33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” 41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
Jesus continued to argue for His authority by giving a second parable. This parable was about wicked tenant farmers who represented religious leaders who challenged Jesus’ authority.
21:33
“Hear another parable: Jesus challenged religious leaders to hear another parable. There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.
The Lord introduced another parable about a vineyard, but in this case He used the image of tenant farmers. The owner of the vineyard leased it to these farmers to produce fruit. The analogy was that Israel had the responsibility to be true to God’s revelation.
21:34
Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.
At vintage-time the owner sent his people to harvest the grapes. By analogy, these refer to the prophets.
21:35
And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
The tenant farmers persecuted those who came to harvest the grapes. The farmers hijacked the plan. Religious Israel hijacked God’s original plan.
21:36
Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.
The owner sent other people to harvest, with the same result.
21:37
Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
Finally, the owner sent his own son, assuming the farmers would honor his flesh and blood. The Father sent His Son as well.
21:38
But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’
The farmers decided to kill the son because he was heir to the fortune.
21:39
So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
They killed the son. This is an obvious reference to religion killing Jesus.
21:40
“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
Jesus asked the religious leaders of Israel what they thought the owner would do with those who killed his son.
21:41
They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
The religious leaders condemned themselves again (as in the previous parable). Along with the Roman authorities, they were about to put Jesus on the cross.
PRINCIPLE:
People with no illusions respond to grace.
APPLICATION:
Here is the interpretation. God is the landowner. Israel is the vineyard. Religious leaders are the tenant farmers. God repeatedly sent prophets to speak about the Messiah, but religion persecuted the prophets. In God’s final revelation, He sent His Son, whom they killed.
The greatest issue today is what will people do with the Son of God. Accept Him or reject Him? Religion always gets in the way of Christ. It is a phony substitute for reality. Religion is the enemy of Christ. People with no allusions respond to grace.
