By Bob Vaughn -
uca@uncommonanswers.com
"Contending for the faith once delivered to the saints"
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The Wicked
Vinedressers
Jesus told a parable and Matthew shared
it with us in Matthew 21:33-44. You’ve probably read it before, but
let’s read it again.
“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. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants
to the vinedressers, that they might
receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat
one, killed one, and stoned another.
Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did
likewise to them. Then last of all he sent
his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when
the vinedressers saw the son, they said
among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and
seize his inheritance.’ So they took him
and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.”
“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he
do to those vinedressers?”
They 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.”
Jesus 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’?
“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from
you and given to a nation bearing
the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be
broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind
him to powder.”
It seems obvious that the landowner is
God and that He has provided a vineyard (verse 43 - the Kingdom of
God), and provided for it’s care and for it’s fruitfulness. He has even
found vinedressers (Israel the nation) who have agreed to tend His
vineyard. The servants who the landowner sent, were the prophets that
were so wrongly treated by a God rejecting Israel. Finally the son of
the landowner came. He too was rejected (verse 42 - the stone which the
builders rejected) as the prophets had predicted he would be. The
vineyard (the Kingdom of God) has now been taken from the wicked
vinedressers (Israel) and given to others who will bring forth fruit
for the landowner.
Christ’s Church; the congregation of
true believers; those who have entered into the Kingdom of God (the
rule of God); the Bride of Christ; the Body of Christ; the Saints; call
them what you will. You know who I mean. These are now the vinedressers
(to whom have been given the kingdom) bringing forth fruit for the
landowner (God).
Notice that verse 43 says that the
Kingdom of God was to be taken from Israel. The kingdom was taken from
Israel as a nation but not from individual Israelites. Israelites -
just like anyone else - can enter the Kingdom of God; the Church. But
Israel the nation had rejected God’s rule and His Son. To be saved they
must enter the Kingdom of God as all others do - through faith in the
atoning work of God’s Son.
For too long we have been told that
they, the Israelites, are special. They are not special now. They were called, as a nation, to bring
forth the Messiah - the Christ. Even in their rebellion, God found a
“remnant” through
which He could perform His purpose. The Messiah has come. God’s special
purpose for Israel is complete. Now His kingdom has been taken from
them and given to the New Testament Church.
There are true believers in every nation
and of every race. They are those who have shared in the atoning and
delivering effects of the shed blood of God’s Son, Jesus the Christ.
None are saved by their pedigree.
Bob Vaughn