By Rev. Canon David B. Tabo-oy
33″Listen to another parable,” Jesus said. “There was once a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a hole for the wine press, and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to tenants and left home on a trip…When the time came to gather the grapes, he sent his slaves to the tenants to receive his share of the harvest. …The tenants grabbed his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned another…Last of all he sent his son to them…But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the owner’s son. Come on, let’s kill him, and we will get his property!’ So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. …..
v42Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what the Scriptures say?
‘The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.
This was done by the Lord; what a wonderful sight it is!’
v43″And so I tell you,” added Jesus, “the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce the proper fruits.”
(Read: Matthew 21:33-43)
Listen to another parable. For the past three Sundays we have read and heard Jesus using parables as he continued preaching about the Kingdom of Heaven. In our previous reflection we wrote that ‘a parable is a tale about a simple, common subject to illustrate a deeper, valuable moral lesson. The source definition of the word “parable” means a placement side by side for the purpose of comparison’ (ZZW 09.20.20). Parables are about descriptions of the King. God’s nature, qualities, attitudes in dealing with people. They are about our responses about God’s Kingdom. How we should act if we hope to “enter the kingdom” … they are about our relationship with our neighbor. How we should relate to all those we interact with as well as the greater community. They tell us The fulfillment of the kingdom. A parable utilizes the full story to produce the spiritual lesson, whereas a proverb, metaphor, simile, or figure of speech centers usually on a word, phrase or sentence.
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It is quite impossible to fully understand Jesus Christ’s core of mission if we don’t sift through the marrow meanings of his parables. A Bible commentator wrote that ‘the importance of the parables can hardly be overestimated. They comprise a substantial part of the recorded preaching of Jesus. The parables are generally regarded by scholars as among the sayings which we can confidently ascribe to the historical Jesus; they are, for the most part, authentic words of Jesus. Moreover, all of the great themes of Jesus’ preaching are struck in the parables. Perhaps no part of the Gospels, then, can better put us into touch with the mind of Jesus Christ than the parables. They still today present us with the challenge with which Jesus encountered his hearers in first-century Palestine. These little stories (together with the Lord’s Prayer and the Beatitudes) are the best known of all Jesus’ words. It is a measure of the value which the Church places upon them that every parable without exception occurs in the Sunday lectionary readings’. (Parables, Madeleine Boucher)
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The parable of the Tenants of the Vineyard (rebel tenants) could be best understood if we look back to the events that transpired before it was told by Jesus. We recall in the earlier verses of chapter 21 that Jesus entered the Temple of Jerusalem while people greeted him saying “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:1-11). He cleansed the temple area by driving out all those engaged in selling and buying there (Matthew 21:12-13). Jesus cursed the fig tree that did not produce any fruit (Matthew 21: 18-22) which was symbolic of the fruitless Jewish leaders of the time. The chief priests and the elders questioned the authority of Jesus when Jesus returned to the temple area (Matthew 21: 23-27). Then Jesus began to teach in parables that were directed to his opponents there. The parable of the two sons (Matthew 21:28-32) preceded the parable of the tenants. In the parable of the two sons, one disagreed to obey the father and later changed his mind represented the sinners who followed Jesus. The other son agreed to obey but did not, represented the Jewish leaders of the time.
The parable of the tenants was also an attack of Jesus on the elite group of Jews who were members of Sanhedrin, the highest court of justice and the supreme council of Jews in Jerusalem. At the end of this parable, Matthew states the reaction of the listeners. “When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.” (Matthew 21:45). So, this parable is a figurative representation of the salvation history of the past, the present, and the future. It is based on the vineyard of the Lord in Isaiah 5:1-7 that ends stating: “The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.”
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On the surface level, the parable of the tenants is clearly presented by Matthew as an allegory. The landowner represents God. The vineyard represents the Kingdom of God. The tenants are the religious leaders. The slaves are the prophets. The son is Jesus. The new tenants are most likely the church.
Matthew’s interpretation relates to the story of salvation history. God entrusted his kingdom to the Israelites during Old Testament times. When they steered off course, God sent the prophets to try to correct them. Most did not listen to the prophets. Finally, God decided to send his son Jesus to make clear God’s message. But the leaders turned against Jesus and finally had him killed. Then the majority of the Jewish people refused to accept Christ. So the kingdom was given to a new people, the church.
This parable points out the guilt of the Jewish nation. They turned God’s kingdom into a private possession, showed contempt for his Word and refused to obey his Son, Jesus Christ. Churches today show the same attitude as the wicked tenants whenever they reject Christ’s Word and his true messengers, and create a church after their own ideas.
Christ is the “rejected” stone, thrown away by Israel but about to become the capstone or cornerstone of God’s new people, the church, ‘The stone that you the builders despised turned out to be the most important of all.’ v12Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us.” (Acts 4:11-12). He is the most important stone in this new structure that God is building.
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Jesus quoted the words of the Psalmist: “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner…” (Ps. 118:22) Later Simon Peter would quote these words to the rulers and the elders in testimony concerning the good news of Christ. (Acts 4:11) Later he would cite those words again in his epistles. (I Pet. 2:7)
There was a legend that was well known in New Testament times that in the building of the temple of Solomon most of the stones were of the same size and shape. One stone arrived, however, that was different from the others. The builders took one look at it and said, “This will not do,” and sent it rolling down into the valley of Kedron below. The years passed and the great temple was nearing completion, and the builders sent a message to the stonecutters to send the chief cornerstone that the structure might be complete. The cutters replied that they had sent the stone years before. Then someone remembered the stone that was different than all the rest that somehow did not seem to belong. They realized that they had thrown away the cornerstone. They hurried into the valley to retrieve it. Finally, under vines and debris they recovered it and with great effort rolled it up the hill and put it in place so that the great temple would be complete. The stone that had been rejected had become the chief cornerstone. Jesus, who had been rejected now reigns at the right hand of the Father. From rejection to rejoicing.
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We can glean three lessons from this parable that could guide us in our faith journey. The first lesson that we can learn from this story relates to God’s incredible patience. God takes care of us, like a landowner does for his favorite vineyard, by providing everything we need and protecting us from all harms. God being tolerant, sent his son Jesus to give us an opportunity to repent and reconcile with God. If we reject Jesus, he will come again for a final judgement resulting in the reward of those who accept him and punishment of those who reject him. Second, as children of God and as his tenants, we are accountable to God in providing fruits of our Christian living in the family, parish, workplace and in the society. This is about good stewardship. Third lesson is about Christ being the chief Cornerstone. In verse 42, Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23. “The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner.” The rejected stone—the crucified Christ—becomes the chief cornerstone of God’s new edifice. This imagery reminds us that our faith is to be the cornerstone on which our whole lives are built. May we learn from this passage about the incredible, but limited patience of God. May we become responsible stewards instead of wicked tenants. May we build our lives on Jesus Christ, the cornerstone. (Source and References: eSermon.Com; The Sermon Writer)
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to aske, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (ECP-BCP Proper 22 Collect)
