the parable of the vineyard

Good morning friends,
The religious leaders aren't the only ones who become more aggressive in once Jesus enters the city. In our reading for today Jesus tells a parable warning of terrible judgment against the religious leaders and getting close to proclaiming openly who he is. The prophet Isaiah also has a parable about a vineyard, and several other times in the Old Testament a vineyard is used as a symbol for Israel. In this case God puts his vineyard in the care of some tenants to oversee it. Since the vineyard was a well known way of talking about Israel, the religious leaders figure out pretty quickly that they are the tenants who ought to have cared for God's vineyard and ought to have gladly given God the first fruits of the harvest.

That's not what these tenants do. Instead when the landlord sends servants (prophets) to collect his share the tenants beat them and send them away empty handed. So the landlord sends his only son (Jesus) thinking he will be respected. Instead, the tenants kill him, bringing judgment on themselves. Of course this story isn't just about the religious leaders of Jesus' time; it speaks to leaders in every time who are entrusted with the care of God's vineyard. All of us who lead are responsible to make sure that the vineyard bears good fruit and that we give the first fruits to God, remembering whose vineyard it is. The story also reminds us that God takes the stone rejected by the builders and makes it the foundation for a wonderful building. In this week that takes us through Christ's rejection we also look for ways we might be rejecting something God wants us to value highly.

May God bless you richly with reflection and transformation in this Holy Week,
Sam

Luke 20:9-19

9He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenants, and went to another country for a long time. 10When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. 12And he sent still a third; this one also they wounded and threw out.

13Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”

When they heard this, they said, “Heaven forbid!” 17But he looked at them and said, “What then does this text mean: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? 18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” 19When the scribes and chief priests realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people.