The Seriousness of Rejecting Him
TRANSLATION
(28) “What do you think (of this)? A man had two sons, and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’ (29) And he answered, ‘I will not (go).’ But later he changed his mind and went. (30) He then went to his other (son) and said the same thing. And he answered, ‘I will go, sir,’ but he did not go. (31) Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I tell you that the tax collectors and prostitutes enter the kingdom of God ahead of you, (32) for John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him, and, even after you saw this, you refused to change your minds and believe him.
(33) “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, set a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. He then leased it to tenants and left for another country. (34) And when the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to receive (his share of) the fruit. (35) The tenants took his servants and beat up one, killed another, and stoned yet another. (36) Again, he sent other servants, more than at first, and they did the same to them. (37) Finally he sent his son to them saying, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’ (38) But when the tenants saw his son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance.’ (39) And they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. (40) When the owner of the vineyard comes, what do you think he will do to those tenants?” (41) They said to him, “He will destroy those evil wretches and will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will return to him his share of the harvest.” (42) Jesus then said to them, “Have you not read in the Scriptures, ‘The same stone which the builders rejected has been made the cornerstone? This was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’ (43) Therefore, I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will be given to a nation which will produce the fruit it should. (44) The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and on whomever it falls, it will crush him into dust.” (45) And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he had been speaking about them. (46) And when they considered arresting him, they feared the crowds because they considered him a prophet.
OBSERVATIONS
Repetitions in these verses help us grasp the meaning of the passage. The two most frequently repeated words were “son(s)” (used six times in vss. 28, 30, 37, & 38) and “tenants” (also found six times in vss. 33, 34, 35, 38, 40, & 41). Other repetitions included “vineyard” (four times in vss. 28, 33, 40, & 41), “changed his mind/changed your mind” (vss. 29 & 32), “the tax collectors and the prostitutes” (vss. 31 & 32), “the kingdom of God” (vss. 31 & 43), “believe(d)” (three times in vs. 32), “parable(s)” (vss. 33 & 35), “harvest” (vs. 34 & 41), “fruit” (vss. 34 & 43), “servants” (three times in vss. 34, 35, & 36), “kill/killed” (vss. 38 & 39), “stone/cornerstone” (vss. 42 & 44), and “falls” (twice in vs. 44). Again, Jesus used an Old Testament passage, Psalm 118:22 & 23, to reinforce his message.
OUTLINE
I. God’s Kingdom belongs to those who actually do God’s will, not just profess to do it. (28-32)
II. Judgment awaits those who attempt to thwart God’s purposes. (33-41)
III. The Jewish leaders realized that Jesus had spoken these parables against them. (42-46)
IDEA STATEMENT
Jesus repeatedly warned the leaders of Israel that their rejection of his ministry would inevitably lead to their destruction.
APPLICATION
By means of two parables and a quotation from Psalm 118, Jesus served notice to Israel’s religious leaders that God’s judgment would inevitably fall on them for their rejection of his ministry. Their unbelief not only blocked their entering into God’s Kingdom which has been made accessible by grace to all sinners but it turned them into God’s enemies. By rejecting the one who would become the chief cornerstone, they had chosen a path that would inevitably lead to their physical destruction and eternal separation from God.
Consider the curse God pronounced against Satan in the Garden of Eden, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Gen. 3:15 in the NIV). When we compare these solemn words to the warning Christ issued regarding the cornerstone that “will crush” those on whom it falls, we find a striking similarity regarding any who oppose God’s will and purpose.