THE WICKED TENANTS
Text: Matthew 21:33-46
In modern day, we tend to think of a cornerstone as a stone that is inscribed and placed in the corner of the foundation of a building that marks the beginning of the building. The way that the Bible uses the word cornerstone means much more than a stone with an inscription that tells when the building started. The cornerstone used to be the most important part of the building because the rest of the building depended on it. (Elmer L. Towns. The Names Of Jesus. Denver: Accent Publications, 1987, p. 126). It was the most crucial part of the foundation. Unlike the pattern in modern day, we tend to see a "decorated marble slab that is affixed to a completed building" (p. 126) rather than the original meaning of the cornerstone which was the most important part of the foundation.
The Biblical metaphor of Jesus being the cornerstone which the builders rejected conveys the understanding that without Jesus we can do nothing (John 15:5). The fact that the cornerstone was rejected by the builders also conveys the historical fact of the negligence of those who were responsible. The ones who were responsible were the religious leaders who failed in their task of being fruitful for the forwarding of God’s kingdom here on earth.
THE DAY OF RECKONING
One of the meanings of the word "reckoning" is the settling of an account or accounts. The tenants failed in their task. Everything that they needed for their success was provided, yet they still failed. The owner had planted the vineyard, fenced it in and even put in a watchtower. The vineyard was therefore secure. The fence was a deterrent for potential thieves. The watchtower enabled the guard to see any thieves or animals that might try to steal any of the fruit. The tenants failed in their task because they broke the contract.
The tenants failed because they were not willing to keep the contract. Tenants are people who either rent a place to stay or land to farm. The tenants in this parable were supposed to yield what was due in the harvest of their crops as part of the contract. Notice what the tenants did to the servants who came to collect what was due. They beat one, killed another and stoned the last one of the three in that group (Matthew 21:35). In their rebellion, they broke the contract and acted more like tyrants than tenants.
Although this is a parable, it seems to have some allegorical elements. The servants in this story represent the prophets. God represents the owner of the vineyard. The tenants are the religious leaders. The vineyard is the nation of Israel. The son of the owner of the vineyard is none other than Jesus Christ Himself.
The tenants again, refused to settle the account two more times. The owner of the vineyard sent another group of servants to collect what was due. Again, they were treated just like the first group of servants (Matthew 21:36). Finally, the landowner sent his own son and again the tenants display the same kind of behavior as they killed the son (Matthew 21:37). They hoped to take what belonged to the owner of the vineyard as if it was their own. They reveal who they are in word and deed when they say to themselves, "Let us kill him (the son) and take his inheritance" (Matthew 21:38) and act out the evil deed. Is that not what they did to Jesus, did they not kill Him? Although this parable was convicting to the religious leaders, it was also prophetic as to what would come when Jesus was later crucified.
"One of the supreme tests of life is, "How did we use our privileges?" Oscar Wilde has a terrible kind of parable like this. Jesus was walking through the streets of a city. In an open courtyard. He saw a young man feasting gluttonously and growing drunk with wine. "Young man." said Jesus. "why do you live like that?" "I was a leper." said the young man, "and you cleansed me. How else should I live?" Jesus went on. and he saw a young girl clad in tawdry finery, a girl of the streets, and after her came a young man with eyes like a hunter. "Young man." said Jesus, "why do you look at that girl like that?" "I was blind." said the young man. "and you opened my eyes. How else should I look?" "Daughter." said Jesus to the girl. "why do you live like that?" "I was a sinner." she said. "and you forgave me. How else should I live?" Here were three people who had received priceless gifts from Jesus and who used them like that". (William Barclay. And Jesus Said. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1970, p. 141). Is that not the same kind of things that the workers in this parable had done with the vineyard? "What if we have made sin more act than attitude, more flesh than spirit, more general than particular, more national than personal?" (Carlyle Marney. These Things Remain. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1953, p. 46). We often condemn sin while we sometimes neglect the attitude and attitudes behind sinful behavior. There cannot be a change in attitude unless there is a change in heart.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TENANTS
When someone sees another as responsible, they see the other as dependable. If we think that someone is dependable, then we will trust them with something of value. That is what the owner of this vineyard did, he entrusted the vineyard to the workers. Their assignment was to maintain the vineyard in being fruitful. But, they failed in their obligation because of their neglected duty. "The tenants in the parable are traditionally called "wicked" more for their violence than their greed". (Charles Bugg. ed. The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2001 Edition. Sandy Wylie. "Owners Or Sharecroppers". Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001, p. 349). It was bad enough that they were negligent, but it was even worse for them to be violent. The were violent in the ways that they treated the servants and even the owner’s son who came to collect the owner’s share of the fruit of the vineyard. Violence is the use of physical force by one in the hope to defeat and/or conquer another or others rights.
There is a part of us that would like to think that we would never reject Jesus. The truth of the matter is that we are sometimes blind because of our denial. "There is an old story of a man who was dreaming that he was witnessing the crucifixion. In his dream he couldn’t stand the gory thing that was happening as he watched soldiers pound the nails through the hands of Jesus. He ran over and grabbed the soldier and turned him around, only to see that the man had his own face! It was a dream that he could never forget". (Emphasis: Preaching Journal For The Parish Pastor. Volume 21, Number 6. Ralph E. Dessem. Lima: C. S. S. Publishing Company Inc., March - April 1992, p. 40). What we do not realize is that our attitude is sometimes sinful rather than fruitful when we abuse the privileges that God has given us. Things like this dream that this man had remind us of how our attitudes can be sinful regarding how we fail to use our God-given privileges for doing God’s will.
When we fail to do our duty in God’s will, we might impeach ourselves. Is that not what happened to the tenants of the vineyard in this parable? Did they not wind up impeaching themselves because their neglected duty? God had destined them to evangelize others. That was what the "fruit" in this parable symbolized----the evangelism of others. In their neglect of duty, the owner was going to evict the negligent tenants and rent the vineyard to other tenants who would give him his share of the crop at harvest time (Matthew 21:41,43).
The son of the owner in this parable represents the cornerstone. The cornerstone is Jesus Christ. Jesus told us that without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). If we build and work with God in God’s will, then our efforts will succeed. Consider Psalm 127:1: "Unless The Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain" (RSV). God has destined for His children to succeed in their labor. "Someone has laid down the difference between fate and destiny---fate is what we are compelled to do; destiny is what we are meant to do". (William Barclay. And Jesus Said. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1970, p. 142). God has destined for His children to succeed in their labor in His will.
What can we do to be fruitful in bringing others to God? Each of you consider yourselves as missionaries wherever you go and whatever you do. Do not just tell others about Jesus, invite them to come to church with you. If they do not come, then pray about it and keep inviting them because it takes disciples to make disciples. I am sure that everybody knows a friend or somebody who either does not know Jesus or who knows Jesus but does not attend church anywhere. One of the main reasons that people give for why they started attending a certain church is because someone invited them. One thing is certain and that is that if we do nothing, then we cannot expect anything to happen.
