33"Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, "They will respect my son.' 38But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, "This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' 39So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"
41They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."
42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:
| "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'? |
43"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."
45Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. 46But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.
It is easy to see that in this parable the landowner is God, the vineyard is the kingdom of heaven, the vine dressers are the chief priests, the servants are the prophets of old who they have rejected, and the landowner’s son is Jesus, whom they want to destroy. It is interesting to note the actions of the wicked vine dressers that Jesus points out. It isn’t that they are lazy and not producing fruit, or that they are stealing from the landowner’s profits, but that they are trying to set up the inheritance of the vineyard for themselves.
This parable, like the others before this, also points to the self serving attitude of the chief priests and elders. They wanted the son’s inheritance. They wanted what was due to God. And they would kill the son thinking they would then be able to get what they desired.
But as a landowner in such a situation would do, God will take the kingdom away from them and it will be given to a nation which will bear the fruits of the kingdom and render them to God. The purpose of those who are leased the kingdom of heaven is to bear the fruits. Ownership still belongs to God.
There are a couple of other interesting things about this parable. Jesus reminds them of the scripture that said the stone which the builders rejected shall become the chief cornerstone. It is obvious that He is talking of Himself and their rejection of Him, and how He will be the chief cornerstone of the Kingdom. It seems like Jesus is giving warning of God’s punishment for their rejection when He goes on to talk of those who fall on the stone or those who the stone falls on. But when you look at the text where this scripture comes from, from Psalm 118, you see it is a Psalm of God’s everlasting mercy:
| Psalm 118 Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy 1Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2Let Israel now say, "His mercy endures forever." 3Let the house of Aaron now say, "His mercy endures forever." 4Let those who fear the LORD now say, "His mercy endures forever." 5I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. 6The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. 8It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. 9It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes. 10All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 11They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 12They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 13You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the LORD helped me. 14The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. 15The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. 16The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. 17I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the LORD. 18The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death. 19Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, And I will praise the LORD. 20This is the gate of the LORD, Through which the righteous shall enter. 21I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation. 22The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. 23This was the LORD's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. 24This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. 25Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. 26Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. 27God is the LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. 28You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. 29Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. |
The landowner sent more servants after they killed the first ones. The landowner sent his own son after they killed the other servants. The chief priests and Pharisees thought the landowner ought to destroy the vine dressers. But if that is Jesus' intent with the parable, why would He follow it up with scripture of God’s everlasting mercy?
Will God destroy those who try to destroy His Son? Before Jesus talks of destruction, He talks of the cornerstone. I looked it up in my dictionary. A cornerstone is a stone at the corner of a building uniting two intersecting walls; such a stone laid at a ceremony; the essential or main basis of something. Jesus is the cornerstone Who will unite people of all backgrounds, from all nations, not just the Children of Israel. He will be placed as the cornerstone at His death and resurrection. He will be the essential or main basis of their new faith.
Will God destroy those who try to destroy His Son? God continues to show His endless mercy. Actually, those who try to destroy Jesus will destroy themselves. God will make the One they rejected the chief cornerstone.
Yes, just as the chief priests and Pharisees said the landowner should lease the vineyard to other vine dressers who would render to him the fruits in due season, Jesus would take the kingdom away from those who reject Him and give it not just to those individuals who will do His will, but to a nation who will bear the fruit of the kingdom. But would He destroy the wicked vine dressers?
What does Jesus mean when He talks of those who fall on this stone being broken? Is He referring to the destruction of the person himself , or the beliefs of that person? He could be referring to final judgment so meaning the destruction of the person himself. But because Jesus first refers to God’s mercy, I almost wonder if this is not referring to a punishment, but to another form of God’s mercy. He who will be shown no mercy when those who want to inherit what is God’s reject Him and try to destroy Him, will show mercy to any who accept Him. I think this verse shows the frailty of that which is not built on Jesus as the chief cornerstone. Other basis of faith must be and will be completely broken when trying to be fitted on the foundation of Jesus. There is only one cornerstone, and that is Jesus. And accepting Jesus as the cornerstone will completely destroy any other foundation of faith.
There are those who walk past Jesus, hear his teachings, but choose to ignore Him, stubbornly keeping to their ways, like these chief priests are trying to do. But the only way to let Jesus in is to break your ways. And once you let Jesus in, you will find your old beliefs and attitudes completely crushed. This is not of your own doing, but of God’s doing. And isn’t it marvelous that God is so complete in His conversion of us?