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The parable of the tenants is again a story about unfaithful Israel.It is spoken to the people in Jerusalem and spesifically spoken against the Pharisees. It is again presented to us as a man who planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went away to another country for a long while. While he was away he sent his servant back to the vineyard to bring for the master fruit. But alas they beat him and sent him away empty handed. So the master sent another servant who the tenants beat and treated shamefully.This servant was again sent away empty handed. So the master sent a third servant to bringhim fruit from the vineyard.This servant they wounded and cast out.
Then the master of the vineyard pondered and said what shall I do? So he sent his son,thinking that they might respect him. But when the tenants saw him they said this is the heir!! Let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours. So they killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. What will the master of the vineyard do then? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.
When they heard this they said God forbid!!" Jesus then looked at them and said what is this then that is written "The very stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone" Any who fall on the stone will be broken and any on whom the stone falls will be crushed. Then the scribes and Pharisees tried to lay hands on him, but they feared the people for they perceived that Jesus had spoken the parable against them. to understand this parable we must understand that in Isaiah 5, Israel is spoken of as Gods vineyard. Israel herself understood that she was Gods vineyard. This becomes clear when the people who Jesus spoke the parable to, understood that, when they at the end exclaimed God forbid!! They were saying God forbid that Gods vineyard be taken away from them. Also the Scribes and Pharisees certainly got the message, because they understood themelves to be the wicked tenants in Gods vineyard, which is why they sought to arrest Jesus but drew back for fear of the crowds. So then the parable from its context becomes all to easy to interpret. God planted a vineyard called Israel. The tenants He left in charge did not have the interests of the vineyard owner at heart. But had their own interests to look after and disregarded the true owners interests and wishes. The servants who Yhwh sent to bring him fruit were none other than the prophets who Israel had rejeted,beaten and treated shamefully and had cast out. The son is Jesus himself who was the last to be sent to bring fruit from the vineyard. When they reject him and put him to death then the Master will return in judgement.Israel will be destroyed and the vineyard be given to the gentiles where Yhwh will be able to have fruit from his vineyard!! Again Israels destruction is depicted in the parable when he says the vineyard owner returns to the vineyard and puts the wicked servants to death, who killed his son. This was what happened in AD 70 Here we find that Jesus likens himself to the son who is rejected when he tells them that the stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Here again the imagery is that of a house which is clearly the house of Israel. He is saying he is that cornerstone which gives the house its foundation and if Israel trips over because of him they will be broken but worse still if he falls on any of them they will be crushed,in other words destroyed. This reminds us of what was written concerning Jesus in the beginning of the book.In Luke 2:36 Simeon prophesied concerning Jesus that he is set for the rise and fall of many in Israel as a sign that is spoken against, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. This was a turning point for the worse, as after Jesus spoke this parable against them they sent spies to spy on him to gather evidence against him that they might bring him to trial before the governor. The tenants would soon cast the vineyard owners son out and kill him even as it was spoken against them. This is a major parable in turning the forces of wickedness, ie the Scribes and Pharisees to seek Jesus death. This parable was almost certainly the nail in the coffin for Jesus. It wouldn't be long after this that he was put to death. |
