33 Hear another parable: 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: 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38 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. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. (Matthew 21:33-46 KJV)
The Parable of the Tenants
This parable clearly sets forth the sin and ruin of the Jewish nation; they and their leaders are the husbandmen. What is spoken for their conviction also serves as a warning to all who enjoy the privileges of the visible church—not to be arrogant but to fear.
The Jewish church’s privileges are represented by the leasing of a vineyard to the husbandmen. They were tenants under God, the great Householder. God established a church for himself in the world. The kingdom of God on earth is compared to a vineyard, furnished with everything necessary for its management and growth. He planted this vineyard, for the church is the planting of the Lord (Isa 61:3). It is the vineyard his right hand planted (Ps 80:15), with the choicest vine (Isa 5:2), a noble vine (Jer 2:21).
The earth naturally produces thorns and briars, but vines must be planted. The church exists due to God’s favor and revelation. He hedged it round about, placing it under his special protection, like the hedge around Job (Job 1:10), a wall of fire (Zec 2:5). The covenant of circumcision and the ceremonial law were a hedge around the Jewish church, later removed by Christ, who established gospel order and discipline. He dug a winepress and built a tower. The altar of burnt offerings was the winepress, where all offerings were brought. God instituted ordinances in his church for its oversight and fruitfulness.
God entrusted these privileges to the Jews, especially their chief priests and elders. He leased the vineyard to them—not because he needed them but to test them and be glorified through them. When Judah was known to God, when they were chosen as his people (Jer 13:11), when he revealed his word to Jacob (Ps 147:19), when the covenant of life and peace was made with Levi (Mal 2:4-5), this vineyard was leased out. The Lord of the vineyard was to receive the main profit, while the keepers were granted a portion as a fair reward. Then he went into a far country. After establishing the Jewish church at Mount Sinai, God withdrew; they had no more open visions but were left to the written word. Or, they imagined he was gone, as Israel thought of Moses when they made the golden calf.
God expected fruit from these husbandmen (Mt 21:34). It was reasonable; who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? From those who enjoy church privileges, God expects corresponding fruit. His expectations were not hasty—he waited until the time of harvest. They were not excessive—he only sent his servants to remind them of their duty. These servants were the prophets, sent to instruct and correct them. They were not harsh—he only asked for what he himself had planted: obedience to his laws. Yet Israel was an empty vine, bringing forth wild grapes.
The husbandmen shamefully abused the messengers God sent. They mistreated them despite their authority as representatives of the master. The calls and reproofs of the word, if not heeded, provoke resistance. God’s faithful messengers have always suffered. The prophets were hated, beaten, killed, and stoned. Jeremiah was beaten, Isaiah was killed, and Zechariah was stoned in the temple. Those who call others to godliness often suffer the most (2Ch 36:16). The chief priests and elders, who sat in Moses’ seat, were their fiercest enemies (Isa 66:5; Jer 20:1-2; Jer 26:11). Yet God persisted in sending more servants, demonstrating his patience. But the people persisted in their wickedness. One sin led to another. Those who shed the blood of saints thirst for more.
Finally, he sent his Son. Never did grace appear more gracious than in this act. Surely, they will respect my Son. It was reasonable to expect that the Son of God, coming to his own, would be revered. He came with greater authority than the prophets; judgment was committed to him. There was greater danger in rejecting him than in refusing Moses. Yet, never did sin appear more sinful than in their treatment of him. Seeing the Son, they said, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him” (Mt 21:38).
They knew he was the Messiah but sought to eliminate him to maintain their position. They pretended he must die to save the people from the Romans (John 11:50), but their real motive was self-preservation. By removing Jesus, they hoped to secure their power. But while they sought to kill him and seize his inheritance, he gained his crown through the cross, and they were destroyed (Ps 2:2-9). Their hatred led them to seize, kill, and cast him out of the vineyard (Mt 21:39). He was crucified outside the gate (Heb 13:12), treated as unworthy of life and of the church.
Their doom was declared (Mt 21:40-41). Jesus asked, “When the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those husbandmen?” They answered, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men.” Many foresee the judgment of others but ignore their own fate. The Lord of the vineyard will come to settle accounts. God, the true owner, will show his authority. Persecutors think God delays judgment, but his justice will come. He will destroy those wicked men.
This was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. Hell will be worse for those who had the greatest privileges and abused them. He will lease the vineyard to other husbandmen. The rejection of the Jews led to the inclusion of the Gentiles. Persecutors may kill ministers, but they cannot destroy the church. The Jews assumed they were indispensable, but God does not need anyone. If one people reject him, he will raise another to bear fruit.
Jesus affirmed their judgment by referring to Ps 118:22-23: “The Stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” The builders’ rejection of the stone is the same as the tenants’ abuse of the son. The chief priests and elders refused to give Christ a place in the Jewish church. Yet he was exalted by God. “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” The Jews’ rejection of him is astonishing—that people could be so blinded against their own good (Isa 29:9-10, 14). The honor given him by the Gentile world, despite the abuse he suffered from his own people, is equally marvelous (Isa 49:7).
The kingdom of God was taken from the Jews (Ro 9:4; Ro 3:2; Ps 76:1-2). They opposed the gospel of Christ, forfeiting their privileges (Re 2:4-5). The Gentiles were taken in. If his vine is uprooted in one place, he will plant it elsewhere. “It shall go to a nation producing its fruit” (Ro 11:30, 33; Acts 22:21-22). Christ knows in advance who will bear gospel fruit. The New Testament church has brought God more glory than the Old Testament church.
This stone, which the builders rejected, causes the fall of many in Israel (Mt 21:42-44). Some stumble at Christ in his humiliation. Others oppose him in his exaltation. The Jews declared, “His blood be on us and our children,” and it crushed them. If they are too hardened to be broken by stumbling over him, the stone will fall on them and crush them. “He will strike through kings, he will fill places with dead bodies” (Ps 110:5-6).
The chief priests and elders perceived that he spoke about them (Mt 21:45). A guilty conscience needs no accuser. They sought to lay hands on him, but fear of the crowd restrained them. God has many ways to restrain human wrath while using it to serve his purposes (Ps 76:10).