MORE DESTRUCTION

Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.'

But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. "What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!"

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone'? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

Luke 20:13-19

In Jesus' parable, rebelliousness does not only apply to killing the prophets.

The owner's son should be offered respect, recognition of a special status. Instead, the son is thrown out of the vineyard and meets his death. Of course, in this thinly-veiled parable, the son is the Son of God, whose death takes place outside the city of Jerusalem, at Golgotha.

The Greek word apokteino, means literally “to deprive of life” while the "Throw out" (NIV) or "cast out" (KJV) is the same Greek verb (ekballo) that is used when Jesus casts out a demon.

How will the owner (God) respond? With continued patience? Not at all!

In verse 16, the verb "kill" (NIV) or "destroy" (KJV) is a different verb than what happened to the son. It is apollumi, meaning "ruin, destroy, to cause destruction especially, put to death." Not the same immediacy as the previous verses.

Notice how the listeners of this parable respond: "May this never be!" (20:16)

The people must understand something of what Jesus means in this parable. The key idea of vineyard may have tipped them that Israel was the subject. Perhaps the plots swirling around Jesus and the people's belief that he was the Messiah contributed to their understanding. Even Jesus' enemies "knew he had spoken this parable against them." (20:19)

But Jesus, amazingly, rejects the people's spur-of-the-moment merciful impulse.

Jesus is clear that scripture must be fulfilled with the destruction of God's enemies.

HISTORY REPEATED

He went on to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.

He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.'

But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. "What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!"

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone'? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

Luke 20:9-19

If you've lived very long and are blessed with some self-perception, then you know how possible it is to rebel against God. You can love God on the one hand, but stand adamantly against his will on the other. Your reasoning and justification can rise to heights of presumption and convolution. You can even fool yourself (mostly) into believing your own rationale. But in the end you are a rebel, and more -- a rebellious unbeliever -- who loves God, or claims to. Crazy? Yes. But possible as I will try to evidence over the next few entries.

Jesus begins this story -- for that is what a parable is -- with a very familiar hallmark of the Middle Eastern agriculture, a vineyard.

The vineyard, along with the fig tree, is almost proverbial for abundant blessing. "Each man under his own vine and fig tree" is repeated over and over in the Old Testament. The vineyard sometimes refers metaphorically to Israel: "The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel...." (Isaiah 5:7).

But Jesus' parable of the vineyard is unique. It is not just a story, but an allegory, with each part representing something else. A man (who represents God in the parable) plants the vineyard and then rents it to tenants. "Rented" is Greek ekdidomi, "let out for hire, lease."

Tenant farmers are usually paid by allowing them to keep a portion of the harvest, with a fixed percentage going to the owner. But these tenants did not want to share.
"Tenant" in the NIV, or "husbandman" in the King James Version is the Greek georgos, which can refer either to the owner of a farm, or, in this case, to one who does agricultural work on a contractual basis, "vine-dresser, tenant farmer." When the owner's representatives come to claim the owner's share, the tenants beat and mistreat them. In our passage we see three words that describe this violence:

"Beat" is Greek dero, "to beat, whip."

"Treat shamefully" is Greek atimazo, "to dishonor, shame," perhaps subject to public ridicule. It is an especially grievous offence in the honor-shame oriented Semitic society.

"Wound" is Greek traumatizo, from which we get our word "traumatize."

It's pretty clear to the disciples who have heard Jesus' teaching who he is referring to.

Luke 11:47 – 50: "Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'

Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world…"

And in Luke 13, verse 34: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"

In this parable, the tenants represent unbelieving rulers, while the vineyard is the nation of Israel itself.

Jesus sees the current rulers doing the same as their ancestors -- killing the prophets who were sent to Israel to correct and turn hearts and praises to God as His fruit from His vineyard.

One day, that is precisely what they would do to the Son of God.

LIKE ISAAC, LIKE SON

And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously."

And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" (NKJV)

Luke 2:42-50

God is our heavenly Father. He sent His Son to earth. His Son was named Jesus. Jesus was born to parents Joseph & Mary. But even at an early age, Jesus knew of His heavenly connection. A 12 year-old Jesus stays behind in the temple as His family was leaving Jerusalem. They found Him later and said, “We have been searching for you.” Jesus replies, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Fathers’ house?” But they didn’t understand Him. Young people can relate to that. How many times have you been misunderstood by your parents?

Jesus understood His role. He was to be led to Calvary by doing His Father’s will.

Unlike Isaac, foreshadowing Christ as the sacrificial Son before God provided the Ram, Jesus knew that He was to be the sacrifice.

Like Isaac, there was willful submission; no wrestling, no fighting or restraint. Jesus knew his fate and even pleaded for His accusers and tormentors asking, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Then when He had been judged as an acceptable sacrifice - not just acceptable but also spotless, pure and holy - Jesus spoke once more to His Father in a loud voice saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit.” When He had said this, He breathed His last.

This is a day that you can guarantee your meeting with your heavenly Father. Jesus died on the cross at Calvary to be a sacrifice for our sins. He was obedient to God’s word. By confessing to God your belief of Jesus’ sacrifice for your sins, you will find a place in Heaven.

* Scripture quoted is from the New King James translation.

OBEDIENCE AT ANY COST

Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."

And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (*NKJV)

Genesis 22:9-12

Imagine, it’s early morning, like any other morning. Dad’s out getting a donkey saddled up and he calls for you. You help him gather up the wood for an offering. You walk for three days to set up for a burnt offering and you realize or wonder, “we have the fire, we have the wood, but where is the lamb?” You leave your servants behind and move forward. The alter is all set up but still no lamb.

The scripture makes a quick summation saying only, “He bound his son Isaac and laid him upon the altar.” No word of explanation. No struggling by Isaac. We don’t read, “After wrestling with Isaac, Abraham had him bound.” Simply, he was bound and laid on the altar. Then as Abraham draws his knife, a voice calls out from Heaven, “Abraham, Abraham. Do not lay a hand on the lad. Do not do anything to him.”

Abraham had shown that he is obedient to God’s word. After hearing from God of this sacrifice, they set out the very next morning.

How often have we heard God’s command but we waited hoping it might change? How many times have we hoped God’s will would go away?

Sometimes our plans by God are not easy, but our obedience is pleasing to God.

* Scripture quoted is from the New King James translation.