“…There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?” Matthew 21:33-40
“…A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him and the inheritance shall be our’s. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.” Mark 12-1:9
“…A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be our’s. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others.” Luke 20:9-16
My Summary & Reflection
Jesus tells the story of a vineyard owner who hires some farmers to watch over his vineyard while he is away. When it was time to harvest his fruit, the man sent a servant to retrieve his harvest. The men who had been overseeing the vineyard beat the first servant and sent him away empty-handed. The vineyard owner then sends a second and a third servant to retrieve his harvest. Each of these servants were then beaten and both sent away without obtaining what they had been sent for. Lastly, the vineyard owner decided to send his son to retrieve his harvest, thinking that the men who had been watching over the vineyard would respect his son. However, instead of showing respect, the farmers decided to kill the vineyard owner’s son so that they could have his inheritance for themselves. The parable ends by asking, “When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?”
Jesus tells this parable after speaking about John the Baptist and his ministry. “For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye when ye had seen it repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.” Matthew 21:32 Jesus is comparing the servants sent by the vineyard owners to the prophets sent by God. He is also comparing the husbandmen to those who had been entrusted with God’s domain on earth. The servants, like the prophet John the Baptist, were mistreated.
God, the vineyard owner, sends his son to retrieve what is His. But, as in the parable, Jesus is foreshadowing that God’s son will be killed. He then asks, what then will happen to the husbandmen when the owner returns? Or, what will happen to the people who slew God’s son? In Mark, the answer is given, “…He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.” Mark 12-9 It seems that Jesus is saying that those who believe themselves to be the guardians of God’s domain on earth, the husbandmen, will be judged and replaced by those who humble themselves and follow the instructions of his son.
Your Reflection
- Why do you think that the husbandmen refused to return the harvest to the vineyard owner through his representatives?
- How do you treat others who you believe have no direct power or influence over your life?
- How would you react when someone challenges what you think you deserve?