The Parable of the Tenants

This comes right on the heals of the Parable of the two sons - which Armal will guide us through next week.

Matthew 21:33–46 ESV

“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

There is language here that brings us back to Isaiah 5:1-7

Isaiah 5:1–7 ESV

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

The point of the Isaiah passage is that God was disheartened by the lack of justice displayed in the people of Israel and in Judah.

The parable, while drawing our minds to this “love song gone wrong,” seems to be pointing to the unfaithfulness of the people that God had charged to steward his rich possession.

Let’s think though a couple of concepts.

Vineyard/wine - seems to be a symbol of prosperity and fruitfulness - but also seems to represent the people of God. Obviously, this master is well to do - his wealth not only meets needs, but now provides a sense of excess bounty/blessing

Tenants - seem to be referring to the Priests and Pharisees - by their own admission. These religious leaders had squandered and misused the responsibilities that God had given them.

The Servants - seem to represent the Prophets and others who had been commissioned by God to bring a word of warning.

The Son - is Jesus - he seems to be foretelling his death - with BTW - this parable happened after the triumphal entry - so the fulfillment of his parabolic prophesy will happen within a few days.

Application:

Leaders in the church: while Jesus is specifically calling out the religious leaders of his day, I think it’s important for us to see the parallel between the priests and pharisees and the pastors/elders of the church today. The NT writers are clear that Elders/Pastors have a sacred responsibility to steward the flock of God.

1 Peter 5:1–4 ESV

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

I’m so grateful for the men that we have serving as under-shepherds - they certainly take their responsibility seriously and seem to serve with humility - recognizing that this is God’s church - not ours.

I do think it’s important for us to be prayerful and mindful of those God might raise up to be elders in the future - that they would enter into that responsibility with the same stewarding mindset.

Every Believer: There is a sense in which each of us have been granted stewardship over some things - whether it is our resources, our gifting, our areas of responsibility, our relationships, for those who are parents - even our children - we too must carefully steward all that God has given to us.

How should this guide our time of prayer?