Mark 12.1-11, Matthew 21.33-46, Luke 20.9-19.
Most Christians think of
Thing is, that’s only some Pharisees. Just like how the gospel of John showed Jesus getting opposed by “the Judeans” (
And the Pharisees weren’t the only bad guys. There were
When Jesus tells this story, it’s not just to Pharisees. It’s to members of the
He compares ’em to vineyard farmers who are utterly rebelling against their boss. Because the vineyard, they figured, was theirs. And the fruit was theirs. And the boss was never gonna return to deal with them, so they were free to run things however they liked, with no consequences. You know, pretty much like our elected officials run things now, despite the people who elect ’em.
Mark 12.1-11 KWL - 1 Jesus began to tell the Pharisees parabolically,
- “A person plants a vineyard, puts a wall round it,
- digs out a winepress trough, builds a watchtower,
- gives it to farmers, and goes abroad.
- 2 In time he sends a slave to the farmers,
- so he might get fruit from the vineyard from the farmers.
- 3 Taking the slave, the farmers beat him,
- and send him away with nothing.
- 4 Again, the master sends another slave to them;
- they punch that slave in the head and insult him.
- 5
The master sends another; that one they kill. - He sends many others; some they beat, some they kill.
- 6 The master has one beloved son, and sends him to them last,
- saying this: ‘The farmers will respect my son.’
- 7 These farmers tell themselves this: ‘This is the heir!
- Come! If we kill him, we’ll be the heirs!’
- 8 Taking the son, they kill him
- and throw him out of the vineyard.
- 9 So what will the master do with the vineyard?
- He’ll come and wipe out the farmers, and give the vineyard to others.
- 10 Didn’t you read this writing?—
- ‘A stone which the housebuilders reject:
- This is made into the cornerstone.
- 11 This is made by the Lord,
- and to our eyes, this is amazing.’ ”
Ps 118.22-23 - 12 The senators were looking to have Jesus stopped,
- yet were afraid of the crowd.
- For they knew the parable he told is about them.
- Abandoning him, they left.