When Jesus told the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21, His hearers were no doubt reminded of Naboth’s vineyard in 1 Kings 21. Evil King Ahab coveted the abundant vineyard and offered to buy it, but Naboth refused. His queen, Jezebel, then lied to have Naboth murdered, so Ahab could seize the property. The prophet Elijah condemned their unjust actions.
In Jesus’ story, a man planted a vineyard (vv. 33–39). The references to a winepress and a watchtower show that he had prepared it carefully before renting it out to tenants for a share of the harvest. When the time came, however, instead of paying the rent they murdered the owner’s three messengers and finally his son. No doubt audience outrage was growing as the story unfolded. Jesus the Master Teacher asked them to predict what would happen next (vv. 40–41). They naturally answered that the owner would deal out justice to those wicked tenants and find more honest ones.
Jesus then provocatively interpreted the story as symbolizing God, Israel, and Himself (vv. 42–46). The owner of the vineyard is God. The original tenants are the “chief priests and the Pharisees.” The messengers were the prophets. Jesus Himself is the owner’s Son, the rejected Cornerstone, the Messiah. The religious leaders knew that Jesus’ story condemned them and from that point on they wanted to arrest Him. Though this was an opportunity to repent, they missed it completely and instead acted exactly as the story described.
The next chapter in God’s kingdom plan would include both Jews and Gentiles (see Rom. 11:17–24), a plan the Jews hadn’t expected. Those who reject the Cornerstone will see the kingdom taken away from them and given to those who will “produce its fruit” (see Matt. 21:43). May we be among those who produce fruit for the kingdom!
Go Deeper
Compare and contrast those two vineyard stories. Why are people still rejecting Jesus today?
Pray with Us
We are grieved to know there are people who reject You, Jesus. Thank You for showing grace and mercy to us over and over. May we never miss the opportunity to seek Your face.
The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.Matthew 21:43
