The parable is open-ended, as are so many of Jesus’ parables. How can we go from loiterers to laborers without getting hyperactive? ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. Not to earn heaven, not for special blessings, not out of fear or obligation, not for merit pay. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. What would you have thought of the owner’s character? God’s mercy is generous, maybe to a fault in the eyes of others. Serving God is a privilege, an end in itself. FINAL THOUGHTS. Their only concern was how their actions would be perceived by the crowds who supported Him. No one is more worthy than the other. When we’re more concerned about how others perceive us than whether we're pleasing God, it's easy to see any correction as a confrontation instead of as an opportunity to prayerfully consider our posture before God. They are new to the scene, they haven’t worked in the vineyard yet, but they want to work now, belatedly, and so are brought onto the labor team by the Lord. Please try again or contact website administrator. Jesus is here addressing questions about salvation, about the last being first and the first being last. The Parable of the Tenants is an example of a parable that wasn't appreciated by the people Jesus addressed. Time magazine calls Jesus the most influential figure in history. The magnanimity of God. Watch the scene of the parable of the vineyard and the tenants from the "JESUS" film. And, he was. November 8, 2015 Dan Raymond Eternal Reward, Eternity, Grace, Salvation, Serving Matthew Kingdomnomics. Your email address will not be published. What would you have felt like if you were one of the early workers? But the owner wouldn’t budge. Jesus' warning is that the vineyard would be taken from those who refuse to submit to God and given to those who would. What Jesus is saying is that God had sent the prophets to Jerusalem, but they were mistreated and even killed. The law-keepers are to think about how they figure into the story, and to respond accordingly. It's heartbreaking to realize that the chief priests and Pharisees understood His words, but didn't respond with repentance. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, "This is the heir. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan. Why not. The owner says that he can do what he wants with his money, so get over it. The divine vineyard, God’s work in the world, requires laborers. Will they finally accept their day’s wage and go home? Parable of the Generous Landowner. 46 When they sought to seize Him, they (J)feared the [f]people, because they considered Him to be a (K)prophet. This teaching style clarified abstract concepts, while revealing a lot about the heart of the listener. ", "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.". (H) Come, let’s kill him(I) and take his inheritance.’(J) 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. They joined the work later in the day, yet were still paid a full day’s wage… Pure grace on the part of the owner. This is reflected elsewhere in the gospels when the Lord says, “Depart from me, I don’t know you.” Here they are, strangers, even after all that work, all those years of keeping the law so strictly. Jesus is prophesying His own death at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders. The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed … The parable is an illustration of what that idea looks like in the kingdom of God. Matthew 21:33-46 New International Version (NIV) The Parable of the Tenants. 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,”(K) they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants,(L) who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. ", The chief priests and the elders come to Jesus and ask him, "By what authority are you doing these things? Does the Great Commission Require Me to "Go"? Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding. Jesus loves both the sinners and the righteous, and all the workers get paid the same in terms of salvation. One wonders… Would this same owner the next day have everybody showing up late, figuring they could make an easy buck, full pay for just a little work? Did the early workers finally stop complaining and just accept the pay? The work is its own reward. They weren't concerned about pleasing God. Thoughts on the parable of the Gracious Landowner – Please read Matthew 20:1-16. They were indignant that the others got a full day’s wage. The later workers, the sinners, didn’t dare make any claim as to what they deserved to be paid for joining the work. Jesus had just overturned the tables in the temple courts and driven out the moneychangers. There was a landowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. Because they're rejecting the One who will become the cornerstone of God's kingdom. The chief priests and the elders come to Jesus and ask him, "By what authority are you doing these things? Last of all, he sent his son to them. b. Ibn al Tayyib said, “In the Gospel, salvation through Christ is open to Simeon who held the baby Jesus in the Temple at the beginning of his life, and to the thief who believed at the end. The owner wanted to demonstrate his grace and generosity personally, so he hired all the workers himself through direct personal contact. Also, the generous owner decided to cut his profits by paying a living wage, a day’s wage, to everyone who worked, even those who only worked an hour. The early workers seem to feel they were more worthy of the pay. By asking these questions, they were looking for a way to discredit Him. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. By asking these questions, they were looking for a way to discredit Him. (M), 43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you(N) and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. He respects those who are unemployed, and he wants to provide a living wage, as well as the dignity of work and self-reliance. THE OWNER. ‘(H)The stone which the builders rejected,This became the chief corner stone;This came about from the Lord,And it is marvelous in our eyes’? As we read this passage, we should consider our openness to divine correction. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit (Matthew 21:33–34). 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. Awesome. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. So instead of making a mid-course correction and repenting, they ended up under God's condemnation. 35 The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. Not only was He disrespecting their traditions and healing people in the temple courts, but children were shouting to Him in the temple courts, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Its significance is revealed in the way ... You can be part of the movement that brings the greatest story of all time to everyone, everywhere, in every language. 33 “Listen to another parable. The vineyard is the kingdom of God in which the laborers are invited to work for the owner. 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected    has become the cornerstone;the Lord has done this,    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]? There are a few surprises in the story: In the beginning, the owner was the one doing the driving to town, the hiring of workers. As you look around you at the world, and you observe all the apparent inequities, can you still trust in the Lord who said in this parable, “. 34 When the [c]harvest time approached, he (E)sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. 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. It seems to argue against the doctrine of rewards.. The vineyard owner is almost generous to a fault. THE OWNER. (P), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. But now God had sent Jesus hoping that He'd demand the respect that was not given to the prophets. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed (Matthew 21:38–44). They resent not getting bonus pay for all their religiosity, since those believers coming later are less worthy, are new to the scene, have accomplished less for the owner, God Himself. The workers who joined up later in the day, who knew they were not worthy, got paid first.