Daily devotion – Monday 29th March 2021
Last of all, he sent his son to them. “They will respect my son,” he said. But….they …killed him. – Matthew 21:37-39
As the final week progressed, the religious leader’s hostility to Jesus grew, and the themes of confrontation and judgment clarified. A classic example of this is the so-called parable of the tenants that is an allegory, not a parable.
The landowner who planted a vineyard and provided it with a wall, a winepress, and a watchtower is God Himself, whose vineyard is Israel as in Isaiah chapter 5.
He did everything in his power to make his people fruitful in good works; the tenant farmers to whom the owner leased his vineyard are the religious leaders of Israel.
In due course, when the vintage was ripe, the owner sent his servants (God’s prophets) to collect the fruit, but the tenants seized, beat, stoned, and killed them! So the owner sent more servants but the same things happened to them also.
Finally, he sent his son to them. “They will respect my son,” he said to himself. Instead, the tenants killed him.
Jesus, at the end of this story, asked His hearers a straight question, which compelled them to make a moral judgment against themselves, since by their answer, they condemned themselves. Indeed, Matthew says, Mat 21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
Here is Jesus question: Mat 21:40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
They replied, Mat 21:41 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’ response was swift Mat 21:43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
This Easter, may we never take for granted the sacrifice of our Saviour for each of us.