Matthew 21:33-46 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 21:33-46 on biblegateway.com
Verse 33"Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. Verse 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. Verse 35But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Verse 36Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Verse 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' Verse 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance." Verse 39So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Verse 40Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" Verse 41They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time." Verse 42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is amazing in our eyes'? Verse 43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. Verse 44The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls." Verse 45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. Verse 46They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
Devotion
Could Jesus have been any more outrageous? He takes the Pharisees to task, first calling them hypocrites (Matt. 21:23-32), now practically out-and-out cheats and murderers.
This side of Jesus is hard to warm up to. It’s easier to hear him say, “Blessed are the peacemakers” or “Let the little children come to me.” Like the Pharisees, we hear the echoes of Isaiah 5, and we know that the landowner means business. The wicked tenants – the ones who don’t respect the landowner, who look out for themselves, who think they can get away with murder – aren’t welcome anymore … their vineyard will be taken away, or worse.
Jesus isn’t just talking to the Jews, or to the self-righteous religious leaders. He’s talking to everyone who 'hears these words and does not follow them.’ (Matt. 7:26) Could that be us?
Prayer
How am I caring for your vineyard today, Lord? Help me remember I am but a steward of your kingdom. Amen.