13th Sunday after Pentecost

Title

Reject you, Reject Him

Outline

We have two disparate readings, at least at first glance

Corinthians speaks of honorable Christians who are to be recognized

But what leads to their recognition is that they “did all that they did in love” (to paraphrase) - they devoted themselves to the service of the saints and of Paul. Their love for the Lord was seen in their service to others. The vertical was seen in the horizontal.

But something similar is seen in the parable

The “householder” has prepared all things needful for the “tenants” so that they can produce fruit for themselves and for him

They are not called to give to him directly, but to his servants - these are to receive the fruit in his name.

Yet they mistreat and even kill these servants rather than honoring, serving, and giving the householder’s portion to them.

The “householder” who served them in providing all the furnishings of the vineyard, who sent not one but two batches of servants, giving them multiple chances, not humbles himself even more in sending his son - perhaps they somehow thought that the servants were imposters

They show they have imbibed the lie given to Eve: “We will be heirs” = “we will be like God”; “we will take possession of creation.”

And so God comes in his son and we killed him - this is a transparent allegory for the crucifixion

But the householder is still serving the vineyard if not the servants in a sense

After three three escalating attempts to confirm the tenants in their good place, he will confirm the tenants in their rejection of him in his emissaries - they will get what they chose, death - but the vineyard will be brought to true fruition with new tenants, who will give the owner his proper share, but will live well on the vineyard

So, Brothers and Sisters, we can see ourselves in many ways in this parable

First, humanity was to tend creation for God, expanding his good order over the world, and grabbed it for themselves calling it “dominion.” Well, creation itself is starting to give what it received - death and suffering - as the news informs us. We are called to demonstrate proper ordering of creation as a witness. Our end is in the renewed creation. But that is only one reflection.

Second, we sometimes give the servants of God who come to us to call from us the proper “fruit” of the vineyard in which we serve a hard time. Many saints down the ages could testify to this. We need to be sure we are like the new tenants rather than the old, who are guided by the resurrected son rather than the rejecting the humble son.

Third, we are ourselves the servants sent to those in the church and to the world, calling forth right praise to God, the fruit of proper tenants. We suffer persecution in varying degrees, but that makes us more like the Son. We can wear our suffering as a badge of honor, which we will when the householder comes to set things to right.

Where do we find ourselves, Brothers and Sisters? Perhaps to one degree or another in all three. And from each we can learn how to be better servants of the Lord, to put from us that which hinders, and to reflect the good interests of the householder in our serving of others.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 9-6-2020: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

EPISTLE

1 Corinthians 16:13–24

13  Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

15 Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; 16 I urge you to be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence; 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men.

19  The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20  All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

21  I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22  If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! 23  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 9-6-2020: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

GOSPEL

Matthew 21:33–42

33 “Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34  When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; 35 and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. 37 Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41  They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42  Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The very stone which the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;

this was the Lord’s doing,

and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (9-3-2023: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

SUNDAY, August 22, 2021 | OCTOECHOS

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Matins Gospel Mark 16:1–8

Epistle 1 Corinthians 16:13–24

Gospel Matthew 21:33–42

St Agathonicus and with him Zoticus, Theoprepius, Acindynus, and Serverianus, Martyrs (m 304)