After the religious elite challenged Jesus’ authority, he began teaching them in parables. One is recorded in all three Synoptic gospels: “The Parable of the Tenants” (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12). They record that Jesus spoke this parable against them (19).
The object is a man who planted a vineyard. The subject is the world’s most common occupation, ordinary farmers. The Lord God is the man who owns the vineyard. The vineyard is his people with whom he established a covenant with and gave a good set of standards to live by. The ordinary farmers are religious leaders.
The owner expected some of the harvest. The ordinary farmers knew this. However, somewhere along their way, they began thinking higher of themselves. The subjects began thinking they were the objects, and the Lord God was to be ignored. They instituted a covenant and imposed their standards upon those they were entrusted to. They portrayed that they were acting in the interest of God. However, they were thieves, selfish, and greedy. They became richer than the field could endure.
When the man who owned the field sent people to collect some of the fruit of his field, they persecuted them and sent them away empty-handed. Finally, he sent his son, Jesus, whom he loved. My generation has far too many very wealthy religious elite who do not preach the gospel. Is the same ills in my heart?
