The Parables of Jesus
The Wicked Tenants
Matthew 21:33-46
June 14, 2009
This week we are going to examine what many consider to be a very complicated parable: the parable of the wicked tenants. This is a parable about Israel. It goes along with similar themes to the parable of the two sons and the parables of the wedding banquet and feast (which we will look at next time). So turn to Matthew 21:33-46.
A mother ran into the bedroom when she heard her seven-year-old son scream. She found his two-year-old sister pulling his hair. She gently released the little girl’s grip and said comfortingly to the boy, "There, there. She didn’t mean it. She doesn’t know that hurts." He nodded his acknowledgement, and she left the room.
As she started down the hall the little girl screamed. Rushing back in, she asked, "What happened?"
The little boy replied, "She knows now."
33"Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 34When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35"The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37Last of all, he sent his son to them. ’They will respect my son,’ he said.
38"But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ’This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39So 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 tenants?"
41"He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time."
42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:
" ’The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
As with many parables, Jesus uses symbols in his stories that give a deeper meaning. This is where we need to be careful because not all things have deeper meanings. Sometimes a field is really just a field. But here we can deduce some likely meanings.
Symbolic Indicators
• The vineyard is Jerusalem
I say likely here because sometimes these things are debated. Here some say that the vineyard is all of Israel. I believe that is represents all of Israel because it is indicative of Jerusalem. Jesus paints the picture of a wall, a watch tower and a winepress. This combination most likely would have pointed to Jerusalem. The wall around Jerusalem. The watch tower would be a the temple who was supposed to keep watch over the spiritual life of the people. The winepress would also point to the Temple but specifically the Temple authorities who were supposed to take care of the people especially the poor financially but Jesus is indicating that they had misappropriated the finances. No wonder the religious rulers were so upset.
Besides the placement of this parable in relation to Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and arrival at the temple makes it very clear who Jesus is accusing.
• The servants are the prophets
These are the OT prophets many of whom were beaten and killed as God’s messengers. God sent them to all of Israel and to Jerusalem many, many times.
• The son is Jesus
Jesus who would be very shortly taken outside the city walls and crucified. He was taken outside so that the city and the Temple would not be ritually defiled.
• The tenants are Israel
Not just one generation but in general all of Israel over the course of its history. And especially those who are to be leaders over Israel.
I know that it can be especially tempting to continue allegorizing everything in this parable. However, other than these items, there is no clear indication that Jesus intended for his hearers to do so. The inheritance is not eternal life. The fruit is not the sinner’s prayer. These are more general as in the message of the kingdom and the productive living that follows. Specifics are not given by Jesus here about what entails productive living nor does Jesus give details on what the judgment looks like other than the wicked tenants will meet their deserved end.
So what message is Jesus trying to give through this parable? It is really very simple for those who have ears to ear. The parable is a proclamation concerning the kingdom and Israel’s part in this present buy not yet kingdom.
Proclamation
• The kingdom will be taken away and given to a new people.
God’s intention all along is that God has a people who are God’s own. This new people will not be based on birth or race or religious standing or economic standing or even social standing. It is two fold.
• This new people are all those who respond to the messenger Jesus and bear fruit.
Both parts are essential. Responding to the message of the kingdom given by Jesus by bearing fruit through productive living. This living is based on the ways of God and the teachings of Jesus. Productive living may not necessarily mean being a good citizen. It may not even mean being affluent economically. In fact, it probably means you will not be affluent.
• Blessings and gifts are not permanent possessions.
It is so easy to get caught in false sense of security. The only security is through the continuing love relationship with Jesus. Degrees, promotions, bible studies, number of worship services, number of prayers and prayer meetings, number of meals served to the homeless are all great things and often beneficial to our spiritual growth. However, they do not provide security that I am what I need to be. They should flow out of where we are at but they do not assure us that God is with us.
The only assurance that God is with us is by knowing the God that is with us. God’s favor and blessings are not permanent. Jesus is giving Israel and us the warning that fulfilling religious responsibilities is not enough. He warns us that we may get to the end and find that we spiritually bankrupt because we have been denouncing, ridiculing, degrading, and ignoring the very messengers that He has been sending us.
There is no guarantee except what comes through the indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit. That is your security deposit. And that is not something that you give but receive and continue to be filled with.
• God does the unexpected.
Probably of all the things that God may be saying to us today through this parable is that God does the unexpected. The unexpected grace and love that is shown by those that love God and God’s ways. The unexpected provision that God gives sometimes before we realized we even had a need. The unexpected lesson that Jesus teaches us when we are wrapped up in ourselves and so self-absorbed.
Jesus gives us a proverb or saying at the end of this parable. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed. When we fall down in complete and utter abandonment to Jesus who is the cornerstone, we may be broken but we are never crushed. However, those who ignore the messenger or even persecute God’s kingdom agents will eventually be crushed no matter what ancestors that they may claim or how long one has been in church or who your parents are.
The amazing thing is that when we are broken before God, Jesus takes the broken pieces of our lives and unexpectedly transforms what many people in the world might cast out as trash and creates a thing of beauty that allows his light to shine through.
I want to conclude with a clip. This movie is the story of a POW camp that was forced to build an important and strategic bridge. In this scene, one man unexpectedly decides to intervene on behalf of another. He does it out of his convictions and the love of God in him.
[Show clip: To End All Wars]
The message is plain but not easy. Are you certain of your walk with God? Are sure that you are walking with Jesus? Do you love God and God’s ways more than anything else? Have you responded by living a life of abundant fruit? If not, what blessings that you have will be given to others. There are no barriers here today. The only barrier is the one inside of you. Consecrate yourself to respond to the messenger, Jesus, and live his abundant life giving him the glory. Don’t let yourself be deceived as many in Israel were. Deceived by pride. Deceived by arrogance. Humble yourself before the Lord or you will be humiliated. Be a broken vessel or one day you will be crushed.
