Jesus told the parable of the tenants during the last week of his earthly life. The story, like all of Jesus parables, was true to life. It gave a depiction of Israel’s religious history, its rejection and killing of God’s servants (the prophets), and its rejection and killing of God’s Son.
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day knew for certain that his parable was directed against them and their fathers.
THE PARABLE
A landowner had a parcel of land and decided to plant a vineyard on it. After he planted the vineyard he put a wall around it to protect it from animals and unwanted intruders.
The vineyard was an important source of income for the landowner, though he would have to wait for four years before the vines began to produce grapes.
During this time he would lease portions of the vineyard to tenants who would prepare the soil, plant, fertilize, water, and care for the vines. The landowner would support the tenants, buy fertilizer and supplies for the vineyard, and hope that in the fifth year he might have a good profit.
The landowner went away on a journey for an extended period of time to make money doing other things while the tenant oversaw the vineyard in his absence.
When the harvest time approached the landowner sent his servant to collect what the tenants owed him.
The servant was seized, beaten, and sent back to the landowner. The message which the landowner received was that the tenants had no intention of paying what they owed.
The landowner, therefore, sent another servant to the tenants with the same request. The tenants struck him on the head, treated him shamefully, and they also sent him away empty-handed.
The landowner sent a third servant and again the tenants refused to honor their lease agreement and wounded the servant.
As a last resort, the landowner sent his son, whom he loved, (quite possibly his only son) who was the heir to the vineyard, thinking that the tenants would recognize authority when they were confronted by his son. “They will respect my son,” he said.
The tenants decided to kill the son and take the inheritance. They initially admitted him to the vineyard, but in order not to defile the vines with blood, they killed him outside the vineyard. Hebrews 13:12
This final act of defiance by the tenants provoked the wrath of the landowner. Jesus asked the question: “What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?” His answer: “He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
THE MEANING OF THE PARABLE
The story Jesus told was readily understood by the Jews. They must have been quick to notice the quotation from Isaiah’s prophecy:
I will sing to the one I loved a song about his vineyard: My love one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit (Isa 5:1-2).
The Jewish people knew this song by heart and sang it in synagogue worship. They also knew the conclusion of the song:
The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress (Isaiah 5:7).
The religious leaders knew that the parable applied especially to them. They realized that Jesus was referring to the prophets God had sent to Israel. Some of these prophets were killed because of the message they brought. One of them, Zechariah, was murdered between the temple and the altar (2 Chronicles 24:20).
When Jesus spoke of the landowner’s son He was speaking prophetically of His impending death.
Directly addressing his audience, Jesus appealed to Psa 118:22-23The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Jesus shifted the imagery from the tenants who rejected the son to the builders who rejected the stone.
The tenants by killing the son destroyed themselves, and the builders by rejecting the stone removed any hope of heaven for them. The cornerstone is the keystone of the building that holds all other stones in place. Remove the cornerstone and everything crumbles.
Jesus implied that He was the personification of the landowner’s son, as well as of the stone rejected by the builders.
The religious leaders were the tenants of the vineyard and the builders who rejected the cornerstone. Thus Jesus spoke of his imminent death and impending exaltation.
APPLICATION
The parable was applied to the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. They were portrayed as wicked tenants as well as disobedient builders. They opposed the owner of the vineyard (God the Father), and killed His Son (Jesus Christ) which led to their own eternal destruction. It also applies to anyone today who rejects the Son.
Because the Jews (except the elect remnant) rejected God’s son and killed Him God gave the vineyard (His kingdom) to others, namely, the elect among the Gentiles.
The point of the parable is that God’s patience will come to an end toward those who oppose Him and reject His Son.
The passage also proclaims a message of assurance and confidence to the faithful follower of Jesus. They are a part of God’s chosen race, royal priesthood, and holy nation. 1 Peter 2:4-10
