When the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, “This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.” Matthew 21:15 ESV¹

Read Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12 & Luke 20:9-19

Revolutions are as old as history itself but no two such revolts are exactly the same. Some rebellions throughout human existence have brought about small changes; others have caused a complete overhaul of the previous administration. There is no set length of time it takes to complete a social revolution, nor is there a determiner of any one’s lasting influence. Though revolts often occur due to a perceived inadequacy or abuse of power, they actually happen for a variety of reasons. Many uprisings are violent, while other spirited protests are largely peaceful. But what all revolutions have in common is that they create some kind of change. A story, told by Jesus, illustrates the significant change which occurred as a result of the most fundamental revolt of all time.

Jesus taught this parable during His Passion Week—the week between the Triumphal Entry and the Crucifixion. The days leading up to the Passover Feast were both eventful and emotional for Jesus as He culminated His earthly life and prepared to fulfill the purpose for which He came. Jerusalem was full of people and many of them were stirred up concerning Jesus and the events surrounding His presence. Jesus told this story in response to the religious leaders’ demand that Jesus tell them by whose authority He was teaching and causing friction in Jerusalem (see Matthew 21:23). To the chief priest and scribes who confronted Him, Jesus said:

“‘Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near’” (Matthew 21:33-34a), “‘he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, “What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.” But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, “This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.” And 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 destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.’ When [the chief priests and scribes] heard this, they said, ‘Surely not!’ But [Jesus] looked directly at them and said, ‘What then is this that is written’” (Luke 20:10-17a): “‘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 marvelous in our eyes”? Therefore, I tell you; the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this Stone will be broken to pieces; and when It falls on anyone, It will crush him.’  When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they held Him to be a prophet” (Matthew 21:42b-46).

This parable is part of a two-parable series. The other one is about two sons and their differing responses regarding obedience to their father (to read my commentary on this parable, visit my blog post). Both of these parables dealt specifically with the subject of authority. Both were a chastisement of those who saw themselves as in charge when it came to religious matters. Both were intended to open the eyes of those in Jesus’ audience to the Ultimate Authority. And both included a warning of a coming significant loss if they continued in their rebellion. But the words and actions depicted in this parable are much stronger than those of disrespect and disobedience. This parable describes a revolution.

The Government

Every established government has a system of leadership. In Jesus’ parable, the master of the house was the one in control. The vineyard belonged to him. The master of the house stood for God Himself. The responsibilities of a government are to provide protection and defense, establish an economy, and provide services for those under its control. In return, the people are expected to obey the laws of the land and to pay taxes or give in some way to keep the government functioning.

In Jesus’ parable, the master of the house provided a fence, a winepress, and a tower. The fence gave the vineyard the necessary boundary; it kept out the unwelcome and kept in the desirable. The winepress provided an opportunity for employment and a means of providing for the workers in the vineyard. The tower was a lookout point for the military and/or peacekeepers to protect the citizens of the vineyard from harm.

Those to whom Jesus spoke knew the Scriptures well. In pointing out what the landowner did to prepare his vineyard for tenants, Jesus’ audience should have remembered what was written in Isaiah:

“Let me sing for My Beloved my love song concerning His vineyard: My Beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; He built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; He looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes … For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant planting and He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!” (Isaiah 5:1-2, 7).

If there was any humility in the hearts of those hearing Jesus’ words, the reference to the vineyard from Isaiah’s writings, along with the continuation of Jesus’ parable, should have made room for repentance, but the opposite was true.

The Revolutionaries

When people feel like their government is abusing its power and taking advantage of its subjects, the people may organize themselves and revolt. In this parable, there were revolutionaries—ones who planned and carried out the rebellion. The tenants revolted against the established rule and refused to give the master of the house his due. They went so far as to injure and kill those who were sent to gather the tax. The revolutionaries in this parable were a picture of the Jewish religious leaders. As Jesus told the story, they realized the connection and the reference didn’t make them happy (see Matthew 21:45-46).

In Jesus’ parable, the relationship between the landowner and the tenants was clearly defined. It should have been one of care and respect. The vineyard was intended to be a perfect place for the tenants to live and work and find success and peace. But the vineyard workers were not satisfied.

Since the beginning of time, humans have been trying to break away from or rise up against God’s authority. The Bible tells of something else God planted. At the beginning of time, the LORD planted a magnificent garden (see Genesis 2:8). He put boundaries around it and gave people a job to do in it (see Genesis 2:10-15). God watched over what He had made (see Genesis 3:8). He provided nourishment and the necessary help for those He placed there (see Genesis 2:16 & 18). In return, the LORD had an expectation.

“The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16-17).

God had one job for Adam and Eve—to care for the Garden of Eden. And the LORD had one rule for them—not to eat from one tree out of the plethora of available trees in the garden. Because of the rebellion in their hearts against the authority of God in their lives, they refused to keep that one commandment. Mankind has suffered ever since.

