Thoughts for the Day

Jesus said, ‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants is told in all three of the Synoptic Gospels (ie in Matthew, Mark and Luke). In Matthew's Gospel it comes during the last week of Jesus' life. The owner of some land creates a new vineyard, taking time and attending to every detail - he sought to protect his vines with a wall and a tower to defend it from thieves. Having done this he rents it out to some tenants who must prune and protect his vines, and bring in a good harvest. Finally, the owner sends his slaves to collect his share of the profit. However, the tenants are treating the vineyard as their own and no longer recognises the owner as lord of the vineyard. Subsequently they kill the slaves and the landowner's son thinking they can then take full possession of the vineyard.

The Hebrew scriptures often use this image of a vineyard for the nation of Israel (Isaiah 5.7) with God as the landowner. The images in the parable would have been understood by the people: the tenants are the religious leaders in Israel; the slaves are the prophets; and the landowner's son is the Messiah, whom we understand to be Jesus, the Son of God.

There are two important lessons for us to learn today. First, Jesus was to offer those who were to kill him a second chance. On the cross he asked God to forgive them (Luke 23.34). Second, this is a parable that applies to us, for we are offered another chance to turn to God, and repent of our sin.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You offered Your enemies
forgiveness when on the cross,
and You also offer us absolution
from our sins when we truly repent.
Help us to understand that if we reject You
we are little better than
those who rejected You in the Temple.
Forgive us the times we ignore Your wishes,
and help us to admit our sin this Lent.
Then might we approach Easter
with a clean and joyful heart.
Amen.