sent prophets, whom they mistreated, killed, more prophets and they did the same thing.

Can you guess who the “Son” is? the picture of Jesus himself. The Son was the final emissary sent by the owner. Since Jesus had already claimed to be the Son of Man (Matthew uses that term more than other writers; some 30 times).

You can see for us in hindsight it is speaking of Jesus, to them Jesus is foretelling of his death (which too he had already previously told them).

Wenhem in his commentary makes two good points

“One, the general drift of the parable is plain. It is the story of God sending first the prophets and then Jesus to the people of Israel, patiently calling them to ‘bear fruit.’ It is the story of their violent rejection of that call.” (Parables of Jesus, pg. 127)

“Second, The parable makes it clear that Jesus sees his own death as the climax of the people’s rejection of God’s invitation to them to fulfil their proper role, an invitation brought first by the prophets and then by Jesus.”

In (21:42) the stone the builders rejected (Ps118:22) is being used here and Jesus is that cornerstone, or capstone.

Purpose and application

At first glance it appears that the landowner, the master appear to be totally defeated.

Servants sent, mistreated, killed

More slaves sent, treated similarly

Finally in sending the Son with belief would be respected, and Womack comments “Now can you imagine the hallowed silence in heaven as God made His choice to send the Christ, sent prophets, more prophets, all killed, now the One who is closest to Him, He is sending to bring the message of salvation. Angels must have hung on the news with awesome surprise; the heavenly host must have been amazed.”

Now that is love, what is what love does, it does not hold back, it gives the best (turn to and read Rom8:32; Consider Jn3:16).

Romans 8:32 NASB95

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Next, the Son in the parable points to Jesus who was God’s final offering to mankind.

So it was, the Son was the fulfillment of the God’s plan of redemption, God’s plan, God’s message of salvation in which they rejected by killing Him on the cross.

The brings the gravity of (turn to and read 21:40) to a deeper meaning now doesn’t it?

Matthew 21:40 NASB95

40 “Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?”

Now read 21:41 again too)

Matthew 21:41 NASB95

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.”

God is just, God will have vengeance, God will give retribution, give dire consequences for turning their backs on God. Scripture is clear that it was a one time, one and done sacrifice that we accept and we cannot put Christ back on the cross again (consider Heb6:1-6)

Womack follows that with The patience of God caused Him to give ample opportunities for repentance, as is illustrated by the three trips taken to collect the fruit.

No matter if with love, justice, warnings, encouragement, humanity is prone to turn against Him, God that is.

Lightfoot says “One lesson of the parable is that human privileges and human responsibilities cannot be taken lightly. When God makes provision for man. He expects something in return. This is the way it has always been. When times are good as they are now, when human freedoms are many, when the opportunities of living in such a great land are so unlimited, God surely expects much of all of us.” (Lessons of the parables, pg. 162)

We cannot afford to reject the Son who was sent to redeem us If we do, there will be dire consequences.

Learning to live the parable

I think you can see that this parable speaks about privilege and responsibility

Man has been given the privilege of free will, freedom of choice, something we should know a lot about here in our Country. Free moral agents not forced to obey God.

God wants our joyful obedience out of our love and dedication to Him, not out of obligation or compulsion

God does not force us to choose Him, to follow Him, but makes it known of the dire consequences if you do not obey Him.

God is patient and longsuffering (consider Num14:18; 2Pt3:9)He is longsuffering for man to choose Him (now insert 2Pt3:9) For he wants all to repent and be saved.

God gives every opportunity and equipping to bear fruit (consider Gal5:22-23). Fruits worthy of repentance (consider Mt3:8), for we are known by our fruit (consider Mt7:16).

Womack makes a comment I had to think about and I will present to you to think about. “There are already evidences that the kingdom is being taken from us and being given to another. We have allowed the unbelievers to challenge our faith, and we have not responded.” We are called to speak up, speak out, to be active in the vineyard of the Lord.

The day of judgment is coming and there will be more on that coming in the next few parables.

(Conclusion) You and I hold the keys to the kingdom, we hold the truth Choose Jesus while it is called today, for tomorrow may be too late.