The next parable we find in Matthew 21. And Jesus does give us some interpretation of this one.
Matthew 21:33-41 - Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
Christ is giving this parable about a landowner who has built a wonderful vineyard for himself and has left charge for some men to care for it as he goes into a far country.
Luke 20:9- Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
He must have been gone so long that the workers forgot who He was. These men beat and kill all of the servants who come from the landowner because they don't want to give up control of something they have come to view as "theirs".
Mark tells us this heir is well beloved by his father. Mark 12:6- Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
Matthew 17:5- While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
The last person to come is the landowner's son, the one who would eventually inherit the vineyard. Knowing that this heir is well beloved should have made them question the consequences of their actions. But, these wicked people think if they destroy the heir that they could lay claim to the vineyard.
This is very similar to a story told by Isaiah.
Isaiah 5:1-7- Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Jesus tells us that in his parable He is speaking about the religious leaders of His day. They were the ones who wanted to own the vineyard. They are also the reason the vineyard wasn't bringing forth the kind of fruit the landowner was looking to reap.
Matthew 23:13- But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
These religious leaders were the reason the nation of Israel was so bad! They were more concerned with their traditions than the Law, in fact, they rated their traditions of more importance than the Law of Moses! And because of this, they were making it almost impossible for anyone to be able to properly keep the commandments of God because they didn't know what was a commandment and what was a forced custom.
John 11:47-48- Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
As heads of the people, it was their job to make certain that the Jews were ready to accept the Messiah when He came. However, they didn't want to accept Jesus, even though He proved He was their Messiah through miracles. They were worried about their position as leaders in the nation. And Jesus called them out on this and told them exactly what would happen to them because of it.
Matthew 21:42-44- Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
The Pharisees were very angry at Jesus for this parable. Jesus knew they already planned on killing Him, it was the reason why He came. However, we get a glimpse of why they got so angry from Paul. Jesus is telling the Pharisees that they would be set aside as God's chosen people and the Gentiles would be accepted.
Romans 11:11-12,15,19,25- I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
The Jews were very self-righteous in their estimation of their nation. They viewed themselves as being the best because their forefathers were chosen by God. Yet, they have a history of beating and killing the prophets that were sent to them. And, they did the same to Jesus.
Matthew 23:37- O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Peter really drove this point home to them in Acts 4:10-12- Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Because the religious leaders rejected Christ, the door to salvation was opened to the Gentiles. And, God is using this blessing to provoke the Jewish nation to repent. Paul tells us that one day the "time of the Gentiles" will end and that God will again deal primarily with the nation of Israel.
Right now they are the blind leading the blind.
Luke 6:39-45- And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
The Pharisees were so busy thinking themselves righteous because they strictly followed tradition that they missed the Scriptures that foretold what the Messiah would actually be like. He would fulfill the Scriptures, not tradition. But they couldn't perceive anything, because even though they were "righteous" on the outside, they were corrupt inside.
Matthew 15:12-14- Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
This parable shows what happens when you aren't willing to accept what Jesus says because you can't swallow your pride. You can lose your way. You can lose your life. The Jews lost their nation for over 1,800 years!
But, like Paul said earlier, the time of the Gentiles will come to an end, and when it does the whole world is going to be turned upside down!
