Thoughts for the Day

Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables. 'A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watch-tower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, "They will respect my son." But those tenants said to one another. "This is the heir; come let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours." So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.'

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Over the weeks we have seen that Mark includes both Greek and local Aramaic words in his Gospel. Today, though, he speaks only to those who would understand the meaning of the word "vineyard". Jesus tells this parable to people who know that in the Hebrew Scriptures "vineyard" means 'the people of God'. The owner is God, the tenants are the leaders of Israel, the servants are the prophets and kings that God sends to his people, and the owner's son is, of course, Jesus.

There are two important things to learn from this story:

• The Jewish leaders know that Jesus is accusing them of leading the people astray.
• Jesus knows that he is the final messenger, the Son of God, and that if the people do not listen to him, he will be killed.

The great theologian, Spurgeon, once said: 'If you do not hear the well beloved Son of God, you have refused your last hope. He is God’s ultimatum. Nothing remains when Christ is refused. No one else can be sent; heaven itself contains no further messenger. If Christ be rejected, hope is rejected.'

If we too reject Jesus, and choose to go our own way, then all hope is gone!

Lord God,
You are the creator and owner of our world,
and of our Church.
May we listen to Your messengers
and especially to Your Son.
our Lord, Jesus Christ,
as we seek to care for our world
and to carry Your love to those around us.
Amen.