In Jesus’ parable, the landowner had one responsibility for the tenants—to care for the vineyard. And he had one request—that he might have the fruit due him. The tenants apparently accepted their responsibility but the request to part with some of the fruit was so offensive to them that they went so far as to harm and kill those who came from the master to collect what was his.

Jesus had this to say of the religious leaders of His day who had the responsibility of caring for God’s people and leading them in giving Him glory:

“‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation.² Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of Hell as yourselves’” (Matthew 23:13-15).

Like the faithless tenants in Jesus’ parable, the religious leaders rebelled against the LORD. They were not giving God His due. Instead, they were using their positions for selfish gain.

The Loyalists

Caught up in the mayhem of many revolutions, there are also loyalists. These people are anti-revolutionary; they oppose the uprising against the established rule. In this parable, these were the servants. The word used for servant here is also translated bondservant. A bondservant was one who lived with, received all that was needed from, and was completely devoted to the will and service of his/her master. These servants stood for the prophets God sent to His people to keep them in a right relationship with Him. Another loyalist described in this parable was the son of the landowner. The son of the master of the house represented Jesus Himself.

The writer of Hebrews honored some of the bondservants of God who suffered at the hands of those who did not believe them or accept their message:

“Some were tortured, refusing to accept release so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:35b-38).

To those who here questioned His authority and to whom He addressed this parable, Jesus said:

“‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, “If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.” Thus, you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to Hell? Therefore, I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation’” (Matthew 23:29-36).

Though they were being held responsible for the persecuting and slaughtering of the prophets and righteous ones who had been sent to them and their forefathers, the religious leaders in Jesus’ audience did not repent. Instead, they planned to murder Jesus, the Son of the Master of the House. Yet, Jesus never stopped desiring that they would turn from their wickedness and submit to the authority of God.

“‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing’” (Matthew 23:37)!

The Counter-Revolution

In response to a rebellion, there is sometimes a counter-revolution. This is a kind of repudiation that actively opposes the former uprising to the point of reversing its results. In this parable, the rebellion of the original tenants is met with a counter-revolution by the landowner that removed the revolutionaries and replaced them with other tenants who would be loyal to him and fulfill his expectations.

This turn of events shouldn’t have been a surprise to those listening to Jesus’ parable if they remembered the rest of Isaiah’s description of the LORD’s vineyard:

“‘And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between Me and My vineyard. What more was there to do for My vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For … [I] looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry’” (Isaiah 5:3-7)!

Luke’s rendition of Jesus telling this parable makes it sound like the religious leaders to whom He spoke were surprised that the rebellious, murderous vineyard workers would be punished by losing their place to others who would honor the master. Jesus concluded His story with, “‘What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.’ When [the religious leaders] heard this, they said, ‘Surely not!’” (Luke 20:15b-16).

It is hard to imagine why this outcome would have been so unexpected. Earlier, Jesus had told these same people:

“‘I tell you; many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, while the sons of the Kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” (Matthew 8:5-13).

These other tenants and new inhabitants of the vineyard that took the place of the unfaithful tenants were the Gentiles. These came from the east and the west and took the place in the Kingdom of God that was vacated by the Jews—the original sons of the Kingdom.

Jesus tried to explain what was happening this way: “‘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 marvelous in our eyes”’’” (Matthew 21:42)? This should have caused the scribes and priests to remember the Messianic prophecy:

“Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The Stone that the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:19-24).

But there was no rejoicing or marveling going on among these religious leaders. Instead, they were overcome with anger and fear. “The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on Him at that very hour, for they perceived that He had told this parable against them, but they feared the people” (Luke 20:19).

God’s unexpected turning of favor from the Jews to the Gentiles was a cause of much confusion for the religious Jews. Even after Jesus left Earth and ascended to Heaven:

“Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders, … This Jesus is the Stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the Cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved’” (Acts 4:8, 11-12).

“Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly [to the Jews], saying, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles’” (Acts 13:46).

“Paul was occupied with the Word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles … Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.’” (Acts 18:5b-6 & Acts 28:28).

Revolutionary

Long before these events, Isaiah prophesied:

“‘But the Lord of Hosts … will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken’” (Isaiah 8:13-15).

“Since ancient times, builders have used cornerstones in their construction projects. A cornerstone was the principal stone, usually placed at the corner of an edifice, to guide the workers in their course. The cornerstone was usually one of the largest, the most solid, and the most carefully constructed of any in the edifice. The Bible describes Jesus as the cornerstone that His church would be built upon. He is foundational. Once the cornerstone was set, it became the basis for determining every measurement in the remaining construction; everything was aligned to it. As the cornerstone of the building of the church, Jesus is our standard of measure and alignment.

The book of Isaiah has many references to the Messiah to come. In several places the Messiah is referred to as ‘the cornerstone,’ such as in this prophecy: ‘So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line”’ (Isaiah 28:16–17). In context, God speaks to the scoffers and boasters of Judah, and He promises to send the cornerstone—His precious Son—who will provide the firm foundation for their lives if they would but trust in Him.”³

In his ministry, Paul referred to Jesus as the Cornerstone and the Ephesian Gentiles as part of the Building of Christ:

“Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles … were … separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ … So, then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the Cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:11a, 12-13, 19-22).

Peter did the same as he encouraged the Gentile Believers he taught:

“As you come to Him, a Living Stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a Stone, a Cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.’ So, the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The Stone that the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:4-10).

To those whom Paul and Peter spoke the Cornerstone was indeed a precious sanctuary—one that brought them belonging, purpose, life, and honor. But to those who did not believe, Jesus was “a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling …, a trap and a snare’” (Isaiah 8:13-14). Those who stumbled and fell, and were broken and snared did so because they refused to submit to God and His plan for salvation in Jesus.

The Most Revolting Thing

Jesus chastised the Jewish religious leaders for their rebellion against God, their refusal to submit to His authority, and their unwillingness to repent. Those who refused to believe in Jesus lost their inheritance in His Kingdom and received eternal punishment. These unbelieving Jews behaved toward God’s chosen Messiah the way they did because, somewhere along the line, they came to the conclusion that they were in control of their own destiny. They felt they were righteous and that God owed them.

Lest we be too hard on the Jews, let us take a moment to look in the mirror. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The natural state of all humanity is one of rebellion.

“’There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’ ‘Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.’ ‘The poison of vipers is on their lips.’ ‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways and the way of peace they do not know.’ ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes’” (Romans 3:10-18).

As Christians, we may have initially repented, believed in, and submitted to Christ, but have we remained in that position? “As [we have] received Christ Jesus the Lord, [we are supposed to] walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:6-7a). We began our relationship with Christ in faith, but we are tempted to try to live out Christianity in our own strength and wisdom.

Like the religious Jews of Jesus’ time on Earth, who thought they were serving the LORD but, in reality, were working against Him, as Christians, we too are not immune to rejecting Jesus and stumbling over Him in a variety of ways. Once the Cornerstone of Christ is chosen and set in our lives, He should become the basis for every decision and everything in which we engage; everything in our lives should be aligned to Jesus.

Instead, I fear, we can attempt to try and persuade Jesus to get in line with our desires. We can tarnish the plan God has for our lives by using it for our own selfish gain. We can strive to be the master of our own lives. We can even despise the precious gift of salvation by making it all about us. And when God attempts to get us in line with Him again, we can be so offended that we slander and malign those God has sent to warn us of our error. We can be exactly like the tenants in the parable above and not even realize it.

The proof is in the following words of Jesus:

 “‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness”’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

The will of the Father in Heaven is that we submit to His rightful authority over our lives. God created us and has placed us where He wanted us so that we could love, serve, and honor Him. And, most importantly, He has provided the Way for us to be right with Him. Through Jesus, we can fulfill all of the Father’s expectations.

Jesus sacrificed Himself and purchased us with His blood. He gave us His righteousness. God desires us to be His Holy Temple, built upon the Cornerstone, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The Father requires us to believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation. Jesus asks for our submission in return for what He has done. And the Holy Spirit wants our cooperation so that He can do God’s work through us.

It was to the religious that Jesus told this parable. May it not be said of us as it was of them:

“For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:2-4).

Unjustified Revolt

The most fundamental rebellion of all time is that of man against God. But this revolt is the most unreasonable. People usually rise up against authority because they do not have what they deem necessary for life. But when it comes to God, He “has granted to [everyone who believes in Jesus for salvation] all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 3:1a). God is not holding back anything. He has abundantly provided.

In Jesus’ parable, there was a harvest because the landowner did everything necessary for fruitfulness before he even lent out his vineyard. Ample fruit was available because he did the work to make it a possibility. Somewhere along the line, the workers in the vineyard thought they were responsible for its success and they wanted to keep all of its fruit. They were offended when the landowner expected some return for his initial work.

We are able to have “all grace abound to [us], so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, [we] may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8) because God has done all the preparatory work. God could be saying of us as He did through Isaiah about His vineyard, Israel:

“‘Judge between Me and [those who are called by My name]. What more was there to do for [My people], that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes’” (Isaiah 5:3b-4)?

No one who thinks he/she is right with God expects to hear:

“‘The Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this Stone will be broken to pieces; and when It falls on anyone, it will crush him’” (Matthew 21:43-44).

No one wants to experience the discipline of the vineyard:

“‘I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it’”. For … [I] looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!” (Isaiah 5:5-7).

We might just have some blind spots that need to be illuminated. Maybe there are areas we are rebelling against Him that need to be uncovered. Perhaps we need a spiritual wake-up call to realize if we are pleasing to God. Won’t you join me in spending some time in prayer asking God to reveal where we might be in error? Whatever He reveals, may we repent from our revolting against God and start revolving around Jesus—keeping Him the center and the source of our entire lives. May we be loyal vineyard workers that work to bring glory to the Landowner. And may we be solid stones that show the world the blessing of being aligned with the Cornerstone.

 

¹ Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.

² Vs. 14 is not included in the ESV but is in the NKJV: New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

³ https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Christ-cornerstone.html